share of grief, my dear. Fergus wasn’t my only son. Gideon was my baby, the light of my life. But he grew into a violent young man, jealous of his brother’s power, of his acceptance into the Order. He joined forces with other angry nobles and worse yet, a vampyre lord. He killed a number of good people before he was stopped.”
Belinda heard the mother’s heartbreak in the older woman’s tone. Some hurts never went away. “I’m so sorry about your son, Lady MacKay, but what does that have to do with Connor and me?”
Evelyn held on to Belinda with one hand and scratched Willow’s floppy ears with her other. “My point is that you can never totally know someone, even if you’ve raised them from the day they were born. None of us guessed that Gideon would become obsessed with power to the point where he would choose to be infected by a vampyre and kidnap an innocent girl. Connor was the only one in the family who thought something might be wrong with his uncle, but he was only a youth, away at school at the time, and none of us listened. Since then, we’ve all come to trust his instincts—even when our urge is to coddle or protect him. He may seem like a capricious child, but that’s just his way of coping with the world. Underneath it, he is a seasoned warrior, more than old enough to know his own mind. His work for the Order is dangerous. Are you prepared to accept that?”
Belinda wiggled out of her overskirt as she pondered that. “We discussed that while he was showing me around. I can accept who he is. I don’t want to be widowed again, but as you say, life is never certain. We all take chances whenever we cross the street.”
“That’s very true. And some of us are lucky enough to grow old with one another. Tomorrow, William and I are celebrating sixty years together. Even after losing Gideon, I wouldn’t change that for the world.” She leaned over to kiss Belinda’s cheek and then stood. “It wouldn’t break my heart to hold more great-grandchildren before I die. You might want to have that chat with Geneva. She has a sense for such things, which is why she became a doctor.” She stepped over to the door. “I’ll be back with the others in an hour or so to help you dress. Have a nap if you can—I intend to.”
“Thank you.” Before Evelyn could leave, Belinda had to ask one more thing. “This Order everyone’s mentioned...is it true that Connor and the others are all descended from King Arthur’s Round Table? And that their magick is passed from father to son?”
“It’s true,” Evelyn said simply. “Though often, I think, the daughters have powers of their own, like Genny’s gift for sensing medical concerns. The Order is starting to recognize that in recent years. I believe there will be women in the Order within your lifetime. The men in charge have slowly come to accept that their daughters and granddaughters are also forces to be reckoned with. That will be something to keep in mind if you have daughters of your own.”
“And Sir William is one of those men?”
“Yes. Of course, he’s mostly active in an advisory capacity these days. Fergus has taken over the reins of the Edinburgh headquarters. Connor spends most of his time there or in London. I hope you won’t have any problem with living in the city.”
“Edinburgh or even London sound heavenly after being in an isolated village for ten years. Thank you, Lady MacKay—Nan. For everything.”
The green eyes twinkled again. “You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to having a pair of young hands to help in the conservatory and still room. Neither of my granddaughters is an avid gardener.”
“I can’t wait. You won’t be able to keep me away.”
After the older woman left, Belinda lifted her small jewel case off the dresser where her borrowed lady’s maid had left it. She withdrew a heavy gold band and smiled. Here was one thing she could bring to this unexpected wedding that was hers and hers
Belinda heard the mother’s heartbreak in the older woman’s tone. Some hurts never went away. “I’m so sorry about your son, Lady MacKay, but what does that have to do with Connor and me?”
Evelyn held on to Belinda with one hand and scratched Willow’s floppy ears with her other. “My point is that you can never totally know someone, even if you’ve raised them from the day they were born. None of us guessed that Gideon would become obsessed with power to the point where he would choose to be infected by a vampyre and kidnap an innocent girl. Connor was the only one in the family who thought something might be wrong with his uncle, but he was only a youth, away at school at the time, and none of us listened. Since then, we’ve all come to trust his instincts—even when our urge is to coddle or protect him. He may seem like a capricious child, but that’s just his way of coping with the world. Underneath it, he is a seasoned warrior, more than old enough to know his own mind. His work for the Order is dangerous. Are you prepared to accept that?”
Belinda wiggled out of her overskirt as she pondered that. “We discussed that while he was showing me around. I can accept who he is. I don’t want to be widowed again, but as you say, life is never certain. We all take chances whenever we cross the street.”
“That’s very true. And some of us are lucky enough to grow old with one another. Tomorrow, William and I are celebrating sixty years together. Even after losing Gideon, I wouldn’t change that for the world.” She leaned over to kiss Belinda’s cheek and then stood. “It wouldn’t break my heart to hold more great-grandchildren before I die. You might want to have that chat with Geneva. She has a sense for such things, which is why she became a doctor.” She stepped over to the door. “I’ll be back with the others in an hour or so to help you dress. Have a nap if you can—I intend to.”
“Thank you.” Before Evelyn could leave, Belinda had to ask one more thing. “This Order everyone’s mentioned...is it true that Connor and the others are all descended from King Arthur’s Round Table? And that their magick is passed from father to son?”
“It’s true,” Evelyn said simply. “Though often, I think, the daughters have powers of their own, like Genny’s gift for sensing medical concerns. The Order is starting to recognize that in recent years. I believe there will be women in the Order within your lifetime. The men in charge have slowly come to accept that their daughters and granddaughters are also forces to be reckoned with. That will be something to keep in mind if you have daughters of your own.”
“And Sir William is one of those men?”
“Yes. Of course, he’s mostly active in an advisory capacity these days. Fergus has taken over the reins of the Edinburgh headquarters. Connor spends most of his time there or in London. I hope you won’t have any problem with living in the city.”
“Edinburgh or even London sound heavenly after being in an isolated village for ten years. Thank you, Lady MacKay—Nan. For everything.”
The green eyes twinkled again. “You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to having a pair of young hands to help in the conservatory and still room. Neither of my granddaughters is an avid gardener.”
“I can’t wait. You won’t be able to keep me away.”
After the older woman left, Belinda lifted her small jewel case off the dresser where her borrowed lady’s maid had left it. She withdrew a heavy gold band and smiled. Here was one thing she could bring to this unexpected wedding that was hers and hers
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