halls. The house was deceptively huge, with a stone stairway and cut flowers everywhere.
“If you stay with him,” his mother said, passing her, “you will learn them. Galeren knows every story as well as my husband knows them.”
“Then your husband taught him well.”
Braya’s smile warmed on her. She didn’t need to turn around and see the men. She could feel their gladness coming off them.
“Your home is very warm and comforting,” she complimented, winning them over.
“You will like your room then,” her hostess told her, walking her toward a softly lit hall with three doors. One on the left and two on the right. She brought Silene to the lone door on the left and opened it to a dimly lit room. The only light was from a candle in the window.
“This is our son Lucan’s room. He is in England presently.”
“Have ye received any word from him?” Galeren asked softly as his mother went inside and lit more candles.
“Not for two years now,” his mother told him.
“And where is Lionell?” Galeren asked his parents. “I didna see him in the solar.”
“He is oot somewhere.” His mother waved her arms and laughed to herself, but there was no mirth in it.
“Let us not speak of this before bed. ’Twill make fer troubled sleep,” his father said, stepping forward.
“Aye,” his wife agreed with a smile. “We will speak of it tomorrow at supper and both of you shall tell me about my parents.”
Silene nodded and looked around as more light fell on the room. She let her gaze rove over the polished wooden walls. The large bed with four wooden posts. Blankets of fur and wool were piled high on the bed. Three heavy, wooden chairs, laden with more furs, a table, and more filled the room.
“I’m moved that you offer this room to me.”
Braya looked at Galeren and smiled. “Oh, I almost did not remember. My son has given me your prayer schedule. I have let the guards know that they may see you.”
Silene didn’t know how to thank them enough for all they had done. She would make herself useful around the house. She knew how to cook. She could clean, launder, sew, all of it. It was all required learning at the priory.
“Well, love, I will let ye sleep,” Galeren bid her good eve but neither of them wanted to part.
If Silene’s chest could have opened, she was sure her heart would have burst forth and into his arms, perhaps kiss him once more.
Now that she believed she was free to marry Galeren, it was all she could think about.
She bid him good eve with a heavy heart and missed him before he shut the door to the room. They would wait until his vows were fulfilled. But it would be difficult.
Chapter Eighteen
Morgann heard rustling above him—in the trees. They walked in the trees here. He looked up but he saw nothing in the moonlit branches. Was he losing his mind to the constant cold? It wasn’t freezing, but he hadn’t moved in hours. The slight chill in the air and his shivering were becoming unbearable.
He was thirsty. Thirst always came first.
He deserved this. Silene had almost died. He was so glad she was alive. He didn’t owe this kind of allegiance to anyone, even after what the steward had done for him.
John had found him on the road to Edinburgh. His feet were burned and blistered from the heat below and having no shoes. He hadn’t eaten in…in truth, he had no idea, save that it had been a long time. He wasn’t used to it. One never grew used to starvation. But he’d gone without eating before. He knew what to expect. He was weary. Bone weary of living.
He was twelve.
John had taken him in and given him back his life. He never went hungry again. He learned how to fight with a sword and shoot an arrow. He grew strong and fit and John put him in his army at fifteen.
He’d known of Captain MacPherson since he’d come to Dundonald. Everyone knew of him and his closest group of men. Morgann used to watch them ride through the inner gates, home from doing the king’s duty, champions of Scotland. He’d aspired to be friends with them, men like them. He looked up to the captain and worked hard honing his skills in the hopes of fighting next to him someday.
But it wasn’t fighting that brought them together.
It happened one cold winter’s day when John and