Page 89 of Laird of Flint
“That’s the opium.”
“I stopped taking it.”
A look of disapproval crossed Peris’s face. Still, he was a physician with a physician’s concerns. “Must hurt like the devil.”
“’Tisn’t so bad,” He gave Peris a wink. “Not as bad as having your heart broken.”
Carenza almost groaned at that. The magnificent warrior had probably left dozens of heartbroken maids in his wake. But he’d surely never been the victim of a broken heart.
Her father, however, had.
“That,” the laird agreed, growing suddenly solemn, “is the worst pain of all.”
Carenza felt horrid for forgetting her father’s suffering. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “And we’ll all pray for her today, Da.” Then she turned to Peris. “Ye’ll come as well, aye?”
He grunted in reply.
“If ’tis all right,” she said to Peris, “once we’re there, I’d like to talk with ye about…my mother.”
She could immediately feel the tension in Hew. Like a wildcat about to spring.
His voice, however, reflected none of it. “Where is the graveyard?”
“Och,” she said, knitting her brows with false regret, “’tis too far to go in your condition, I fear. But don’t fret. We’ll be sure to pray for the souls o’ your clan as well. Won’t we, Da?”
“O’ course.”
Fury flickered in Hew’s flinty eyes. Fury and just a hint of reluctant admiration. He nodded his head, accepting his defeat.
Unfortunately, her father had an idea. “But…ye can ride a horse, aye?”
“Not well, with this hand, but serviceably enough, I suppose.”
Her father decided, “Ye’ll ride Carenza’s palfrey then.”
Carenza blinked. She wanted to scream. But laird’s daughters didn’t scream. They didn’t even frown. And they definitely didn’t complain when their father wanted to loan their palfrey to a distinguished guest.
Still, she almost choked on the smug look Hew gave her. She seized the cup from a passing servant’s tray and buried her rage in a swig of ale.
The trek to the graveyard was delayed by a violent thunderstorm. Hew couldn’t help but wonder if Carenza had summoned it to foil his plans. Lightning crackled overhead. Rumbling followed soon after. Fat drops of rain bounced off the courtyard grass. The clanfolk huddled in the great hall.
Meanwhile, Carenza’s duty appeared to be comforting the young children frightened by the roar of the storm. She hugged them. Told them stories. And let them sit on her lap. But Hew could see tension in her mouth. She too seemed anxious. Who was there to reassureher?
It was a calling Hew couldn’t resist. When she took a break in her storytelling, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Are you all right, my lady?”
For an instant, he glimpsed raw fear in her eyes. In the next, it was gone.
“I’m fine.”
“You need not fear the lightning,” he murmured. “You’re safe in here.”
“I am. Aye.” Her chin quivered once before she stilled it. “But what about the animals?”
Was that what she was worried about? The animals?
His shoulders softened. What a selfless and tenderhearted woman she was. What a rare and precious quality. He supposed he should have known. After all, who would go to such lengths to save a coo from slaughter?
