snapped up and she fixed him with a murderous glower. “Of course I want him
happy, Hesar! But I'll wager that bitch won't be the one to make him so!"
“But what if she does?"
His words were like a slap to Gillian's face. She stared at him—her hurt there for the world to see. Her
mouth trembled. “Won't happen!” Gillian sobbed.
Kaelan dropped to his knees and opened his arms. “Come here, Sweeting."
There had been only a moment's hesitation before the young girl flung herself into his waiting arms and
buried her face against his strong shoulder. Her sobs were wracking convulsions that shook them both as
she cried out her misery. His arms cradled her to him as his right hand soothed her back. He didn't tell
her not to cry, only absorbed her sobs, and allowed her to vent her misery. When her tears stopped, he
reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean linen kerchief.
“You can't go into the Joining looking like a gypsy wench, can you?” he asked, blotting her eyes and
holding the kerchief to her nose for her to blow.
Gillian had allowed him to comfort her until her pride had reasserted itself. At last, she pushed away
from his arms, rearranged her rumpled gown, and lifted her chin.
“I never said I didn't like brown-eyed men,” she stated, missing the confusion on his handsome face.
Without another word, she moved past him and was gone. Kaelan knelt where he was, his arms feeling
strangely empty and wondered what was wrong with him. There had to be something wrong with him for
a twenty-two year old man did not have the thoughts he was having about a thirteen year old child.
* * * *
Prince Duncan Hesar snorted with disgust as he watched his brother racing Revenge along the hillside
with the Cree brat bouncing behind. The child was clinging to Kaelan's waist as though he were her lover
and Duncan wondered that no one else at the Keep had noticed the girl's growing infatuation with
Kaelan. Not even Kaelan, himself. “Fool,” Duncan pronounced.
“Who, my love?”
Duncan turned and gave his mistress a steely-eyed glower. “That idiot brother of mine."
Oh,” the woman said flatly as though that explained it all. There was no need to ask which of Duncan's
two brothers was causing his indignation. “What's he doing, now?"
“It's what he might do that concerns me!” Duncan spat. He turned back to view the scene that was
irritating him.
“And just what might he do, dearling?"
“Do you suppose he is so stupid he doesn't know that child is after him?"
Elga Junstrom Cree perched herself up on one shapely elbow and peered through the bushes. She
viewed her stepchild and her companion for a moment, then shrugged. “It seems innocent enough, love."
“Innocent, my ass!” Duncan hissed. “It's indecent the way that child follows behind Kaelan, and him so
bloody naive he can't see the forest for the trees!"
“Believe me,” the older woman laughed, “your brother is far from being naive, Duncan!"
The elder of the Hesar brothers snorted with contempt. He knew Elga had slept with Kaelan. If truth be
told, the Jarl's middle son had slept with each and every woman Duncan had ever had and some he
hadn't gotten around to yet.
“Do you want me to speak to her?” Elga asked.
“You'd better!” her lover stressed. “Before there has to be a forced Joining!"
Elga sighed deeply, then sat up, rearranging her bodice. “It's past time Kaelan were wed, anyway,” she
said.
“Not to a mere child!” Duncan gasped. He speared his mistress with a look that gave the woman chills.
“And have you not already chosen brides and grooms for the bratlings, Lady?"
“I have researched suitable mates for them, aye. Those I've chosen will elevate my stepchildren to a
more acceptable rank among the Court."
“And garner you a higher standing, as well?” Duncan sneered.
Elga smiled. “That, too."
The prince took in his mistress’ scowl. “What sort of problem?"
“She is her father's
happy, Hesar! But I'll wager that bitch won't be the one to make him so!"
“But what if she does?"
His words were like a slap to Gillian's face. She stared at him—her hurt there for the world to see. Her
mouth trembled. “Won't happen!” Gillian sobbed.
Kaelan dropped to his knees and opened his arms. “Come here, Sweeting."
There had been only a moment's hesitation before the young girl flung herself into his waiting arms and
buried her face against his strong shoulder. Her sobs were wracking convulsions that shook them both as
she cried out her misery. His arms cradled her to him as his right hand soothed her back. He didn't tell
her not to cry, only absorbed her sobs, and allowed her to vent her misery. When her tears stopped, he
reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean linen kerchief.
“You can't go into the Joining looking like a gypsy wench, can you?” he asked, blotting her eyes and
holding the kerchief to her nose for her to blow.
Gillian had allowed him to comfort her until her pride had reasserted itself. At last, she pushed away
from his arms, rearranged her rumpled gown, and lifted her chin.
“I never said I didn't like brown-eyed men,” she stated, missing the confusion on his handsome face.
Without another word, she moved past him and was gone. Kaelan knelt where he was, his arms feeling
strangely empty and wondered what was wrong with him. There had to be something wrong with him for
a twenty-two year old man did not have the thoughts he was having about a thirteen year old child.
* * * *
Prince Duncan Hesar snorted with disgust as he watched his brother racing Revenge along the hillside
with the Cree brat bouncing behind. The child was clinging to Kaelan's waist as though he were her lover
and Duncan wondered that no one else at the Keep had noticed the girl's growing infatuation with
Kaelan. Not even Kaelan, himself. “Fool,” Duncan pronounced.
“Who, my love?”
Duncan turned and gave his mistress a steely-eyed glower. “That idiot brother of mine."
Oh,” the woman said flatly as though that explained it all. There was no need to ask which of Duncan's
two brothers was causing his indignation. “What's he doing, now?"
“It's what he might do that concerns me!” Duncan spat. He turned back to view the scene that was
irritating him.
“And just what might he do, dearling?"
“Do you suppose he is so stupid he doesn't know that child is after him?"
Elga Junstrom Cree perched herself up on one shapely elbow and peered through the bushes. She
viewed her stepchild and her companion for a moment, then shrugged. “It seems innocent enough, love."
“Innocent, my ass!” Duncan hissed. “It's indecent the way that child follows behind Kaelan, and him so
bloody naive he can't see the forest for the trees!"
“Believe me,” the older woman laughed, “your brother is far from being naive, Duncan!"
The elder of the Hesar brothers snorted with contempt. He knew Elga had slept with Kaelan. If truth be
told, the Jarl's middle son had slept with each and every woman Duncan had ever had and some he
hadn't gotten around to yet.
“Do you want me to speak to her?” Elga asked.
“You'd better!” her lover stressed. “Before there has to be a forced Joining!"
Elga sighed deeply, then sat up, rearranging her bodice. “It's past time Kaelan were wed, anyway,” she
said.
“Not to a mere child!” Duncan gasped. He speared his mistress with a look that gave the woman chills.
“And have you not already chosen brides and grooms for the bratlings, Lady?"
“I have researched suitable mates for them, aye. Those I've chosen will elevate my stepchildren to a
more acceptable rank among the Court."
“And garner you a higher standing, as well?” Duncan sneered.
Elga smiled. “That, too."
The prince took in his mistress’ scowl. “What sort of problem?"
“She is her father's
Similar Books
