I turned and stilled.
The second my eyes locked with Henry’s, I knew Alasdair was right.
I would like him very much.
Chapter 20
Note from M.C.
Perhaps there were signs I should’ve seen, but I’ve long since forgiven myself for not. I was too young, too sheltered, too desperate to find my way to have made any better decisions than I did. If there is one amongst us that isn’t at some point fooled by the charms of another, I’ve yet to meet them.
None of what happened in the months following Henry’s arrival was Alasdair’s fault. He couldn’t possibly have known. Regardless, I know my brother carried undue guilt for years.
His pain is the only thing in my past I would change—my brother deserved more happiness than anyone I’ve ever known. Yet his life saw him bear so much sorrow.
And so much of it was entirely my fault.
* * *
One Month Later
* * *
I watched Elspeth carefully as we readied for the most exciting event to happen in Conall territory since Elspeth and Alasdair’s wedding years earlier—the impending marriage of Kip and Mary.
Elspeth’s skin was glowing, but the vibrancy of her skin didn’t match her behavior at all. She was so exhausted she could barely summon the strength to dress.
I’d only seen her behave in such a way once before.
“Have ye told Alasdair, yet?”
Flippantly, she glanced over her shoulder at me.
“Told him what?”
Smiling, I walked over and placed my hands on her shoulders.
“That ye are with child again. Ye are, aye?”
Spinning to face me, she grabbed my hands in a plea and stood.
“Oh, ye canna tell him, Morna, not yet. I’ve lost babes before, and I doona wish to put Alasdair through it again. I will say nothing to him until I can no longer hide it.”
“O’course.” I understood Elspeth’s concern. While every miscarriage broke her heart, Alasdair took it even harder. It wasn’t only his own grief that he felt—he felt Elspeth’s pain just as acutely. He was always trying to carry everyone else’s heartache.
I watched as she allowed herself to smile, and I leaned forward to hug her.
“Ye feel different about this one though, aye? I can see in yer eyes that ye are not as worried.”
Her chin rested against my shoulder as she spoke.
“Aye, I doona know why, but I feel stronger than in the past.”
She paused as she broke away from me and looked out the window. Motioning with her head, she urged me to look.
“Does he look angry to ye, as well?”
Down below, Henry stood with one of his men, his expression different from any I’d ever seen on him before. His face was red. While we could hear nothing, he was most certainly screaming at the poor man standing across from him.
