Justina straightened. “We’re leaving.”
Gawyn’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Without saying goodbye?”
Adam ducked beneath her arm. “She promised we could stay another day! And now, she lied to me.”
Gawyn’s gaze shifted to Justina. He didn’t want to interfere in their family dispute, but he wanted her to stay. “I barely got to spend time with you.”
“You did what you intended. You dropped us here and left.”
Gawyn couldn’t believe his ears. Was she angry that he had obligations? “Were you not taken care of?”
“I’m not a child who needs to be pampered.”
“You’re acting like one,” Gawyn retorted.
Her mouth dropped at the insult.
Gawyn sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. He was tired. “I hurried back as fast as I could. I’m sorry I left you.”
Justina nodded curtly, and her chin lifted. “You have no obligation to us. We’re just commoners who live on the outskirts of your lands. That’s all.”
“They are not my lands,” Gawyn corrected. Then, he shook his head. “Justina, I don’t understand. What happened? Have I done something to upset you?”
“She got sick last night,” Adam said. “It must have addled her brains.”
“Adam!” Justina snapped.
“That is no way to speak to a lady,” Gawyn reprimanded.
“She’s not a lady,” Adam whispered hotly and crossed his arms, disappearing into the room with a pout.
“If you’d like, I could escort your brother to see the falcons before you leave. That way, at least, he won’t be angry with you.”
Justina seemed to consider his idea. She lowered her gaze in thought.
Gawyn had no idea what had happened to make her so angry. There were dark rings under her eyes. Maybe she didn’t sleep well, but that was no reason to be so angry. No. Something had happened.
She glanced back toward Adam and sighed. “I suppose that would be acceptable.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Adam exclaimed, rushing forward and throwing his arms around her waist.
Gawyn grinned at the boy, but a swirling sadness threatened to spin him into an abyss inside of him. “I’d like for you to accompany us, but I will understand if you don’t feel well and would rather stay in your room.”
“It’s notmyroom.”
Again, Gawyn was taken aback at her tone. Her anger was incomprehensible. It seemed she was irritated at everything except her brother. “My pardons. I meant in this room.”
The furrow on her brow was testament to her unhappiness. She looked him over with a quick sweeping gaze. “When did you get back?”
Gawyn shook his head. “Just now. My horse is probably still in the ward.”
“You haven’t eaten yet?”
“It doesn’t matter. This is more important.”
He saw a softening in her lovely brown eyes and the furrowing in her brow smoothed. “We have sweets and fruit, if you’d like some.”
Gawyn glanced over her shoulder and saw the table near the hearth was covered with bowls of fruit and trays of sweets. Then, he looked back at her. “Justina, I don’t understand what I did to make you so cross. I’m sorry I had to leave. I really am. But the safety of Acquitaine is important to me. There are a lot of people who depend on me. And I won’t let them down.”
