AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I cannot tell anyone. I didna mean for you to see that.
“Well, I cannot unsee it now, can I?”
“Iain, please understand. I never meant to lie to anyone. I just dinnae give all the information. Anyone who is near me is in danger. It is better if I leave.”
“But I can help you if you just tell me.”
“No, you cannot. Tis not your burden to bear.”
Iain took a deep breath and glared at her. Then he sighed and sat down on the chair.
“Iain?”
When he next spoke, Yesenda knew she could not remain with this man. She would only cause him more pain, and he deserved better than that.
“I spent years pining for a woman who could not be honest with me. But fool that I am, I accepted it because having her anyway I could have her was better than nothing.”
“Iain, I dinnae need to hear this.”
He continued. “I thought that would be my life. I thought somehow that was the best I could have. A woman who constantly lied to me and made me feel worthless. And then…” He took a deep breath. “And then I met you and finally, after years in purgatory, I had a glimpse of heaven.”
“Iain,” Yesenda whispered as her expression softened.
“But it’s not heaven at all, tis just a different kind of hell because I cannot trust her either. You have been lying to me from the first moment we met. And yet, I refuse to let you face whatever this danger is, alone.”
He stood and started pacing and brushing his fingers through his hair. “Good lord, I must be all kinds of a fool.”
“Iain, you need to let me go,” Yesenda said. She clasped his hand and pulled him to face her. “You need to let me go. You deserve better and I am not it.”
He just shook his head. His facial expression held pain when he said, “No.”
Iain kept staring at Yesenda, then he took a deep breath and said, “But you’re right. I deserve the best. By the gods, I have fucking earned it. If I have to do this, then so be it.”
Yesenda closed her eyes and nodded.
She opened them when Iain asked, “These vows you took, are you a nun dedicated for life at the abbey?”
She shook her head and said, “No, tis not like that. I am free to live anywhere.”
“So you can marry and have bairns someday?”
“Aye, but why are you asking me this?”
“I need something to look forward to in my future.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, seeing as you dinnae trust me enough to tell me your secrets, I have to prove that I am trustworthy. So, I am coming with you.”
Yesenda’s mouth dropped open, and she stared at Iain as if he’d lost his mind.
“But first, we’re getting married so you cannot hie off somewhere without me.”
“What the—”
Iain ignored her and instead grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the cottage. He walked with purposeful strides to get the children.
“Iain! What are you doing?”
