Warrior's Moon by Lucy Monroe Page B

England then?”
    “In England it is no more common, or acceptable, for a man to take his father’s wife as his
lehman
than in the Highlands.”
    “But he would have done it regardless?”
    “He’s too arrogant to care if others approve of his behavior.” She worried her lower lip, deciding if she wanted to tell Caelis everything. “You are committed to claiming Eadan?”
    “Aye, and Marjory too.”
    Could she trust him to be father to both her children? Again, only time would tell, but Shona had to take the first step forward. Whether she liked it or not. Trusted him, or didn’t.
    She took a deep breath and let it out. “Percival tried to kill Eadan, on more than one occasion. He always denied his intentions, but the accidents were no accidents at all. Percival wanted no competitor for his father’s barony.”
    “But as the eldest, he was the acknowledged heir.” Caelis sounded confused.
    “Yes, but if Percival could not provide offspring—and thus far he has not, though his marriage is older than mine to his father—the king would naturally name Eadan’s eldest son the heir to the title. Percival’s pride would not allow it.”
    “He would rather there be no heir to the barony?”
    “Oh, yes. In that case, the king would appoint an heir who would likely come from the monarch’s own extended relations.”
    “Percival sounds like a very vain, manipulative man.”
    “He is, and cunning and determined.”
    “You think he would come after you here?”
    “I do not know.”
    “If he comes, I will kill him.”
    “He is an English baron; it would be considered an act of war.” Not that she would miss the man’s existence on this earth.
    “If England’s king is foolish enough to go to war over such a worm, then he deserves the losses he will suffer at our hands.”
    Shona shook her head. “Stubborn man.”
    “We are well matched then.”
    *   *   *
    A udrey quietly pushed open the door to Shona’s
bedchamber, disturbed to find it not barred from the inside. Thus far, the Sinclairs had shown themselves hospitable and unlikely to harm, but they were still a clan of strangers.
    Except that man who wore different colors and was so obviously Eadan’s father. There was no doubt that Shona had known
that
man very well at some point in the past. And though perhaps it should not, that fact had quite shocked Audrey.
    She had always known the baron wasn’t blood relative to her dear friend’s first child, but she’d never guessed the father was a Highland warrior.
    It was testament to Audrey’s agitated thinking that the scents of the Highland Chrechte and that of unmistakable passion did not become apparent to her until Audrey’s gaze fell on the bed occupied by one more person than it should have been.
    The wolf was awake, staring at her with dark, unfathomable eyes, his hold on Audrey’s dearest friend too proprietary to be mistaken. The air of protection was no less certain.
    “How? What?” she stuttered out, her shock so complete, she nearly lost her breath.
    Shona woke in that moment, her eyes widening at the sight of Audrey and then in horror as realization of her circumstances dawned. “Audrey! I…It’s…”
    Audrey shook her head. “Come, we will bathe before the rest of the keep is up and sniffing around.”
    Whatever explanations Shona wished to make, she could do so later. When she was no longer embroiled in an undeniably and hopelessly compromising position.
    Audrey’s heart ached for her friend even as her brain spun with ways to help the baroness.
    Shona nodded her head vigorously while the wolf frowned his displeasure.
    Though Audrey had hoped the Faol warrior would wait to make his claim, she was not entirely surprised he had moved to establish his place in Shona’s life so quickly.
    According to Audrey’s dear departed mother, the mating bond for a Chrechte was so strong as to be undeniable. Otherwise her mum had said,
she
would never would have allowed herself to become