Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Devonna began to follow her family but, at the sight of her stepbrother, she stopped. She turned to Ciara, who watched Lucien walk away with a longing gaze, and Devonna asked, “Could I go with you? To the lake?”

Ciara snapped her attention off the male who had sucked up all too much of her common sense to face his sister. “Of course.”

Richard glared at his sister as she stepped closer to the guest. “Coming to the house, sis? I would be glad to escort you.”

Devonna sucked in a breath and tried hard not to cringe. Ciara’s gaze flickered between them before she stepped forward to place herself between Devonna and her brother. Richard hesitated at the look, the silent challenge.

As they walked to the lake, Ciara snuck glances at the woman beside her. Although not in the start of her youth, she was still beautiful. She had seen fear flash in those eyes when her brother looked at her.

“How did you meet my brother? He said you saved his life?” Devonna’s voice was raspy from lack of use.

Ciara smiled. “Yes. He had been attacked by a bear. I found him in the woods and took him back to my cabin to heal him. He caught the fever and for two weeks it was uncertain whether he would pull through. Good thing he was a healthy man. He will have scars but, other than that, I think he pulled through fine.” She picked up her son and held him close, inhaling his clean scent until he struggled to be let down.

“Weren’t you scared with him alone in the cabin?” Her question hid a silent inquiry, that instinctively Ciara knew she was too ashamed to ask.

Ciara sat down on the ground by the lake. She kissed her son and sent him back off to play with Faolan and Kosse. Then she answered Devonna’s question.

“At first it was difficult. I had an advantage, though, since I had Faolan—he is the wolf. One night after he was walking again, he came to my room.” At Devonna’s shocked gasp, she hurried on to finish. “I was having a nightmare and he sought only to wake me from it. When he touched me, I knocked him to the floor and was in the process of sliding my knife into his throat when I realized who he was and what he had been doing.” She did not look at Devonna but stared after her son.

“That night he asked me to tell him why I had reacted how I did. I couldn’t tell him for it hurt too much. Sometimes, though, it helps to tell someone who has experienced the same thing. If you wish to talk about it, Devonna, I am here to listen.”

Devonna swung toward Ciara but she was looking at her son. “How did you know?” Her voice filled with shame.

Ciara put the full intensity of her eyes on Devonna. “Don’t ever feel like you have anything to be ashamed of. I know because I was raped myself a long time ago.”

Devonna crumbled. Sobs racked her body as she laid her head in Ciara’s lap. The story came out among the sobs.

“It started when I was sixteen. He would come on different nights that he stayed at the house, claiming that I had been screaming in my sleep and how he was worried for my safety. I was forced to do things to him, touching and kissing on him. He said that my father would never believe me so not to tell.” Her body shook.

“Then he started to give me to his friends and they bragged about me to others. I know the only reason they want to marry me off is because I am on the shelf and they don’t want me in the house. Since I have been here with Lucien, he hasn’t been able to touch me. He would never dream of touching me with Lucien around.”

Ciara put two and two together by her reaction to her brother and her comments and figured out whom she spoke of. Her brother Richard had committed the ultimate sin.

“Rafe told them today that he compromised me. He sought to protect me. I have always thought he was a wonderful man and now I know it. But I can’t let him marry me. I am spoiled, used, worthless to him.”

Ciara stroked the head in her lap, her calm words hiding the fact that she was furious. Where had Lucien been during this time?

“You are not used or worthless. That was taken from you, not given. You are still pure, and when you find a man who loves you and you love, it will be like your first time. It will be wonderful.”

Devonna turned her violet eyes up at her. “Like you and Saint? Your boy there, Bryn, he is my brother’s son, isn’t he? He has his eyes. Males get those vivid blue eyes.”

“Yes.”

“Do you love my brother?”

* * * *

Lucien looked at his parents as they sat on opposite sides of the room from each other. It seemed the only thing they did together was glare at him. They were doing it now.

“Who is she? What is she to you? What were her parents? Her skin is too dark,” his stepmother asked.

“She is the one who saved my life in America. From the bear. She has the father to the horse that you got from over there.”

His father jumped in next. “Did you bed her? Is that why she is here? To try to pass off that boy as your own. Don’t let her. All she wants is money. How can you be sure it is your son after all this time? We will not have one of her skin in our family. It won’t happen.”

Lucien slammed his hands on the desk as he spoke firmly. “This is none of your business. She is none of your business. She is my guest and will be treated with the respect due. I will not have you disrespecting her or her son in this home. Now, what are your wishes about Devonna and Rafe?”

His father spit he was so angry. “I will not be paying a dowry for that slut. She isn’t worth it.” His stepmother seemed to agree although with a small hesitation.

“Fine. I will give a dowry. If that is all, I would like to go and speak to my guest.” He headed for the door. “If you kill each other, try not to make a mess of my house.”

Lucien found Rafe sitting in the library, holding a glass of brandy but not drinking. He just stared at the amber liquid.

“Why? Why did you do it, Rafe? You know that she is not all there upstairs. I won’t have you hurting her more than she has been hurt.”

There was menace beneath his words to his friend. He wanted to be furious with Rafe, but Lucien’s mind was on the whiskey-eyed woman by the lake.

Rafe looked at his friend and took a deep breath before he made his declaration. “I love her. I have always loved her.” His voice spoke volumes to Lucien.

Lucien smiled as he walked to his friend.

“I guess I should have known that from the look you were giving her. Congratulations then, my friend. Welcome to the family. Care to walk with me? I am going to find some females.”

Rafe stood and asked Lucien, “Have you told her how you feel?”

“Who?”

“I am not blind nor am I stupid, Luc. I saw how you looked at her. In all of our trips to visit professional women, I have seen the looks you give. Ones to seduce, ones to scare people, but never like the one you gave her. It was tender, for lack of a better word. If I didn’t know you better, I would also say I saw tears, but I don’t wish to anger you.”

Rafe walked out on his friend’s stunned expression. They strolled in companionable silence to the lake. What they saw when they got there surprised them both. It took a moment for the men to pick their jaws up off the ground and regain their composure.

Devonna was screeching and laughing as she chased Bryn around. Faolan and Kosse chased her. The scene was observed by a woman who had shed her cloak and stood protectively over her charges. Ever the guardian. Lucien heard Rafe’s sharp intake of breath at the sight of her.

Jealousy swarmed him. She still wore her buckskins. If anything, having a child had filled her out more. She was still firm, but he knew what lay beneath that hard exterior. Passion. Endless, inexhaustible passion.

Bryn turned and ran toward his mother and launched himself at her. She caught him and spun him around. A tight hug for him before she set him down and sent him once again on his way.

Ciara felt Lucien’s presence and didn’t turn to face him, just waited until they got close enough to speak. “Hello again, Wolf.”

“Why do you call him Wolf? I’m Rafe by the way.”

The pale-haired man with the green eyes spoke. He was almost as tall as Lucien, but lacked his broadness. Lucien was big and broad while Rafe seemed to be lean and dangerous.

She pivoted and her lips turned up as she looked at the man that Devonna was to marry.

“It is nice to meet you, Rafe. I am Ciara.”

There was kindness in his eyes. It would be a good match.

“You can call her Miss McKay,” Lucien snapped.

With a negative shake of her head, she corrected, “Call me Ciara. I don’t know how to answer to anything else.”

“Yes you do. I have seen you.”

Ciara arched a brow at his comment as she continued her conversation with Rafe.

“This is why I call him Wolf. He is ornery and pushy, always thinking that he should get his way.” She waved a hand in the direction of Faolan who was in the process of tripping Devonna. “You see? Pushy.” She looked at Lucien. “What do you want? What was so important for you to be rude to your friend?”

Lucien stood in silence for a moment. “I want to show you your room. Come with me.”

Ciara turned toward Devonna and Bryn. She motioned with her hand and all four of them came up. Devonna curtsied to her brother and to Viscount Harrington, her skin flushed and her expression full of life for once. They all walked up to the house.

She entered the house and Ciara’s breath caught in her throat. It was huge. Her entire cabin could fit in the entrance. Everything was large and clean. There were servants by doors who opened them before people got there.

“I put you in the green room. Come, I will show it to you.” Lucien interrupted her study of the house.

“Mrs. Ashley, I would like you to meet my guests, Miss McKay and her son, Bryn.”

“Pleasure to meet you, miss. And you, little sir. Perhaps the young lad is hungry? We’ve some sweets in the kitchen.”

Bryn looked up at his mom. With a smile she nodded.

“Bryn?”

“Yes, Mama?” He turned and looked at her before he ran back to her and jumped into her arms.

Placing a kiss on his head, she sent him back to Mrs. Ashley. “Bryn, remember your manners. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Speak English, Bryn.”

“Yes, Mama. I love you.”

“I love you too, Bryn. Have fun.”