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"Oh, aye. 'Tis very beautiful."

Maeve was gazing up at him, her small face glowing.

"Did ye see the giants?" she asked suddenly.

"Giants?"

"Star said they have giants up there."

"Sir Alistair," Deirdre explained. "He was telling her stories."

"Ah," Robin said. He knelt down and looked at Maeve seriously. "Do ye know, lass, I didn't see a one. I looked and looked, but they must have all been sleeping."

Maeve smiled brilliantly. "They sleep a lot," she said confidentially.

"Aye, I've heard the same." Robin stood and added, "I must see Ally now."

"Robin." Deirdre inclined her head. "And Maeve—come here, now, turn Robin loose."

"Another ride?" Malcolm suggested.

Maeve looked from Robin to Malcolm, her eyes large and serious. "All right," she said, turning her smile on Malcolm. "Horsy!"

But even as Malcolm bent to take her on his back, Deirdre noted the way her daughter's eyes lingered on Robin as he walked from the garden.

CHAPTER 23

"I don't think he'll wake tonight," Master Kerian said, straightening from the bed and giving Alistair a sympathetic glance. "I'll send for ye if he does."

"I'll sit a while."

The physician shrugged and moved to the far end of the chamber, where he busied himself at a long table holding the various tools of his trade.

Alistair regarded Gawyn Kirallen sadly. It seemed unlikely the laird would wake again, and maybe it was best that way. His profile was hawk-sharp now, the flesh stripped from his bones, and his breath rasped in and out in a slow unchanging rhythm.

Alistair settled back in his seat and at length fell into a light doze.

"Alistair?"

He snapped awake and saw the laird's eyes were open.

"Aye, it's me, I'm here." Alistair gripped the laird's frail hand carefully in his own.

"Alistair, I'm sorry—" Gawyn rasped, his eyes bright in his pale lined face.

"Hush, now, dinna worry about that."

"—I was wrong, so wrong, how can ye forgive me?"

"I do. You weren't wrong—I left ye no choice—"

"Nay!" Gawyn struggled to rise, then fell back with a moaning gasp. "I was! Listen to me, Alistair, I've been waiting for ye, for I had to tell ye—"

He broke off, wheezing, and Master Kerian hurried over, slipping one hand behind his head and holding a cup to his lips. The laird drank, then waved the physician away.

"Hush, now, it's all right," Alistair said. "Please dinna fash yourself this way."

"But it's not all right," Gawyn said heavily. "I was wrong, I tell ye. I should never have brought Jemmy back here."