Marion watched as Iain, who looked unkempt and tiredwith heavy beard growth and dark smudges under his eyes, moved beside her bed.He smiled down at her. “Ye’re awake.”
Her thoughts were not as clear asshe would have liked, but she was sure her head would be less muddled once shehad a bit of food. She must have eaten something before that had made her ill,but now she was ravenous, which she knew was a good sign for her and the babe.
She glanced at Iain from under hereyelashes, excitement and apprehension stirring in her belly. “Iain, I’vesomething to tell ye.”
“So do I,” he replied.
The trembling of his voice made herthroat tighten with worry. “What is it?”
His large hand cupped her cheek andheld it gently. “I love ye.”
Tears sprung to her eyes at thewords she’d thought never to hear from his lips. “What?”
He leaned close to her, his chestbrushing hers, and kissed her with a sweet tenderness that made her feel as ifwarmth flowed through her.
“I love ye, Marion. I hope ye stillwant my love because I’m overflowing with it for ye, and if ye dunnae want it,I’ll drown.”
Her heart hammered at his words andher hand shook as she raised it and pressed it to his cheek. “I want it. It’sthe only thing I’ve ever wanted from you.” She could not imagine anythingbetter than this moment, except possibly seeing his face when she told him ofthe babe. “Iain, I’m—” Unmistakable pain flashed in his eyes and stole herbreath, and her words along with it. “What’s wrong?”
Wordlessly, he gathered her in hisarms and shifted her so she was sitting on his lap. He put one arm around herback and one hand on her stomach. “Marion.” Her name came from his lips raw andaching, and his fingers curled gently into the flesh of her belly. His eyesheld hers, the sadness in them bringing tears to her own, and she knew. Sheknew what he was going to tell her before he uttered a word.
“I lost the babe.” It was not aquestion, but a statement of gut-wrenching pain.
“Aye.” The word trembled from hislips. “Ye lost the bairn.”
Her stomach turned violently withthe loss as his arms encircled her completely and his hands locked against herspine. Sobs started low and, within moments, were racking her body. She feltrobbed. Hollow. To blame. And fearful that his admission of love had been oneof pity.
“Let me go,” she said through hertears. Yet he held her tighter and began to rock her while whispering of hissadness for their loss in her ear.
She turned her head from his, buthis strong fingers came to her chin and forced her to look at him. “Dunnae denyme my grief, Marion. I love ye.”
“No.” She shook her head, hiccuppedwith a fresh sob, and blinked at him. “You don’t have to say that. You don’thave to try to make me feel better.”
He stared incredulously at her fora suspended moment, and then he brushed his lips to hers. “I love ye. I wouldnever tell ye so if it was nae true, no matter the pain ye’re in. I’m aclot-heid. I tried to deny it, but I’ll nae deny it any longer.” He kissed herhard on the lips. “A ghràidh.My love.”
Iain’s words were wonderful, yether happinesswas dulled by the agony of losing their child. She noddedat him, wanting to believe him, desperately needing him in this moment. Hisstrength. His arms. His love.
He rocked her as she cried and rana gentle hand over her head, all the while promising his undying love. Itseemed a long while later when she could cry no more. Her eyes were swollen,her head aching, her limbs heavy with fatigue. Iain laid her on the bed andsettled beside her, putting his hand once again on her belly.
“One day we’ll make another bairn,and I swear to ye, Marion, I’ll nae let harm come to ye again as long as thereis breath in my body.”
Marion settled her hand overIain’s. “You cannot keep all harm from me.”
“I can try,” he responded.
She nodded, thinking of her lostchild and then the seer, of Froste, and her father. She felt sure they wouldstill come, and it would be her responsibility to stop the war her father andFroste wished to start so she could watch over Iain, just as he wished to dofor her, until she had no breath left in her body.
Twenty-One
The healing process was slow, both mentally andphysically. In the first week of Marion’s recovery, Fiona—much to Marion’ssurprise—was a kind and excellent caretaker. The first thing she said to Marionwhen she saw her awake was that she was sorry. She then begged Marion’sforgiveness for her actions, and Marion forgave her without hesitation, for shecould see the truth of Fiona’s regret. Perchance her new marriage would makeher happy.
Elspeth was another matter. Marionhad not seen her since the woman had tried to kill her, but she intended to seeher today, as Iain was about to go downstairs where Elspeth awaited him todecide her fate. Marion wanted to go, but Iain had stubbornly refused thus far,saying he would not chance her relapsing.
Marion took a long breath,determined to make him agree. Iain was beside her on the bed where she wasreclined—by his orders. “It is my right to go,” she said with quiet resolution.
Iain shook his head. “Ye couldrelapse.”
Marion squeezed his hand in hers.“You can carry me down. I’ll not even walk.”
