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“A peace in which everyone is safe.” She rebutted. “And therefore, I want to go to Ireland, England or even Canada and wait until Ewan is strong enough to stand on his own.”
Rage lathered all of him as he advanced on Freya. “Never!” He stanched inches from her. “Your place is with me!”
She would follow him to the confines of Earth if her wishes were possible. “My place is to shield Ewan.”
“I will do that my way.” He insisted.
“And put his life at risk every single day?” The challenge must have given him pause as he directed a silent stare at her. The McKendrick would be obliged to assign guards to the boy at every hour of the day and everywhere; with the added worry that there would be no guarantee he would survive.
“Damn it all to hell!” The exclamation was his way to yield her the point.
Freya sighed heavily when she sat down again. Drostan strode to the window, rubbing his nape taut with tension. The stalemate did nothing to relieve the edgy atmosphere.
In need of something to do, she pivoted to the fireplace and made him a plate with the food she cooked for dinner. The gross earthenware clanked on the table. “You had better eat something. It has been a long trip.”
His chestnut head turned to her. Their glares clashed and held for several seconds before he nodded at last and sat by the table.
During these years, Drostan contemplated every reason for her running. That she did not want to stay with him; that she did not feel comfortable living with his family; that she even found someone else—devil forbid. Never, ever, would he have considered this.
His wife was not only a warrior-queen, she showed braveness beyond that. To think she struggled all these years to hide and protect their son filled him with overflowing admiration. She left everything behind heedless of the consequences to her, so focused on her aim.
“When did Ross start threatening you?” He asked though he predicted the answer.
“A few weeks before I left.” Her hand tossed her auburn tress back. “He and his brother James told me to leave so as not to produce an heir.” Her hazel gaze locked on his. “Only I did not know I already carried him.”
“And you discovered—” He prompted.
“A month later.” The beginning of a smile came to her full lips as if the memory warmed her.
He finished his food and put the plate away. “And how did you manage to deliver him?”
“As soon as I realised it coming, I walked to a midwife in the McDougal.”
“McDougal?” His stubble cut-glass jaw crumpled.
“If it was a boy, nobody in the McKendricks or the McPherson should hear of it. Here, no one knew who I was.” Her hands joined on the table, her countenance guarded. He could only imagine the hardships she had gone through.
“You are a brave woman, Lady McKendrick.” He offered.
Auburn head bent shyly. “On the contrary, I was afraid of everything.”
“Of course you were, given the circumstances. But you stood up to it.” His voice lowered an octave.
“I had no choice.” Was all she said.
He believed her. Had she stayed in the McKendrick, her kin would have found a way to harm his son, even if she shared her predicament with him. With his clan. The consequences would have been nefarious, she had the right of it. A possible clan war, which would attract English attention and the ensuing loss of his lands and title. His father would pass down the title of Earl the English crown conferred them after Culloden. But a title was nothing compared to the lands and traditions which would be lost. His wife alone held it all together as if upholding a whole wall on her own. It must be his duty to continue her work now.
“I am retiring.” She informed. “Ewan is an early bird.” And left him there with his musings.
Drostan stepped out to care for Threuna.
CHAPTER SEVEN
When the door opened, Freya’s head lifted to see her husband coming into her bedchamber. Her heart somersaulted as arrows of fire shot through her. It had been hard enough to keep looking at him during their conversation, absorbing his big masculine form moving in the cramped front room as a caged wolf.
She did not bother telling him to sleep elsewhere. No use since he did not do it when he found her. In her nightdress, she gave her back to him not to watch him undressing in the intimate candlelight. It would give away how much she missed him. So she lay down eyes fixed on the ceiling, trying hard not to hear the swishing of clothes on the other side of the not-too-spacious double bed.
He also lay his large frame on the straw mattress, taking up two-thirds of the space, their sides touching. One of his hands went under his head, the free arm running along hers. From the corner of her left eye she saw him turn his attention to her.
