Chapter Thirteen #3
“Oh, I believed you. As I said, I was being verra obedient. Then I saw ye, captive but still alive. I also saw how weak your guard was. I had a long talk with myself and decided I couldnae just walk away. ’Twould forever trouble me.
Aye, and I thought of how someday your son might ask me about this day.
I decided to do just one little thing, to give ye the chance to save yourself.
The drunken state of your guards made it easy to slip up through the trees and cut your ropes. ”
“And what did ye do with the bairn while ye were creeping about?” When she did not answer, he stopped, turning to look at her. “From the guilty look upon your face, I have the feeling ye are about to tell me ye carried my son into the verra heart of the enemy’s camp.”
“Actually I was trying to think of a way not to tell ye the truth yet not lie to you, either.”
“Moira!”
“Weel, I couldnae leave him alone, could I? And it wasnae into the verra heart of the enemy’s camp, just on the edge.
” She gave him a weak smile as he stared at her in disbelief for a full moment.
“I am sorry, Tavig. I couldnae do nothing when I could see you, bound and helpless. If I had left Adair alone and been captured, he would have died anyway. A wee bairn could ne’er survive out here alone.
I was sure I could get close enough to cut your bonds without being seen or heard. ”
“Adair could have made a noise and alerted Iver’s men.”
“True, but he is such a quiet, contented lad I felt the chance of him remaining quiet was verra good.”
Tavig cursed softly, shaking his head as he started walking again. “Ye are mad. Aye, and I must be a wee bit mad myself for I can understand your reasoning. Just where did ye learn to move about with a stealth any soldier would envy? ’Tis not a skill a wee lass usually acquires.”
“When ye live with a mon like Bearnard Robertson, ye learn to keep verra quiet and out of sight. The verra last thing I wished to do was to draw his attention, for he seemed to be forever angry with me. ’Tis nice that I could put that skill to a good use, one besides keeping myself safe from Bearnard’s anger. ”
“I really hate to be grateful to that mon for anything, even for teaching you something that worked to save my miserable life.”
“Ah, but he didnae teach me. He just inspired me to teach myself.” She matched his quick grin with one of her own. “In truth, ’tis not such an unusual skill at Sir Bearnard’s keep. Most everyone trapped there learns to move about like a ghost.”
“And yet ye are planning to return to that wretched place.”
“I have no choice.”
Tavig stopped short, spinning round to stare at her so abruptly she took a quick step backward.
“Aye, ye do have a choice. I have been offering ye one since the day we woke up on that pitiful beach. Ye just refuse to take it. Considering how much ye just risked to save my life, I understand the reasons for your refusal less and less.”
“That is because ye refuse to listen to my reasons or accept how the incidents at those thrice-cursed villages justify them. A match between us will only enflame people’s superstitions, thus putting us both in peril.
I have said that so often I begin to feel like a child repeating her lessons for a verra demanding tutor. ”
“Ye are no coward, Moira. Your courage has been proven time and again on this journey. I find it hard to believe ye will run back to Bearnard’s brutal care because ye believe our marriage will stir superstition. I find it hard to believe ye would run from superstition at all.”
“I dinnae think that I am as brave as ye try to make me,” she protested, although flattered by his words.
“If I see a danger and still walk toward it, howbeit, is that not foolish? Especially where there is a choice of direction? Then, too, did ye not think that I might be doing what is best for ye or whatever children we may have? Mayhap I am simply not brave enough to face what could happen to you or to our bairns because we tried to spit in the eye of superstition.”
“My people arenae so blinded by such foolishness. We could be safe amongst them.”
“Ye can be safe, but even their tolerance can be pushed too far.”
“I think not. There is only one way to prove that to you. Ye must stay with me until ye meet my people. Then ye can decide.”
“Why prolong the matter? I cannae see it changing my mind. ’Twould be better to go when my kinsmen come to collect Una.”
Moira wished that he would not keep trying to persuade her.
It made it harder and harder to say nay.
She desperately wanted what he offered even though he never once mentioned love.
His persistence kept reminding her of the secret she was keeping from him, something she was feeling increasingly guilty about.
As far as she knew, he kept no secrets from her.
Tavig stepped closer, gently grasping her by the shoulders. “Ye can go back to the wretched life Sir Bearnard offers at any time. All I ask is a few more days of your life. Now, promise me ye will stay with me until I have regained all Iver has stolen from me.”
“Aye. I promise.”
He grinned, gave her a brief but stirring kiss, and took up the goat’s lead again.
As Moira followed Tavig, she cursed herself as a weakling.
She had given him the promise because she did not have the strength to refuse him something he wanted so badly.
It was also tempting to accept a few more days with him, to delay the pain of leaving him.
She prayed his people were not as tolerant as he thought they were, or she could easily be coerced into staying longer.
Moira knew that would be a grave error. She could not hide her gift from him forever.