Page 126 of Bride of Fire
“What?” Jenefer said, incredulous.
Alicia turned on her in dismay. “How could you do such a thing? To an innocent child?”
Jenefer’s jaw dropped. Her weapon hung limp from her hands.
“Morgan!” Alicia barked. “You must send her away! This instant!”
Morgan narrowed his gaze at his wife. He felt like a film had been lifted from his eyes. He seemed to be seeing her clearly for the first time.
Alicia was mistaken. There was no way Jenefer had tried to kill his son. The lass had had plenty of opportunity to do so if she so desired while he was asleep in the nursery.
Besides, Jenefer loved the lad. She might not have intended to bond with him, but she had. She’d vowed no harm would come to him. And she’d proved to be a woman of her word.
Alicia, on the other hand, filled him with doubt. She made him question her loyalty.
“Morgan!” she screeched. “You can’t let her near our child again! He’s our son! Our firstborn!”
He held up his hand. “Alicia—”
“She’s right,” Jenefer answered before he could reply. “He should be in his parents’ care. Not mine.” Despite the strength of her voice, he could see the hurt plea in her wet eyes. “But you must believe me. I’d never do anything to hurt the wee lad.”
Hedidbelieve her. In fact, he believed her over the woman he’d been wed to for two years.
Alicia must have seen the change in his eyes. She gasped. “She’s lying! I saw her myself.”
Jenefer had no answer. She only entreated him with her gaze to trust her.
Morgan decided to give Alicia one last chance, the benefit of the doubt. “Perhaps ye onlythoughtshe was tryin’ to harm him. Perhaps she was tryin’ to give him comfort.”
Alicia hissed, “I know what I saw.” She tempered her tone, and her voice quavered as she begged him, “Please, Morgan. I don’t want her coming near our precious child. Ever again.”
“I won’t,” Jenefer choked out. “I won’t come near him. I swear. But Morgan, don’t leave him alone with her. Please.”
The sincere concern in her dewy eyes troubled him.
“How dare you!” Alicia shouted at her. “What are you insinuating?”
“I’m leaving,” Jenefer murmured, making a hasty exit before she could burst into tears.
“Come, Alicia,” Morgan said when she had gone. “Let me see if I can quiet him.” He was eager to take his son out of the hands of the woman who had suddenly become a stranger to him.
Alicia readily surrendered the child. Too readily.
The tension left Morgan as he cradled his traumatized son in his arms. He murmured reassurances to the wee lad, soothing him with gentle touches.
“You don’t believe that wench, do you?” Alicia asked. “Because she’s only trying to steal you from me, Morgan.”
“Steal me?” He shook his head. “And why would she do that, Alicia?”
“Why else?” she said, looking at him as if he were daft. “For your wealth, your position.”
Under his tender care, the bairn’s sobs softened. With a relieved shudder, the lad finally relaxed against his chest.
“Wealth and position.” He lifted a brow at Alicia. “Is that whyyepursued me?”
“What?” She seemed surprised at the question. “Me? How could you think such a thing?”
A day ago, he wouldn’t have imagined it. Now it seemed a painfully obvious assumption. What didn’t make sense is why she had left.
