Page 18 of The Wolf Laird's Obsession
For a moment, she wondered if exhaustion was playing tricks on her. But then the sound came again, from under the bed.
Her heart lurched. “Show yerself.”
A shadow shifted under the bed.
And Sorcha’s breath caught as a figure crawled out.
CHAPTER SIX
Asmall hand appeared first.
Sorcha nearly jumped as the tiny fingers curled against the stone floor. Then a head of dark curls followed, slowly emerging from beneath the bed.
She did not move, could not move, bracing herself against the tub. What she saw almost made her collapse in relief.
A child?
The girl wriggled the rest of the way out from under the bed, clutching something tightly to her chest. She could not have been more than five or six years old. Her green dress was wrinkled from hiding, her small bare feet pressed against the floor.
What in God’s name?—
Sorcha realized the girl was holding a small turtle. Its small head poked out for a moment before pushing back into its shell. The girl studied her carefully, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then she lifted her chin slightly.
“I’m Lady Elspeth,” she announced, as though stating something very important.
Sorcha could only stare, her thoughts struggling to catch up. Before she could gather a proper answer, the girl tilted her head, speaking again.
“Are ye me new maither?”
Maither?
Sorcha’s mind stumbled over the question. She pushed off the tub and walked over to Elspeth.
“Nice to meet ye, Lady Elspeth. I’m Sorcha.” She crouched down so they were closer in height, speaking in a gentle tone.
The girl felt familiar, with her long dark waves and grey eyes.
“What do ye mean, yer new maither?”
“Morag said ye were comin’,” Elspeth said matter-of-factly. “The new lady of the keep. Before, there was another one. Me ma.”
Sorcha’s breath caught as her mind tried to make sense of the girl’s words.
She does look like Rowan, but Callan didnae tell me Rowan was married before. Nay one did.
“Are ye?” Elspeth asked again, pulling her back to the present.
Sorcha bit her lip, unsure of the right thing to say. Elspeth watched her patiently, leaning slightly forward with her turtle.
“I think that may take a wee bit of time… and only if ye wish for it.”
Elspeth frowned, seemingly confused by the answer. “But ye married me da,” she pointed out.
Sorcha froze.
Da. So, it is true. Elspeth is Rowan’s daughter.
Sorcha stared into Elspeth’s eyes, the hope in them that she seemed to be trying very hard to hide. Her heart softened.
