Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Chapter 30
Lachlan gave his wife a few days to recover before he even considered speaking with her about the possibility of her involvement with mercenaries. He expected an argument from her, since she could be confrontational when it came to certain matters. While others might view it as shrewish, he now knew differently. It was Alyce defending her independence. She had fought hard to claim it, and she had no intentions of having it taken from her.
A chilled wind swept across the moors and around the keep. Lachlan took it as a sign that perhaps now was the time to let the sweeping wind blow away the last vestiges of concern between him and Alyce. He wanted nothing coming between them.
Strange, long before meeting Alyce he had not thought of loving the woman he would wed, but having fallen madly in love with Alyce, he couldn’t now imagine being wed without being in love. And oddly love wasn’t an issue between them. He believed they both always knew they loved each other from the very beginning; even when he had believed her a nun, he could not get her out of his mind. And when at last they could be together, she had not denied her attraction to him. She had made love with him freely and oh so willingly; and her sincere responses had made him love her all the more.
Love, he had been told by many including his family, could conquer anything. However, he had to question that since while he knew his wife loved him, she wasn’t as happy as he would have expected her to be. Therefore did love truly solve everything?
“You look deep in thought,” Artair said, joining his brother as Lachlan walked to his cottage. “It must concern your wife.”
“I can see by your grin that you are enjoying my marital woes.”
Artair gripped his brother’s shoulder. “You have to admit; you would do the same to me.”
“No, I wouldn’t and I didn’t,” Lachlan claimed. “I offered you advice.”
Artair nodded. “That you did and good advice at that.” He rubbed his chin. “What can I do to help? I may not have your charm, but sometimes sound reason works better.”
“My wife isn’t happy,” Lachlan admitted, though it hurt him to do so.
“Why did you decide to wed Alyce Bunnock?”
“I love her,” Lachlan answered as if the question was a foolish one.
“Was that the only reason?”
Lachlan stopped in his tracks. “No. I knew she’d be stubborn about marrying me, so I made it easier for both of us.”
“No,” Artair said emphatically. “You feared she’d reject you so you made the decision for her. And being you had no doubt she loved you, you assumed all would turn out well.”
“Didn’t you think the same yourself once?”
“The difference being Zia made her wishes known and refused to comply with my sensible solution,” Artair said.
“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this,” Lachlan said, shaking his head. “How do I fix it?”
Artair rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “As difficult as it may be, you give her a choice, or she will never truly be yours.”
Zia’s cheerful shout had Artair hurrying off and Lachlan continuing his walk to the cottage. He thought he could make Alyce happy, replace her family with a new one. More recently he thought if he could find something that would happily occupy her time all would be well, but he was wrong.
His decision to wed her without asking had been a selfish one. Having gotten a chance to know Alyce through Terese he should have known better. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair, scraping along his scalp in frustration. He had certainly gotten himself into a situation, and now he had to get himself out of it. Was there a chance he would lose his wife because of his own misgivings?
He opened the door to the cottage prepared to talk with her and found it empty.
He stepped outside and looked over the village but saw Alyce nowhere. An overcast sky had joined the chilled day and rain appeared likely. It would be a good day to spend indoors talking. With heavy strides he hurried off to find his wife.
Alyce balanced Tavish on her hip. He was a joyful lad with dark inquisitive eyes that found delight in everything. He was barely a year and already eager to walk completely on his own, though his legs had yet to agree.
“This is fascinating,” Honora said with glee as she shifted Ronan from one hip to another.
Ronan, like his twin brother, was eager to be on his feet, but since Alyce was teaching Honora about tracking in the woods, the two lads were stuck in each of their arms. Not that they minded all that much, since both she and Honora would let them walk now and again, with help of course.