and hurried off with Alex.
She heard the captain’s hard voice as he warned Miss Birchet never to speak to the children like that again.
She didn’t wait to hear anything more but rushed to Margaret. She found her sitting on a bench in her mother’s orchard. She clutched Daffodil and wept into the kitten’s fur.
Silene reached her but said nothing right away. Instead, she sat next to her and petted Daffodil. Finally, she spoke softly. “It takes great strength to apologize.”
“I dinna care aboot strength,” the little girl cried. “I just want her to leave Captain MacPherson alone!”
Silene remembered the captain mentioning the child’s jealousy. But Margaret wasn’t jealous of Silene at all. She wasn’t jealous of Cecilia either. Margaret didn’t like the captain’s betrothed. It wasn’t difficult to see why. Cecilia treated the children like pests, only giving them her attention if she had to. Who would want their friend to wed someone like that?
But it wasn’t about Miss Birchet. This difficult lesson was for Margaret.
“I agree with you,” she whispered to the girl. “I do not want him to marry her either.” She drew her finger to her lips and smiled.
Margaret smiled back. Soon though, it faded, and she tilted her lips to Silene’s ear. “I saw her kissin’ someone else.”
Silene closed her eyes and commanded herself to breathe. “Are you certain it was not the captain?”
“He was on his way to get ye,” Alex told her.
They loved him. If Cecilia was betraying him, it was perfectly understandable that they didn’t like her.
“Did you tell him? Or anyone?”
Margaret and her brother shook their heads. “He willna care,” Alex lamented. “He is only marryin’ her because my father wants him to. I have heard his conversations with my father.”
“May I come near?”
They all turned to see the captain paused a few feet away. They nodded and he took a step forward. How much had he heard?
“I have decided not to wed Miss Birchet despite what yer father wants. But I will be the one to tell him, aye?”
They grinned and nodded.
He went to Margaret next. There being no room on the bench, he knelt before her. “I’m verra proud of ye, lass.”
She looked at him over Daffodil’s head. “I’m verra angry with ye.”
“I know,” he said softly, as serious and somber as she. “But I would have ye fit fer a noble court, my lady.”
Margaret smiled and handed him the meowing kitten eager to get to him.
“Captain,” Alex drew his attention. “We have something to tell ye.”
Silene rose from where she sat and refused the captain’s offer to stay. She didn’t know how he felt about his betrothed. The news was private, so she left them alone.
Imagine, she thought while walking to the castle, being betrothed to Galeren MacPherson and kissing someone else! She wondered who it was. Her uncle? No. The children would have recognized their own father.
She heard her name being called and turned to see Margaret and Alex laughing and calling while they raced to reach her.
“I win!” Alex shouted.
“Sister, why did ye leave?” Margaret asked her.
She wasn’t sure she—she heard his heavier footsteps approaching. She smiled seeing tiny Daffodil sitting on his shoulder and playing with the hair at his neck.
“They would run all day if they could,” the captain laughed, not out of breath at all.
“They never tire,” she agreed.
“Where are ye off to?” he asked.
“Prayers.”
“Oh.” He looked around and smiled at the children. “I was thinkin’, we are goin’ explorin’ tomorrow and we would all enjoy it if ye would accompany us.”
“What about—?” There were so many things to consider.
“We have agreed not to think aboot anyone else fer the day,” the captain told her.
She smiled. She wasn’t sure she could do it, but she would try.
Chapter Twelve
Galeren watched Silene chasing the children while Daffodil leaped through the grass like a ball of orange fur trying to keep up.
He smiled when she caught Margaret up in her arms and tagged a laughing Alex.
He wanted to join them when they collapsed onto the grass in a tangle of arms and legs.
Laughter filled the small, sunlit clearing and Galeren’s ears. It seeped into his heart and made him long for things he’d never wanted before. A loving wife…bairns.
They had met before breaking their fast. Galeren was early, as were the children. They hadn’t waited long for Silene. She was just as eager to start the day as they were.
She intelligently wore her hose and tabard instead of her novice’s robes. She did wear her wimple and