Deryn smiled. “Ye first.”
Maddy huffed a breath. “I wanted to apologize. I didn’t mean to overstep or offend you. Sometimes I can get a little...what’s the phrase? Carried away? I guess if someone came into my house and began rearranging things and taking it upon themselves to clean, I’d be pretty pissed too.”
“I doubt that,” he answered with a shake of his head. “I overreacted and for that, I’m sorry. In case ye hadnae noticed, I’m used to living alone. Having people around has taken a little getting used to.”
Whydidhe live alone? Not for the first time, Maddy longed to ask him about it. But she didn’t. The last thing she wanted was to poke her nose in where it clearly wasn’t welcome. Not after they’d only just made up.
“What you said about Rodric,” she asked instead. “He’s really out looking for us?”
“Aye,” he answered softly. “He is.” She heard the hay rustle as he moved and then his hand settled on top of hers. His skin was warm where it touched her. “He willnae find ye,” he said, his voice emphatic. “On this I give ye my word. Wewillfind a way to send ye home and until then, ye and Rory are most welcome in my home.”
Maddy opened her mouth to reply but found she suddenly couldn’t speak. A rush of emotions went through her so fast she couldn’t name them all. Relief, certainly, apprehension, probably. But there was something else as well, something she couldn’t quite name. Anticipation? Excitement? She shook her head in bewilderment. Deryn had just told her that she would have to remain at this isolated, rustic farm, so far removed from everything she knew. She ought to be worried. Desperate to get home. So why did she only feel a strange sense of exhilaration?
“Thanks,” she said at last. “That means a lot.”
“To my surprise, I find I like having ye and Rory around.”
“You do?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “Can I have that in writing for when Rory is throwing a tantrum or dragging you out of bed at five in the morning?”
He laughed softly. “Tantrums? Have ye met Surly? Rory has naught on him, I’m sure. And as for getting up before dawn, well, that’s no hardship. In fact, he can help me with the early rounds.”
Maddy made a face. “Just as long as you don’t expect me to help that early. A morning person I most definitely am not.”
He made no reply. He was staring at her again. Why did he have to keep doing that? Didn’t he know it made her thoughts fly away like leaves on the breeze and made her heart thump in her chest?
“Mama!” Rory cried suddenly. “What shall we call the lambs?”
“That’s up to Deryn. They’re his lambs.”
“Seeing as ye helped deliver them, I only reckon it’s fair that ye get to name them,” Deryn said. “What do ye think suits them?”
Rory screwed his face up in concentration. “Dave and Pete!” he said, picking two of the names of his classmates.
“All right,” Deryn said with a shrug. “Dave and Pete it is. Interesting names for a pair of females.”
Deryn and Maddy looked at each other. Then they burst into laughter.
