‘Adriana was Queen Berengaria’s lady-in-waiting, as well as her guard. She followed where the queen went.’
‘And the queen is still there?’
Liam shook his head, his sword striking hard against Trahern’s. ‘She journeyed home by way of Rome. Richard planned to join her later, but Adriana stayed behind for me.’
This time when Trahern counter-attacked, Liam struggled against the blows that rained against his shield and sword. ‘That must have been hard on her.’
‘It was.’ Without meaning to, his worries spilled out. ‘She’s been behaving strangely since we left. Whenever I touch her, she flinches.’
Trahern lowered his sword and sheathed it. He cast a glance toward his wife, Morren, who was now on the far side of the castle grounds, near the stairs leading to the Great Chamber. ‘Does she seem afraid of your touch?’
Liam returned his own weapon to his scabbard and nodded. ‘She tries to hide it, but aye. It’s as if she can’t bear it.’
Trahern’s gaze turned troubled. ‘If it would be of help, I could have Morren speak with her. Sometimes one woman can help another.’
‘Morren has never faced battles like those we saw in the Crusades,’ Liam admitted. ‘Even the children were slaughtered.’ His mouth tightened at the memory. ‘What sort of king would kill innocents?’ Liam’s gaze settled upon the young boy Morren was holding on her hip. ‘Could you raise your sword against another man’s son?’
‘No.’
He let out a breath. ‘And neither could I. Richard had me imprisoned for disobeying orders.’ He continued along his uncle’s side, and Trahern rested a hand on his shoulder. ‘After I was released from chains, we were allowed to go. I never understood why.’
‘You’re home now, Liam. And your father needs you more than ever. Especially, now that Isabel—’
Trahern’s words broke off as if he realised what he’d been about to reveal. Liam stopped walking. ‘Now that my mother is what?’
‘Nothing. Patrick will tell you, when the time is right.’
He didn’t like the sound of that. His mother, though younger than their father, hadn’t looked well recently. Was she sick or suffering in some way?
‘In the meantime, I’ll have Morren speak with Adriana. It may help.’ The expression on Trahern’s face held sympathy, and though Liam doubted it would do any good, he supposed there was no harm in it.
‘All right.’ He followed his uncle back toward the Great Chamber, but his uncle spied a group of visiting Lochlannach from Gall Tír. Trahern apologised and went to greet them, stopping first to voice a few words to his wife. Liam thought about following his uncle but decided to go in search of Adriana instead.
Last night, she had returned to her own chamber after their disastrous time together. She’d been so miserable, and he couldn’t help but think he’d caused it by daring to push too hard. He wished he’d never laid a hand upon her, for it had created an invisible rift between them.
Trahern’s question, about whether she was afraid of his touch, weighed upon him. For it was true. Somehow, in the past few months, Adriana had come to fear being touched. That, coupled with her nightmares, began to dig into his consciousness. Had she been hurt somehow? He couldn’t think of any moment when she’d been left alone to fend for herself. She’d always been surrounded by the queen’s guards.
But the possibility was there. And the more he thought of it, the more he realised how little she trusted him.
* * *
Adriana sat upon the stairs, leaning against the cold stone wall. It was early, but she’d been unable to sleep at all after she’d retreated to her own room. She’d mistakenly believed that last night she could end her fears by giving herself to the man she loved.
The fears had conquered her after all. Liam’s sympathy and promise to wait only made her feel worse. For she’d realised, last night, that she could not hide the truth from him—she was no longer a virgin. He would learn of it, and once he did, he could refuse to wed her. This betrothal was one of their own making—not one negotiated by her parents. It could still be broken before the documents were formally signed.
The thought of returning to Navarre without him broke her heart. It was something she could never endure, and if it meant fighting past her fear to keep him, she’d do anything.
She wept, releasing the terror of losing Liam, along with the pain she’d hidden from him. Though she tried to keep her sobs quiet, footsteps approached and she saw a tall man standing before her. She hadn’t seen him before, but despite his blond hair and blue eyes, his facial features didn’t resemble Liam or any of the others.
‘I’m sorry.’ She wiped her eyes and stood. ‘I’ll move out of your way.’
‘I wasn’t intending to go above stairs,’ he said. ‘I heard you crying.’
Her face grew crimson as she wondered who else had heard her self-indulgent weeping. ‘Forgive me,’ she apologised as she took a step down. ‘It’s nothing.’
She wanted to move past him, but the man refused to move. Even more disconcerting, his gaze centred above her, as if he weren’t looking at her face.
‘You’re not one of the MacEgans,’ he guessed.
Neither was he, from the faint accent within his voice. She couldn’t quite place its origin. ‘Not yet,’ she answered. ‘But I hope to marry Liam MacEgan. My name is Adriana de Manzano.’
She continued down the stairs until she stood before him. This time, he shifted his gaze to her face. ‘I am Kaall Hardrata.’
A Norseman, then. She’d heard that many of them dwelled nearby, after their ancestors had traded and settled here.
She started to move past him, and he added, ‘Is he that terrible, the man you intend to marry?’
‘No. He’s wonderful. And far too good for me.’ She didn’t know why she’d told him that, but it was the truth she held deep inside.
‘I know what that feels like.’
In his words, she heard the echo of her own heartbreak. She couldn’t say what drew her back to him, but she returned to stand before Kaall. ‘What happened?’
‘The woman I wanted refused to wed me.’
In him, she saw a glimpse of herself. Wasn’t that what she feared most? That Liam wouldn’t love her any more, if the truth ever came out?
But if he turned her away, knowing the price she’d paid, it meant that his love for her was hollow, held by boundaries of pride. And that wasn’t love at all, was it?
‘I’m sorry for it.’ Without knowing why, she touched his arm for a brief moment, offering her own sympathy. ‘If she didn’t love you enough, then you’re better off without her.’
Kaall crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. ‘Does Liam love you?’
‘Yes.’ Her voice came out in a whisper, and she added, ‘Sometimes I feel I don’t deserve to be with him.’
‘If he loves you, it doesn’t matter.’
She wanted to believe that. Even so, she didn’t know if she had the courage to shatter whatever love he felt for her.
‘I hope you’re right.’
* * *
Liam found Adriana standing near the hearth at the far side of the Great Chamber. She still wore the gown from last night, but her dark hair was tangled down her back. From her profile, he could see swollen eyes, as if she’d been weeping.
The urge to avoid her came over him. She would be embarrassed by what had happened, and he didn’t want to see her unhappiness. But it wasn’t right to turn from the woman he wanted to marry. He needed to talk with her and understand her fear.
Taking a deep breath, Liam crossed the room. Adriana glanced behind her, and he knew she was aware of his presence. He stood at her back while the fire sent up sparks into the cool morning air. ‘We need to talk.’
She remained silent, her arms crossed over her chest as she continued to stare at the fire. ‘I can only say that I’m sorry.’
He moved beside her, hoping she would say more, but she held in the words, g
iving him nothing. The terrible question hung between them, and though he didn’t want to voice it, he needed the truth. ‘Did someone hurt you in Acre?’
‘No.’ Her response came too quickly, and she tightened her arms around her shoulders. ‘Not that.’
‘Come with me, away from here,’ he commanded. ‘We don’t need to have this conversation around others.’
He didn’t wait for her to protest, but took her hand and led her away. She was clearly reluctant, but eventually she relented to his bidding. He ordered horses for them, and guided Adriana outside the gate.
They rode away from Laochre, through the snowy meadow and toward the coast line. His breath formed clouds in the chilled air, and when they were far away from everyone else, he turned to face her.
‘I know something happened in Acre. You’re not the same as you were in Cyprus.’
‘None of us is.’ She wouldn’t meet his gaze, but stared off into the distance. ‘I hated the Crusade. So much death...and all for a king’s glory.’
‘He let us go,’ Liam reminded her. At the sudden flicker of unrest upon her face, he prompted, ‘You know why, don’t you?’
‘I asked it of him,’ she whispered. ‘He granted my request.’
‘After I was imprisoned and tortured?’ Liam countered. ‘Why would the king let us go when I disobeyed his commands?’
Her face went white, and he suspected he was finally getting closer to the truth. ‘Look at me,’ he demanded. ‘I know there’s more you haven’t told me.’
The anguish upon her face only confirmed it, but her dark eyes stared into his. ‘I don’t want to speak of that time again. It’s in the past, and we’re here now.’
‘But it burdens you,’ he pressed.
‘It haunts my sleep,’ she shot back. ‘I close my eyes and I see those women dead. I see their babies, slaughtered like animals.’
‘What happened that made you fear being touched?’
‘Nothing. It was a terrible time for both of us, and it’s best forgotten.’
Was it the truth? Or a lie of omission? She’d cast her gaze downward, and he tilted her chin to face him. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and God help him, he didn’t know what to think now. He’d brought her here, thousands of miles away, to a place where she knew no one, save her brother.
Then he voiced the question preying upon his conscience. ‘Do you still want to marry me?’
Her answer was to embrace him hard. ‘Yes. Yes, I do. You shouldn’t even ask such a thing.’
Though he brought his arms around her to return the embrace, he sensed the silent barrier between them growing stronger. He knew her too well, and she was clearly withholding secrets from him.
His gaze moved toward the water, and as the mist lifted, Liam saw the faint outline of a ship like the one his father had spoken of. It was indeed a Mediterranean vessel, and the possibility that they had been followed from the Holy Land, now seemed a reality. But why?
Without alerting Adriana, Liam guided her back to her horse, intending to bring a group of men to sail out later.
* * *
When they arrived back at Laochre, Adriana was shocked to find out that her brother had been wounded during a skirmish with Kaall Hardrata, the Norseman she’d spoken with earlier. It seemed that the man was blind, and had been defending himself when Arturo had been caught between them.
She hurried into the castle and up the stairs where the healer Aileen had brought him. Liam shadowed her, but an icy fear gripped her heart. Arturo was not only her brother—he was also her friend. She was closer to him than anyone. He couldn’t die. Not when he’d come all this way to escort her to her marriage.
Inside the chamber, her brother was lying upon the bed while three women worked to cleanse and stitch his wound. Adriana couldn’t see more than a bloody linen cloth upon his side, and she feared the worst.
‘Will he be all right? How did this happen?’ she blurted out.
‘The wound wasn’t deep,’ Aileen reassured her. ‘It’s possible that he will be fine. But there is the risk of a fever.’
Before she could say another word, Brianna MacEgan interrupted. ‘I’ll stay with him.’
It was the woman her brother had been courting. Brianna took Arturo’s hand, lifting it to her cheek. ‘He was wounded because of me. He thought I was in danger.’ Terror and regret filled up her voice, as if she couldn’t believe it had happened.
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ the healer’s daughter interjected. ‘It was an accident.’
Adriana lifted her gaze to Liam. He stood on the far side of the room, offering his quiet support. But she couldn’t forget that he’d questioned whether or not she wanted to marry him. Was that how it had seemed? Had she made him believe that she didn’t love him?
The healer stood from Arturo’s side and said, ‘He needs rest and time for the wound to heal. I believe Brianna should stay with him alone. The care of a woman can often bring a man back from the edge of death.’ She blended wine with herbs, explaining, ‘This will help him to sleep.’ After she poured a cup and set it near Arturo’s side, she rose and went to the door. Then she signalled for the others to leave.
Adriana had no intention of going anywhere, but Brianna promised, ‘You have my word. I won’t leave his side until he’s healed.’
‘I should be the one—’
‘No.’ Brianna cut off her words. ‘I care about him, too.’
She didn’t like the idea of leaving her brother’s side, but Arturo stirred at the sound of their voices. ‘Brianna should stay.’ At her doubtful look, he added, ‘I’ve had worse injuries, Adriana.’
In other words, he’d rather be tended by the woman he was courting instead of his sister. She leaned down to kiss his forehead. ‘I will keep you in my prayers.’
He squeezed her hand and she moved across the room toward the door. After she departed the chamber, she sensed a tension in Liam’s demeanor. He took her hand and led her down the stairs to the Great Chamber. ‘I’m going out for a few hours, but I’ll be back before nightfall,’ he told her.
‘Where are you going?’
‘I saw the ship my father spoke of.’
She didn’t like that idea at all. ‘Liam, no. Your father’s guards can—’
‘They’d only attract attention.’ He cut her off, gripping her hand as he continued across the room. ‘I just want to find out who they are and why they’re here.’
‘And if it is an invasion?’
‘Then we’ll know how many men they have and how well armed they are.’ He pulled her into a darkened corner. ‘I won’t be seen, Adriana. I’ll find out what we need to know and return to you.’
‘Don’t go alone,’ she pleaded. Though Liam was good at remaining hidden, she hated the thought of the danger he might face. ‘At least take a few men with you.’
‘And get them killed the way I did the others on Crusade?’ Vehemence lined his face, and she could say nothing to convince him that it wasn’t his fault. He wouldn’t believe it.
‘There’s no reason for you to go,’ she said. ‘Someone else could find out why—’
‘I want to go.’ He cut her off, and the impatient look in his eyes bothered her. ‘I’ve the need to spend a few hours away from here.’
Her throat closed off, for she suspected that he wanted time away from her. The darkening anger on his face and the frustration inside him were visible. And though Adriana had considered revealing everything to him, she retreated, fearing the worst of his rage. Now was not the time.
‘I need you to be safe,’ she whispered.
His grey eyes bore into hers, as if waiting for her to say more. He pressed her back into the shadows, seizing her mouth with his. In his kiss, she tasted the frustration and bitterness. Though it might have been a kiss of farewell, there was nothing gentle about it. And when he pulled back, she felt bruised, too afraid to ask why he’d been so rough.
‘I’ll return at nightfall’ was all he said, not look
ing back at her.
There was no choice but to quietly alert his father and follow him with their own forces. Adriana wasn’t about to let him be harmed, despite his claims that he would face no danger.
* * *
Liam left his horse behind and walked west, taking the coastal path down toward the strand. The sky was clouded, and much of the snow had melted, leaving patches of mottled green on the hills. He wanted time to be alone with his thoughts. Smaller fishing boats were anchored on the wooden pier the men had built, along the narrow channel that led toward an island fortress nearby. He intended to take one of the vessels and get closer to the ship he’d seen.
Adriana had cautioned him against going alone, but he didn’t believe the ship had come for trading. Not from the look of it. And it was far easier to get in closer without others shadowing him. He could pose as a fisherman, and if there was no threat, likely the ship would ignore his presence. Sometimes, when the water was still, voices could be heard across the sea.
He gathered a few nets and pushed one of the boats out into the frigid water. Drawing a hood to obscure his features, he rowed out into the open sea. The water was grey and opaque, and he adjusted the mainsail until it caught the wind and drew him further into the waves. When he was still within visible distance of the shore, he dropped anchor, waiting to see if he could glimpse the ship once again. He shielded his eyes against the afternoon sun, trying to gauge where it might have gone.
Then, he spied it. The vessel was anchored beyond the island, west of Laochre. It was as large as any of Richard’s ships, but Liam saw nothing to identify it. Drawing up his anchor, he sailed closer, casting out one of the nets. When he was as close as he dared to go, he anchored again, pulling up the net. He pretended to busy himself with choosing bait fish from within the net, but he heard voices shouting in a language he’d only heard among the Crusaders.
‘MacEgan!’ one of them shouted. He raised his head and saw a man standing at the prow. It was Frederic von Hohengrau, an emissary between Duke Leopold and King Richard. Liam had once believed Hohengrau to be a friend...until he’d caught the man eyeing Adriana with a hungry gaze. Though she’d been unaware of it, Liam had taken care to ensure that the two of them never met. He hadn’t liked the man’s blatant interest and had ended their acquaintance. It made him wonder why Hohengrau had come this far.
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