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‘And what if he dies? What if he does not return and you are left without a protector.’
Morna hugged her arms tightly around her and bit her lip. She would not think of that now.
‘If you are with child by that fiend then I will wed you and give it a father. In all honour, how could I do differently, when I made a promise to you that day to care for you and protect you always?’
‘That is a ridiculous notion, after what has happened.’
‘I should have protected you from Ramsay. I failed you, Morna, and that is why I lost you.’
‘How could you know what he would do? Owen, I was never yours to protect. I know that is a harsh thing to say, but you deserve my honesty now.’
‘And you deserve mine. Whether he returns or not, that William Bain is not a good man.’
‘He is good to me, and we are alike, he and I. We understand each other. My heart calls to his, there is nothing I can do about it.’
Owen frowned and scuffed the ground at his feet. ‘Ah, you are a strange woman, Morna.’
‘Indeed, I am, sometimes I do not even know myself, and I cannot puzzle out my feelings. You’d best forget about me and turn your mind to another, who is not so strange and regards you highly. I think you may return that regard, but you dare not act on it for fear of offending me and my family.’
Owen’s face reddened.
‘Beigis is lovely and without a protector. She has a soft heart, and she cares for you, I see it. You want her, but you feel tied to me, through misplaced honour or affection or out of loyalty to my brothers. Owen, there is such folly in that, for you get but one life and you should fill it with love. Why not get to know her better?
‘First, you reject me then you would give me away to another woman. If I choose someone, it will not be at your command.’
‘That is fair, and I don’t command, I suggest. You can choose to act on my advice, or you can wait until some other man claims her. She is so lovely it won’t take long for her to be noticed. And remember, until she weds, she is not safe from Ranulph Gowan.’
‘How can you be so sure she wants me, Morna, and is not just seeking protection for her children?’
‘I know how a woman in love looks at a man, and she was jealous when I spoke your name. Beigis looks at her children with love, and she looks at you the same way, or, if not love, at least infatuation. I would exploit that weakness in her before she comes to her senses.’
Morna was on dangerous ground teasing him, but, to her relief, he smiled and laughed a little.
Fat drops of rain plopped down, here and there. ‘We should get you inside, Owen. Here, I will help you.’
‘I can manage, Morna. I am not in my dotage yet.’ The rain intensified and turned to a deluge, and soon they were getting soaked.
Morna kept pace with Will as he hobbled down the hill, far too slowly. As they got through the gates, he stumbled, and she caught hold of him and eased his arm over her shoulder. The fact that he let her assured Morna that she was forgiven.
When they looked up, it was to see Beigis staring at them, as if frozen. She must have come to feed the chickens for she had a bowl of scraps in her hand which was now filling with rainwater. Her lovely blonde hair was dripping wet, and there was such a look of despair on her face as to surely leave Will in no doubt about her feelings for him.
‘Beigis,’ Morna shouted, ‘can you come and help Will. I cannot manage it.’
When the other woman came up to them, Morna gently let go of Will and let him lean on Beigis and then she hurried away as fast as she could. It felt good to help them find love, but what about her own? Was he safe? Was Will thinking of her as she constantly thought of him?
Chapter Thirty
Myton-on-Swale - Yorkshire
September 1319
It was late afternoon, and the sun glinted off the floodplains below him. Every muscle in his body ached from days of riding, raiding and fighting. Will squinted into the sun and tried not to think of Morna as he rose up in the saddle to ease out the cramp in his legs.
Sir James Douglas and the Earl of Moray, along with their battle-hardened force of ten thousand men, had cut a path of destruction through the rolling peaks of Northumberland and into Yorkshire. With incredible speed, they had traversed the wind-scoured Pennines and then on to plunder and burn Ripon and Boroughbridge. Now, deep inside English territory, they were heading towards the rich prize of York. Already Will was impressed with their tenacity. They marched quickly, on little sleep and food, driven by the knowledge that every burnt town and village, every attack, every theft of grain stores and plunder of riches, weakened Edward’s resolve to continue besieging Berwick. The more they made England bleed, the more likely its King would bow to pressure from his nobles to lift the siege and take them on.
They were hidden in a stand of trees atop a gently sloping hill. In front of Will, Cormac’s horse champed on its bit, tossing its head to clear the flies from its eyes. James, Lord Douglas was at his right shoulder, considering his next move, and on his left, sat Lyall.
Will noticed movement below.
