Movement behind her. Anthony, crossing to the small table beside the bed. He lifted the cloth from the edge of the water pot, wrung it out, set it on the table beside her.
She reached for it.
His hand was already there.
Neither of them moved. His hand over hers, the cloth between them, the fire low at their backs.
She felt the warmth of him, direct, immediate, and went completely still.
He did not pull away.
One heartbeat. Two.
She withdrew. Pressed the cloth to James's forehead, fixed her attention on the boy, on the steadying rhythm of his breathing.
Behind her she heard Anthony stand, heard the single step back that restored the proper distance.
She did not turn around.
Her hand stayed warm long after it had no reason to. She pressed it flat against her knee and kept her eyes on James. On the rise and fall of his small chest, steady now, holding.
It was easier to watch the boy breathe than to think about the man standing behind her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
"Is that me supper?"
The question came out before he'd fully processed what had happened.
One moment the plate was in front of him. The next, a flash of red fur, a sound like a small deliberate theft, and the slice of roasted meat was gone.
The hall went quiet.
Anthony looked at the empty space on his plate. Looked at the fox, who had arranged himself on the bench beside Catriona with the unhurried satisfaction of a creature that had accomplished exactly what it set out to accomplish and saw no reason to pretend otherwise.
It chewed. Slowly. Without the smallest indication of remorse.
Every man at the table was watching him. Waiting. The hall had the particular quality of a room full of people deciding very carefully not to make a sound.
Anthony looked at Catriona.
She was looking at the fox.
"What do ye call it?" he asked.
"Fox," she said calmly.
As if this were the most reasonable answer available, which she clearly believed it was.
"That's nae a name."
She lifted one shoulder. "Well. It is nae a cat. And he considers names unnecessary."
The fox, as if following the conversation with interest, turned its head toward Anthony.
Regarded him for a moment with amber eyes that conveyed nothing resembling apology. Then it turned its back. Deliberately, unhurriedly, and settled closer against Catriona's side.
From the far end of the table, Mairi burst into laughter and clapped both hands over her mouth.
