removed a tubular leather scroll case from her belt and held it toward him. "Give this to her on the Feast of the Epiphany."
"What is it?" he asked, reaching for the scroll.
"A gift from one sister to another." As one of her fingers brushed his, she frowned and grasped his opposite hand. Her intense gaze met his. "Beware, Bren. A minion of the Beast shadows you in one you trust. Clan Sutherland will face a dark day before this year ends. For Faith to survive, you must not accept death or call upon Sancte Michaelo to guide her to Paradise. Instead, call upon Sancte Raphaelo with all your heart. As surely as he once healed Tobias, he will blow the breath of the Holy Ghost into Faith."
"Are you also an oracle?" he asked sardonically as she released her hand.
"Nay," she said, her dark gaze serious. "I am the Treasured Sophiafilumina—The Keeper of Wisdom and Light. You are already my brother, and Faith is dear to me. I entrust her to your care. Heed my warning."
"I can take care of my own," he said, though he was unable to mask
the irritated edge in his tone.
She shook her head and sighed. "I see you do not believe me. When the moment comes that you must call on the archangel, I will know and I will remind you."
With a crack of her whip, the lass disappeared into the limbs above. Brendan was left to ponder her words.
"Ridiculous," he finally muttered and resumed his way along the path. If his future wife needed saving, he would do it himself.
A small throb erupted at the base of his skull.
Six
That Highlander was torturing her sensibilities. He had Faith so disturbed she hadn't left her chamber for a day and a half. Aye, Laird Sutherland evoked sensations in her and one word summed them up.
Lust.
It had taken her a long sleepless night to figure it out. And worse, she liked the way he made her feel. But lust was one of the seven deadly sins that condemned a soul to perpetual damnation. Surely a convent-bound maiden shouldn't possess such a blemish on her soul. She doubted Saint Peter was likely to overlook the flaw when she stood before him for her particular judgment.
Brendan mesmerized her. She obsessed over how his mouth would feel pressed against hers. The very thought sent a tingle sizzling through the pit of her stomach. She longed to be kissed at least once before she entered her life of penance. Not just any man would do either. No one but her brother's worst enemy, Brendan Sutherland, stirred her desire for such a sinful experience.
She must continue avoiding him as she had these past two days. The Church taught to avoid sin and the near occasion of sin after all. Brendan was about as near to an occasion of sin as she was likely to get. Besides, Father Abernathy had said any man who associated with her would suffer eternal hellfire. She didn't want Brendan damned for all eternity. Aye, she was guarding his soul, as well as hers, by staying away from him.
Faith sighed. Avoiding him for the sake of her immortal soul might be for the best, but it certainly bored her.
She flopped onto her back and groaned as she stared at the dreary ceiling. Confining herself to her chamber left her restless and didn't diminish her errant passions. How could she avoid Brendan if he refused to leave her waking and sleeping mind?
When she awoke to her monthly curse the day before, she used the excuse of cramps to stay away from court. Because she wasn't normally given to such an indisposition, Noreen tucked her into bed with a warming stone and a worried frown. Faith felt guilty for causing her loyal maid such a fret. She had always confided her secrets to Noreen, but couldn't bring herself to speak of her wanton desires.
"Can I get
"What is it?" he asked, reaching for the scroll.
"A gift from one sister to another." As one of her fingers brushed his, she frowned and grasped his opposite hand. Her intense gaze met his. "Beware, Bren. A minion of the Beast shadows you in one you trust. Clan Sutherland will face a dark day before this year ends. For Faith to survive, you must not accept death or call upon Sancte Michaelo to guide her to Paradise. Instead, call upon Sancte Raphaelo with all your heart. As surely as he once healed Tobias, he will blow the breath of the Holy Ghost into Faith."
"Are you also an oracle?" he asked sardonically as she released her hand.
"Nay," she said, her dark gaze serious. "I am the Treasured Sophiafilumina—The Keeper of Wisdom and Light. You are already my brother, and Faith is dear to me. I entrust her to your care. Heed my warning."
"I can take care of my own," he said, though he was unable to mask
the irritated edge in his tone.
She shook her head and sighed. "I see you do not believe me. When the moment comes that you must call on the archangel, I will know and I will remind you."
With a crack of her whip, the lass disappeared into the limbs above. Brendan was left to ponder her words.
"Ridiculous," he finally muttered and resumed his way along the path. If his future wife needed saving, he would do it himself.
A small throb erupted at the base of his skull.
Six
That Highlander was torturing her sensibilities. He had Faith so disturbed she hadn't left her chamber for a day and a half. Aye, Laird Sutherland evoked sensations in her and one word summed them up.
Lust.
It had taken her a long sleepless night to figure it out. And worse, she liked the way he made her feel. But lust was one of the seven deadly sins that condemned a soul to perpetual damnation. Surely a convent-bound maiden shouldn't possess such a blemish on her soul. She doubted Saint Peter was likely to overlook the flaw when she stood before him for her particular judgment.
Brendan mesmerized her. She obsessed over how his mouth would feel pressed against hers. The very thought sent a tingle sizzling through the pit of her stomach. She longed to be kissed at least once before she entered her life of penance. Not just any man would do either. No one but her brother's worst enemy, Brendan Sutherland, stirred her desire for such a sinful experience.
She must continue avoiding him as she had these past two days. The Church taught to avoid sin and the near occasion of sin after all. Brendan was about as near to an occasion of sin as she was likely to get. Besides, Father Abernathy had said any man who associated with her would suffer eternal hellfire. She didn't want Brendan damned for all eternity. Aye, she was guarding his soul, as well as hers, by staying away from him.
Faith sighed. Avoiding him for the sake of her immortal soul might be for the best, but it certainly bored her.
She flopped onto her back and groaned as she stared at the dreary ceiling. Confining herself to her chamber left her restless and didn't diminish her errant passions. How could she avoid Brendan if he refused to leave her waking and sleeping mind?
When she awoke to her monthly curse the day before, she used the excuse of cramps to stay away from court. Because she wasn't normally given to such an indisposition, Noreen tucked her into bed with a warming stone and a worried frown. Faith felt guilty for causing her loyal maid such a fret. She had always confided her secrets to Noreen, but couldn't bring herself to speak of her wanton desires.
"Can I get
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