Page 76 of Kidnapped by a Rogue
In her former life, she had more silver jewelry than she could ever wear—combs, brooches, necklaces, bracelet, rings. Even the box she kept them in was made of silver. She removed the bag of onyx from her belt, picked out two small shiny pieces, and gave one to Ella.
“We have no silver or sparkling trinkets to give you,” Margaret called out, facing the pond. “Instead, we brought bits of magical stone imbued with a mother’s love.”
Una gave a nod of approval as Margaret and Ella set their bits of onyx next to the coin. The old woman’s gaze darted and flicked across the pond, as if she was watching a bee fly from lily to lily or a stone a child skipped across the water.
Ella laughed and clapped her hands, as if she saw whatever Una did.
“The faeries are verra pleased with your gift,” Una whispered. “They grant ye permission to go into the water. ’Twould be a grave insult not to accept.”
Margaret removed her shoes and stockings, lifted her skirts, and gingerly stepped into the edge of the pond, expecting it to be cold.
“’Tis warm!” She’d heard of warm springs but never been in one before.
“That won’t do—ye must bathe in the pool for the faery dust to do its work,” Una said, “unless ’tis only your feet that need healing.”
“Bathe?” Margaret asked. “Ye mean without my clothes?”
“Of course,” Una said, and glanced heavenward.
“But I don’t need healing. In truth, I’ve never been healthier.”
“Some wounds can’t be seen.” Una extended her arm. “Hand me your gown.”
Margaret reluctantly gave in and was immediately glad she did. The warm water felt like liquid velvet on her skin.
“Ella, come in!” she called to her daughter, who was dangling her feet in the water beside Una.
Ella shook her head, her golden curls swinging side to side.
“I told her we mustn’t tempt the faeries by putting such a pretty bairn in their pool,” Una said. “They’ve been known to take a bairn through the spring to their home in the faery hill and leave a changeling in its place.”
Margaret wished Una would not frighten Ella with such tales. Still, now that she’d heard the tale herself, Margaret was glad Ella did not want to join her in the water.
As she floated on her back with her eyes closed, she felt as if her troubles were drifting away.
“Ye ought not let fear make ye run from Finn,” Una said.
So much for leaving her troubles. Margaret closed her eyes again and hoped Una was done talking.
“There aren’t many good men, but you’ve found one,” Una said. “Don’t be afraid to take a chance at happiness.”
“I couldn’t keep his interest for long,” Margaret said, echoing what Curstag told her. And she’d never have his heart.
“So you’re leaving him before he can leave you,” Una said.
He would leave her. If Margaret stayed, she would lose more of her heart to him each day as she waited for him to tire of her or find some other reason to cast her aside. And all the while, she would risk conceiving and losing another babe. Nay, it was better to go now.
She sank beneath the surface and let the dark silence of the pool encompass her. As soon as she lifted her head above the water, Una continued talking.
“Ye think Finn will throw ye to the wolves like some men will,” Una said. “But Finn is not like that. What has he done to cause ye to judge him so harshly?”
It was true that Finn could have abandoned her when he learned Moray no longer needed a hostage. But he’d had nothing to lose by taking her along. If he had more at stake, a cost to pay, would Finn make the same choice? Neither her husband nor the men of her family ever thought she was worth giving up a single thing they wanted.
“What if it’s me?” Margaret asked in a choked voice. “Perhaps I’m not worthy of sacrifice.”
“Ach, don’t speak such nonsense,” Una said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Nonsense or no, the men Margaret should have been able to rely on had used her for their own ends and then abandoned her when she needed them.
