the brown.
But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed,
and pulled the rider down.
So well Janet minded what he said
that young Tam Lin did win.
She covered him with her green mantle,
as blythe’s a bird in spring.
Out then spake the Queen of Faeries,
out of a bush of broom.
‘She who has gotten young Tam Lin,
has stolen a stately groom.’
Out then spake the Queen of Faeries,
and an angry woman was she.
‘Shame betide her ill far’d face,
and an ill death may she die,
For she’s taken away the bonniest knight,
in all my company.”
‘But had I known, Tam Lin,” she says,
‘what now this night I see,
I would have taken out thy two gray eyes,
and put in two eyes of tree.’”
The Laird of Ravensmuir was the first to put down his cup and applaud, the others joining quickly. Catriona found herself uncommonly flustered and knew it was only because his gaze dropped to her belly before returning to her eyes. She would not be cowed by such a man as this.
She straightened, holding his gaze with a boldness that seemed to surprise him. Indeed, she would show him that she was not his for the taking on this night of nights, even if she did sleep in his hall.
“Look how dark it is,” she said, hearing her own words fall in an uncharacteristic rush. She gestured to Catherine’s meal. “Finish that last bite now that Tam Lin is saved forever, so we can all retire.”
“Catriona!” said William, lifting his arms to her even as his eyelids drooped.
She made to lift the sleepy child in her arms, but found the Laird of Ravensmuir beside her. “He is too heavy,” he said, flicking a hot look at her.
Such protectiveness in a man could be alluring indeed, if it could be trusted. Catriona swallowed and stepped back, putting distance between herself and the laird’s warmth. She took Catherine by the hand, while the older girls fled up the stairs. She was well aware of the laird behind her, and Lady Vivienne’s cheerful chatter as she came to bed with Euphemia in her arms.
There had been additional straw pallets brought into the solar, along with the satchels and bundles needed for the night. Catriona glanced at the end wall, and in the light of the lanterns—which was cast at a different angle than the sunlight earlier—thought she could discern a line in the masonry. She stared a moment too long, for she found the laird watching her.
She turned with a flush and busied herself with lighting the braziers. She arranged the pallets so the family would be nestled together and piled them with cloaks. She took only one for herself and placed it at the top of the stairs, only to freeze at the touch of the laird’s fingertips on the back of her waist and his breath in her ear.
“To defend the flock against wolves?” he asked, the low murmur of his voice making her heart leap.
So he had noted where she would sleep.
Catriona turned to find him close, that gaze so intent he might have read her very thoughts.
“It is my place to see to their safety,” she said.
“And what of yours?”
Catriona took a steadying breath. “It is not at risk,” she said with all the resolve within her, as if stating as much boldly could make it true.
“You trust readily in my word.”
“I trust in my own ability to defend myself.”
Those green eyes glimmered then, as if he fought a smile. “Is there anything else you require for this night?”
Catriona shook her head, both wishing he would be gone and yearning for him to linger. Truly, this babe in her belly made her too tired to think clearly.
His gaze roving over her face, feeding her impression that she had no secrets from him. “Then sleep well, Catriona.”
Was that a warning?
He strode across the room, kissing his sister’s cheek, then descended to the hall without another word to her. Catriona was unable to keep herself from watching him go, this man who both fascinated and frightened her.
She had to admit that in his absence, the
But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed,
and pulled the rider down.
So well Janet minded what he said
that young Tam Lin did win.
She covered him with her green mantle,
as blythe’s a bird in spring.
Out then spake the Queen of Faeries,
out of a bush of broom.
‘She who has gotten young Tam Lin,
has stolen a stately groom.’
Out then spake the Queen of Faeries,
and an angry woman was she.
‘Shame betide her ill far’d face,
and an ill death may she die,
For she’s taken away the bonniest knight,
in all my company.”
‘But had I known, Tam Lin,” she says,
‘what now this night I see,
I would have taken out thy two gray eyes,
and put in two eyes of tree.’”
The Laird of Ravensmuir was the first to put down his cup and applaud, the others joining quickly. Catriona found herself uncommonly flustered and knew it was only because his gaze dropped to her belly before returning to her eyes. She would not be cowed by such a man as this.
She straightened, holding his gaze with a boldness that seemed to surprise him. Indeed, she would show him that she was not his for the taking on this night of nights, even if she did sleep in his hall.
“Look how dark it is,” she said, hearing her own words fall in an uncharacteristic rush. She gestured to Catherine’s meal. “Finish that last bite now that Tam Lin is saved forever, so we can all retire.”
“Catriona!” said William, lifting his arms to her even as his eyelids drooped.
She made to lift the sleepy child in her arms, but found the Laird of Ravensmuir beside her. “He is too heavy,” he said, flicking a hot look at her.
Such protectiveness in a man could be alluring indeed, if it could be trusted. Catriona swallowed and stepped back, putting distance between herself and the laird’s warmth. She took Catherine by the hand, while the older girls fled up the stairs. She was well aware of the laird behind her, and Lady Vivienne’s cheerful chatter as she came to bed with Euphemia in her arms.
There had been additional straw pallets brought into the solar, along with the satchels and bundles needed for the night. Catriona glanced at the end wall, and in the light of the lanterns—which was cast at a different angle than the sunlight earlier—thought she could discern a line in the masonry. She stared a moment too long, for she found the laird watching her.
She turned with a flush and busied herself with lighting the braziers. She arranged the pallets so the family would be nestled together and piled them with cloaks. She took only one for herself and placed it at the top of the stairs, only to freeze at the touch of the laird’s fingertips on the back of her waist and his breath in her ear.
“To defend the flock against wolves?” he asked, the low murmur of his voice making her heart leap.
So he had noted where she would sleep.
Catriona turned to find him close, that gaze so intent he might have read her very thoughts.
“It is my place to see to their safety,” she said.
“And what of yours?”
Catriona took a steadying breath. “It is not at risk,” she said with all the resolve within her, as if stating as much boldly could make it true.
“You trust readily in my word.”
“I trust in my own ability to defend myself.”
Those green eyes glimmered then, as if he fought a smile. “Is there anything else you require for this night?”
Catriona shook her head, both wishing he would be gone and yearning for him to linger. Truly, this babe in her belly made her too tired to think clearly.
His gaze roving over her face, feeding her impression that she had no secrets from him. “Then sleep well, Catriona.”
Was that a warning?
He strode across the room, kissing his sister’s cheek, then descended to the hall without another word to her. Catriona was unable to keep herself from watching him go, this man who both fascinated and frightened her.
She had to admit that in his absence, the
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