Page 65 of The Stag & The Owl
“Twins do run in my family.”
“So they do.”His expression turned somber.“What would you tell our children of their father?”
“That we loved each other very much.Thatthey were born of love, and that one day, when he’s able, he willcome to us.”Alina held his gaze, her own serious.“It’s what I’lltell myself every day from the day I leave you until I’m in yourarms again.”He said nothing.“Promise me I won’t be waiting invain.”Or for a ghost.
“I swear to you, Ali love, I’ll come to youas soon as I’m able.”
Which could be a moon, a year, a score ofyears, or never, depending on Roger and whether he or his familyinsisted on him marrying Gwyneth.
Unlike the night before, Alina didn’t fallback to sleep after Roark left her bed.She lay there rememberingevery glance, every word, and every touch between them since themoment she’d seen him watching her from the deck ofTheRoveruntil this moment.She lay there in the first real bedthey’d shared and thought about how it could be the last, fordespite her plea and his promise, she knew how many obstacles therewere between their wishes and reality.
She threw off her bedcovers, splashed wateron her face, donned the clean, coarse linen long tunic given to herat North Shore Keep, and headed down to the dining hall.
“Laird Owen, Lady Siusan,” she greeted themat their table.“Good morning.”
“Lady Alina,” they said in unison.
“May I speak with both of you in private,”she asked them.“After you’ve finished your breakfast.”
“We’re finished,” Owen told her.“Would nowbe a good time?”
“Yes.Thank you.”
She followed them to the laird’s privatechambers and sat on a sofa facing Lady Siusan as her husband closedthe door.He took a seat beside his wife, reminding Alina of herparents, and how they faced everything together.
“What do you wish to speak with us about?”the laird asked.
“First of all, I cannot thank you enough fortaking us in and helping us out as you have.”
“Of course,” Owen said.“You’re kin.”
“Aye.Kin you never knew existed until twodays ago.”
“Kin, nevertheless.”
Alina smiled into green eyes as familiar aslooking into a mirror.“Yes.We are.I’m so grateful to have foundfamily like you.”She took a deep breath in and blew it out.“Roark, however—”
“Is not kin.”
“Yet I would ask you to continue to help himafter I’ve sailed.To send a man or two to ride back with him tohis home.To make sure he gets there safe and sound.”Where hisfamily would either take him in and defend him, or denounce him andlet him face Roger and almost certain death alone.
“Does Roark know you’re asking us this?”Owenasked.
“No.He wouldn’t ask it for himself.”
“No,” Owen agreed, “he wouldn’t.He’s a proudman in the best sense of the word.”
“Yes,” Alina squeezed out past the lump inher throat, grateful Owen could see this about Roark even if hisown father couldn’t.“He is.”
Owen looked to Siusan, speaking that wordlesslanguage of long-married partners.
“I’m sure we can find two good, stoutHighlanders willing to travel there with him and back,” he toldAlina.
“Thank you.Thank you both, so much.”Shebroached another subject that had come to her this morning.“Myfather is always looking for new trade partners,” she said.“Ithink he'd be quite interested in your whisky.”
“Do you now?”Owen said with a sparkle in hisgreen eyes.
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