But later, when they stopped to let their horses graze and drink from a nearby stream, they sat together and ate dried strips of venison.
“Logan?”
He turned to look at his brother. “Aye?”
“Is yer heart lost to her?
“Why? Do ye intend to scold me fer it?”
In the moonlight, Ealar looked as if he only had to lift his hand to cast a spell. He shook his head and his hair shimmered around his face like black pearls.
“Nae,” Ealar answered. “I want to know if ’tis possible fer a lass to make ye ferget yer past.”
Logan stared at him, his brow knit together with suspicion and concern. “What have ye done that is so terrible that ye want to ferget?” And was it what had taken joy from his brother?
Ealar shook his head, changing his mind about talking.
Logan insisted, even pushing his brother where he sat. “Tell me.”
“Logan, ’tis difficult.”
Logan felt something in his heart break for his brother. “I am here fer ye, little brother.”
Ealar closed his eyes until Logan thought his brother wasn’t going to answer. Then, “I made her pregnant.”
Logan wanted to respond with something more dramatic than a blink of his eyes. He didn’t think Ealar wanted shouting. “Who?”
“It doesna matter. She left Lochaber.”
“How long ago?”
“Five months ago.”
Logan paled. “Does our father know?”
“Nae.”
“Ealar, he should know that ye are bein’ refused aboot seein’ yer bairn.”
“Logan, she miscarried. There is no child.”
Logan doubted what he was seeing when Ealar’s eyes filled with unshed tears and glistened like starlight as he spoke.
“When she first told me there would be a babe, I was happy, Brother. Though it wasna yet born, I loved it. When ’twas gone, I grieved fer it. I think aboot it all the time if I am no’ distracted. It has no’ stopped in five months. I want to ferget.”
Logan was still too stunned by his brother’s confession to respond to him. He thought about it while they lay down to sleep for a few hours.
“Ealar,” he said in the dark, “I’m sorry ye lost yer babe. I should have known somethin’ was off with ye. I will do whatever I can to help, but only time will heal ye.”
“But I can see that Miss Woodburn healed ye.”
Logan smiled. His brother was correct. “Yer woman will care fer ye when ye arena throwin’ compliments aroond, when ye arena being charmin, but moody. It willna matter to her. If yer heart is pulled toward her, run to her, Brother.”
“Who is she?” Ealar pressed. “When will I meet her?”
“I dinna know, but ye will know when ye meet her. In the meantime, dinna have bairns with just anyone. Value yerself and her, whoever she is, above that.”
“Aye, Brother.”
