Page 33 of The Stag & The Owl
“No, my lady owl,” Roark said.
“No what?”
“Don’t try to escape on your own.Don’t feelresponsible for what happens after you’re gone.”
“How could I not?”
Roark grasped her by the arm and both horsesstopped.“Do you truly think I could continue on here as I havebeen, knowing what I do about Roger?”
“No,” she said.“What will you do?”
“I’ll find out everything I can about him andhis family before I get you free of him, and once you’re safelygone, I’ll tell my father all I’ve learned and hope helistens.”
CHAPTER 8
Flight
Alina woke to the unfamiliar feel of a soft,warm bed.Stretching and yawning, she rose and went to the windowand opened the shutters.By the sun’s position, she’d slept untilnoon, but then she hadn’t come to her room until before dawn afterspending the night pretending to take care of a colicky Ash, andtalking and riding with Roark.
She splashed cold water on her face andshivered as it trickled down between her breasts, where thefamiliar weight of her pearl hung.She dressed in her long tunicand apron, brushed and plaited her hair into one long braid, andcrept down the stairs, keeping an eye out for the ladies of thehouse.No doubt they’d scold her for missing breakfast, even thoughshe’d been tending to Ash all night, at least as far as theyknew.
The house was quiet as was the common room,which was unusual, as the ladies normally sat sewing and gossipingthis time of day.She walked over to the closed door to Roger’sprivate chambers and pressed her ear against it but heard no voicesfrom inside the room.There was nobody in the dining hall either,which boded well for Alina’s chances of scrounging something to eatin the kitchen.She started to push the door open and stopped atthe low, angry sound of a man’s voice.
“I told you not to lay with the laird’s son,did I not?”
“Yes, Father,” Jenny’s tearful voiceanswered.
“And this is what has come of it,” Craigscolded.“Have you told Leif about the babe yet?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“That he’d claim a boy bairn, but nogirl.”
“Ach,” Craig spat.“Just like his UncleDonald, he is.He’ll claim a son in case his wife-to-be does’nabear him one.”
“What if the babe’s a girl?”Jenny cried.“The laird’ll send me and the bairn packing for sure.”
“Dunna worry, daughter,” Peg soothed.“Wemust hope and pray the babe’s a bonny boy with blond hair and blueeyes like his father’s.He’ll claim it sure, then.If it’s a girl,we have kin in the south who’ll help find you and the bairn a placein some other laird’s keep.”
It was wrong of Alina to have listened, sheknew, but she’d be long gone before the drama of the baby’s birthplayed out.She’d tell Roark before she left, knowing he’d do allhe could to help Jenny.Otherwise, it was none of her business.Shepushed the door open.“Good morning,” she said cheerfully,pretending not to notice how Jenny quickly turned her tear-streaked face away or how Peg’s cheeks were extra pink and Craig’sfrown etched deep in his forehead.“I know I woke too late forbreakfast, but was hoping I could grab some bread and cheese?”
“Of course, of course.”Peg swiped at hercheeks and bustled about the kitchen, pulling a loaf of rye and awheel of cheese from the larder.“Help yourself.”
“Thank you, Peg.”Alina cut a slice of breadand cheese each and headed for the door to the courtyard.“Where iseverybody?”
“Gare drove the laird and Donald and most ofthe men to the docks this morning,” Peg told her.“The ladies rodealong with them, intending to do some shopping.”
“And Roark?”
“He rode off on that stallion of his earlythis morn,” Craig said.“Didn’t say where he was going or why.”
Which meant he hadn’t slept at all.
“I’m off to the stables,” she said.WhenCraig looked about to follow her, she waved him off.“Stay, rest,relax.I swear I won’t try to leave.”
She reveled in walking across the yard to thestables without being watched, and breathed a sigh of relief whenshe found the stables empty of people, though the sight of Artur’sempty stall made her heart do a little flip.She only had seven,no, six more days of Roark’s company.Selfishly, she wanted as muchtime with him as she could get.
