This was no longer about his mother.
This was about the child.
An innocent child who was being controlled by people who cared nothing about her. Who was completely at their mercy—to be beaten or starved or abused in any number of ways.
As much as he experienced the overpowering need and desire to rail against his mother, to stick a knife in her heart, he was drawn by the innocent lass being stolen away.
The child innocently tossed into the melee. Into the middle of a life of despair, of no direction, no hope. Of listless repetitions of devastation. Of slaps and lies and starvation. A wee Mora.
Tamsin had changed him.
Thane headed down the path toward the woman carrying the child.
Alana.
He was no longer seeking vengeance but love.
Tamsin had changed him in a way he hadn’t thought possible.
Irrevocably different.
A vast improvement over the man who had diligently sought vengeance against the evil being who had ruined his life.
He followed the woman down the path deep into the forest where the trees were so thick, the moonlight did little to light his way. It didn’t take long before he caught up with her. She wasn’t a large woman, and she carried a sleeping child in her arms, slowing her down even more.
“Stop. If you hand her over, I won’t kill you when I reach you.”
To his surprise, the woman stopped and turned around, handing the child over immediately. “Please don’t kill me. She made me do it.”
“This is Alana, is it not?”
“Aye. Raghnall’s child. I hate that woman. She forced me. Don’t tell her I gave her up. Please. She’ll have me whipped.”
“Who? What’s her name?”
“Dagga.”
His knees nearly buckled at the name he’d wished to hear over the years, but he held strong, taking Alana into his arms, still asleep. Glancing down, he smiled because the wee lass looked exactly like her mother.
“Go home and never come back,” he said to the woman, and she ran.
He cuddled Alana close to his chest to keep her warm, snuggling her the best he could as he turned around, heading back down the path. As soon as he broke out of the forest, Tamsin appeared, taking one look at him and crying out. “Alana? Is it Alana, Thane?”
He nodded. “I think so. She’s beautiful and unhurt. Shelooks just like you, Tamsin.”
Tamsin reached them, checking the soft cheeks of the sleeping bairn tucked against his chest before breaking into tears. “It’s her. My sweet daughter.” She threw her arms around them both, tears now covering her cheeks. “My thanks to you, Thane. I feared she was lost.”
She kissed her daughter’s forehead, and the lass opened her eyes and whispered, “Mama? I don’t like Gwamama. Take me away.”
Thane said, “Can you hold her, Tamsin? I have something else I need to tend to.” Then he leaned over and kissed Tamsin’s cheek.
“Come back? Please, Thane?” she asked when he slipped Alana into her arms.
“Oh, you have my promise on that. I wish to learn all there is to know about you, Tamsin Garvie.”
Her eyes misted and she whispered, “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
Thane noticed a couple coming toward them. “Alaric, we have Alana. Will you watch over them? I have something to take care of.”
