Debra Kay Leland (25 page)

Edmund laid his hand on the man’s shoulder and smiled. 
“I am pleased…  One way or another, Garrick, she shall leave with thee and be thy bride.  I can only thank the good Lord that ye care for her so.”

He looked at his uncle and couldn’t help
but hope that the girl would feel something for him too; though even if she did not, he would still offer her marriage to save her from another—and then pray that one day she would grow to care for him, as he had for her.

Miranda closed her heavy eyes; and yet images of William found her even before sleep did.  She touched his cheek and smiled at the feel of it.  The scent of woods and leather found her again.
“…I knew ye were alive… I knew it…”

He smiled down at her. 
“Nay, lass, ye only wished that it was so.”

She felt heartache seize her again even as she slept as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. 
“I love ye, lass.”

“I love ye too, William…” 
She whispered in her sleep as she reached for him again.

He took her hands and held them to his lips, the feel of him slowly slipping away from her as she awoke.  “…
Don’t go, William—William…”
  She sat up in bed her heart hammering in her chest, her head wet with sweat and his name on her lips… again…  “
William
!”

Edmund and Garrick glanced towards the stairs at the sound of the girl’s frantic cry, each one breaking into a run as they headed towards the sound.  They burst through the door one after another.  Edmund took her trembling shoulders tenderly. 
“Is it the child?”

She shook her head wordlessly as tears streamed down her pale face
.
  He sighed and drew her against him protectively with a soft word.  “
I heard ye cry out…”

She glanced over his shoulder at Garrick who stood near the door tensely, before she
turned her head to hide her eyes from him.  Her voice a mere whisper; her whole frame visibly shaken
.  “…I—I dreamed of him…  It—it was so real I thought he was here, but when I woke he was gone…”

Edmund held the girl for a long moment, feeling her slight shoulders still tremble from the dream that had gripped her, then he pushed her back softly and tucked the sheet under her chin as a father would a child;
then he wiped the tears away with his thumbs. 
“I dream of him too.  Do ye remember what ye told me he said to thee that last day?”

She nodded and started to cry again.

“He wanted ye to do what whatever ye needed to do to be happy, for thy sake and for the child’s.  He would want ye to be happy, Miranda.”

She closed her eyes against the tears that filled them.

He stood up and kissed her forehead gently. 
“I shall send thy maid to thee.  Rest now, and on the morrow all shall be well…”

He turned towards the door where Garrick still stood, the two men paused long enough to glance at her one last time, before they turned and went out without a word closing the door behind them.  He motioned towards her room as he spoke,
“…She shall need time, Garrick, but ye are no stranger to grief.  Truly, I believe ye are the answer to her prayers and mine, though she might not even realize it yet.”

He nodded knowing it was true, and it did nothing to deter him in the least; for his own heart was still overcome with protectiveness at the sight of her.

Miranda did not join them to break her fast at her father-in-law’s table that next morning, but neither her uncle, nor Garrick had thought she would after the night she had had.

“No Miranda this day?”

His uncle smiled politely at Lydan’s question.  “The girl had a hard night; she was told she could rest this day.  Garrick, ye may take her for a walk tonight if she is able to come down for dinner.”

Lydan scowled at the words, he himself had spent
a restless night reassuring himself that he had been most fortunate that he would not be saddled with the girl at the altar.  Glad that he would not have to explain why his wife were as common as a serving wench—and yet now, he was feeling as though he hadn’t been given ample enough time to consider the thing before Garrick had claimed her and he hated it!   He should have been given the right to at least bid for her—and then if she were not acceptable once it was done, then he would merely lock her in the tower and count his gold, if only to spite Garrick!

Garrick nodded silently and finished the food in front of him hardly aware of the other man’s thoughts.  He had done nothing but dream about the girl and the child that he wanted as his own.  He knew that he may never have a child, some men were unable to sire a child—he knew that, but it didn’t matter.  He wanted that child, loved it, and he
had promised himself that he would do whatever he had to do to win her heart.  He hadn’t expected to feel this way, just a week ago he wanted nothing but to leave here and let his uncle deal with the girl, but he knew it was the right thing to do for the girl and for William also.  And perhaps he had been alone far too long...

Miranda stayed in her room all day, she didn’t feel like talking to anyone, especially not her father-in-law’s guests.  Lydan irritated her with his arrogance and the liberties he took.  And Garrick, though he was nicer, somehow also managed to unnerve her—even if his presence and his touch didn’t make her cringe as Lydan’s did!  But yet, he somehow always managed to disarm her when she didn’t want him to…!  The best thing would be for both men to leave, and she couldn’t help but hope it would be soon!

Chapter Twelve

G
arrick went out of his way not to press the girl, he would gain her trust and be her friend and hope that soon she would grow to care for him also; for indeed he knew he was falling in love with the girl.  So, he purposefully stayed away from her till the evenings when he was allowed to spend time with her again.

She sat on the balcony to her window enjoying the summer breezes as she thought about her child.  She and William had never talked about names for it, at the time it seemed too hurtful to do so when he would never see the child, nor hold it in his arms...  She looked out at the lovely countryside remembering what William had told her once about this place, how he had always loved it here—
but Whittington belonged to his brother and they would not ever be welcome here.
  In truth, she had never imagined she’d ever see the place, nor feel for it as she did.  But now somehow, it felt like home to her and those feelings only helped her to know that this is where she and her child belonged.  She smiled softly as she felt their child stir again and she whispered the names she’d been pondering for days, ‘…
Evan…
’  She tried the Welsh name with tentative lips. 
‘Evan… do ye like it, little one?  ‘Twas the name of a brave young warrior from long ago...’

She said it again and smiled even brighter this time. 
Aye, if it were a boy, she would name him Evan—and if it were a girl, Allana, which was her grandmother’s name
.  She smiled and tested the names on her lips only hoping that William would have liked them too…

She was bid to come down for dinner and reluctantly agreed.  But when she took the stairs, she went down not meeting the gazes of those in the great hall below her; for she had been more than ready for both men to leave and yet they remained...!  The men stood as she neared the table though she acknowledged them not—other than what was polite and expected.

Edmund stepped forward and took her hand and lifted her from her curtsey, then hissed her cheek and helped her to her seat, but this time it was not beside Lydan.  She blushed and glanced at Garrick under her down casts eyes
, but he made no move look at her, nor touch her, not even by mere accident.  She glanced up and met Lydan’s dark angry gaze from across the table, then quickly lowered her eyes again more than glad she did not have to endure his nearness this night!  She knew he was still mad at her for spilling the trencher of food on him, but she didn’t care, for at least it meant that she no longer had to put up with his coy tricks! 

Edmund’s voice caught her attention and she looked at him and smiled softly.  “Aye
, ye do look better this day.”

S
he nodded and glanced at the two men again, before she turned her gaze back to her father-in-law. 
“Aye, I feel stronger.  Edmund, I have…I—I have picked names for the child.”

He smiled politely and lifted his cup without a word
, and she lost her bright smile wondering if she should have spoken such to him here, as she glanced between the three men at the table with a hard blush on her soft cheeks…

“Aye, and what have ye chosen?”
He said as he set down his cup slowly.

She looked down and swallowed
hard before she softly repeated the names for him, then sat tentatively waiting for his reply.

He smiled and nodded, finally looking up at her again. 
“They shall do nicely.  Ye and William never discussed it then?”

She wondered at his question and shook her head, the blush rising still higher in her cheeks. 
“Nay…  Ye—ye do not approve of them then?”

He smiled warmly. 
“Approve?  Aye, I approve.”

She smiled then, her warm blue eyes showing her pleasure at his words, and her dimples drawing everyone’s gazes to the lovely girl whose smile brightened up the
whole room.

To her surprise she had actually enjoyed dinner that night, feeling more relaxed seated beside Garrick than Lydan.  The men talked about their day and plans for the next, and thankfully Garrick hardly acknowledged her presence—even though they shared the same trencher of food, and she was grateful for his politeness.  Meals with Lydan were tense and threatening, but tonight had been pleasant.  Garrick stood and looked to Edmund.  “Uncle, if I may, I’d like to take the lady Miranda for a walk in the garden?”

Edmund smiled and looked at her gently. 
“Go on, Miranda.”

It was not a request, but a gentle command.  She glanced that the two men cautiously then stood and took the hand offered her without a word.  Lydan’s cold eyes narrowed as he glared at her, but she did her best to ignore him as she al
lowed Garrick to lead her out.

She couldn’t help but glance behind her as they neared the door to the garden to see if Nigel
had once again followed them.

Garrick smiled; his low voice was calm and reassuring
.  “Do not worry, my lady, Nigel is already aware that we have need of him this night.”

She blushed and glanced up at him as he opened the door and went through with Nigel following at a discreet distance behind them.  He led her to the garden and stopped, not meeting her cautious glances as he spoke gently to her. 
“I owe ye an apology, my lady, for last night…”

She frowned not looking at him. 
“Ye were in the chapel the whole time?”

He nodded silently.

“…and—ye heard what I said?”

He nodded again. 
“I had come in not an hour before thee to pray.  I was sitting alone in the darkened room, when ye came in.  For truth, I did not want to startle ye, so I did not make my presence known.”

She looked down. 
“I see.”

“And—then I could not make myself leave.  I felt as if I was standing in vigil
over ye as ye mourned him...”

She looked up and watched him for a long moment at the words he’d just spoken.  And somehow
, it surprised her how very tall he was, for some reason she hadn’t noticed that before.  Her eyes swept over his handsome face.  He was older than William, the two men didn’t even look anything alike, except that they were both tall and strong, with dark wavy brown hair and tanned skin.  But that is where the resemblance ended, William had clear blue eyes like his father, while Garrick had soft brown eyes that turned cold and hard when he was angry.  William had been twenty and two summers when she had met him, while Garrick was older, but by how much she was not sure, for he was still very handsome. 

She blushed when she realized she’d been staring at him and looked down again—only then realizing that she shouldn’t be thinking how a
ttractive he was, but she had…

He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers slowly. 
“Would ye walk with me?”