Roarke and Solara shared a destiny. All was unfolding as it should.
Or was it? She’d felt the tension since Roarke had brought Solara back to Winterland. They avoided each other completely.
Perhaps destiny would find its own way with those two.
And perhaps she would give it a little nudge in the right direction.
She smiled, a plan already formulating.
* * * * *
“I feel so weak. I can barely stand. I fear my pregnancy sickness has begun.” Solara worried over Noele, picking up her hand and cradling it in her own.
Lying in the middle of the huge bed, Noele looked like a small child, so frail and weak. Yesterday in the gardens she had seemed fine.
“I am sure once you have something to eat, you will feel better.” When Noele had not come down to oversee the breakfast preparations, Solara had gone in search of her, finding her still abed and pale as her white wings.
“I cannot eat. Please, Solara, help me if you will. Go downstairs and see to the morning’s preparations.” Her? Oversee a meal for hundreds? “I do not know how. Surely Isolde—”
“Oh, I could not ask her to run to and fro. As it is she has been staying by my bedside tending to me. Please, dear sister, I have no one else to rely on.”
Seeing her sister’s pitiful countenance convinced Solara to do whatever was necessary to make sure Noele rested and didn’t worry about the castle. If it were not for her running off, Garick would be at Noele’s bedside right now, caring for his wife.
“Of course. I will see to things immediately.” She scurried toward the door, then paused, turning back to Noele. “What things should I be seeing to?”
By the time the castle inhabitants had sat down to the morning meal, Solara had managed to get the cloths and dishes on the table and ensured the kitchens were preparing the food Noele had ordered. She mentally ticked off the items on the list Noele had given her, marveling at what it took to ensure a castle ran smoothly.
“Where is Noele?”
She jumped at the sound of Roarke’s voice. He took a seat next to hers, much to her dismay. “She is ill.”
He frowned. “Is it the child?”
Nodding, she added, “’Tis common in pregnancy for the woman to fall ill during the first few months.
She did not look at all well this morning, and cannot hold down any food.” Roarke swallowed hard, and Solara focused on his neck where the line of his beard ended and his skin began.
“I will see to her after the meal,” Roarke said, then stood and moved down the table to sit with his men.
She watched him with a hunger that no food or drink could satisfy. No matter that he didn’t want her, despite the fact she knew she could never have him, she wanted him with all her being. In her mind’s eye, whenever she thought of her future, she thought of it with Roarke. Foolish notions, indeed.
She ate her meal with Elise and Mina, who bombarded her with questions about Noele. She placated them as well as she could, having promised Noele that she would not breathe a word of her pregnancy to anyone. Only she and Roarke knew of the child Noele carried. Noele wanted to tell Garick before anyone else found out.
After the meal, she made sure the rooms were cleaned and the temporary tables stored. Then she went to check on Noele.
Only Noele wasn’t alone. Roarke sat on the edge of the bed, holding Noele’s hand.
She stepped in the room and cleared her throat. Noele smiled weakly in her direction, but Roarke did not even turn to acknowledge her.
“Breakfast went well,” Solara reported.
“Thank you.”
“Are you better?”
She nodded. “Somewhat, although I am still weak. I fear I will have to find someone else to tend to my duties around here for a bit. I am so tired I can barely stay awake.” Solara slipped onto the edge of the bed, ignoring Roarke. Their knees touched and he moved his away.
Noele smiled, then put her hand over her mouth and yawned. “My apologies. I do not know why I am so
Or was it? She’d felt the tension since Roarke had brought Solara back to Winterland. They avoided each other completely.
Perhaps destiny would find its own way with those two.
And perhaps she would give it a little nudge in the right direction.
She smiled, a plan already formulating.
* * * * *
“I feel so weak. I can barely stand. I fear my pregnancy sickness has begun.” Solara worried over Noele, picking up her hand and cradling it in her own.
Lying in the middle of the huge bed, Noele looked like a small child, so frail and weak. Yesterday in the gardens she had seemed fine.
“I am sure once you have something to eat, you will feel better.” When Noele had not come down to oversee the breakfast preparations, Solara had gone in search of her, finding her still abed and pale as her white wings.
“I cannot eat. Please, Solara, help me if you will. Go downstairs and see to the morning’s preparations.” Her? Oversee a meal for hundreds? “I do not know how. Surely Isolde—”
“Oh, I could not ask her to run to and fro. As it is she has been staying by my bedside tending to me. Please, dear sister, I have no one else to rely on.”
Seeing her sister’s pitiful countenance convinced Solara to do whatever was necessary to make sure Noele rested and didn’t worry about the castle. If it were not for her running off, Garick would be at Noele’s bedside right now, caring for his wife.
“Of course. I will see to things immediately.” She scurried toward the door, then paused, turning back to Noele. “What things should I be seeing to?”
By the time the castle inhabitants had sat down to the morning meal, Solara had managed to get the cloths and dishes on the table and ensured the kitchens were preparing the food Noele had ordered. She mentally ticked off the items on the list Noele had given her, marveling at what it took to ensure a castle ran smoothly.
“Where is Noele?”
She jumped at the sound of Roarke’s voice. He took a seat next to hers, much to her dismay. “She is ill.”
He frowned. “Is it the child?”
Nodding, she added, “’Tis common in pregnancy for the woman to fall ill during the first few months.
She did not look at all well this morning, and cannot hold down any food.” Roarke swallowed hard, and Solara focused on his neck where the line of his beard ended and his skin began.
“I will see to her after the meal,” Roarke said, then stood and moved down the table to sit with his men.
She watched him with a hunger that no food or drink could satisfy. No matter that he didn’t want her, despite the fact she knew she could never have him, she wanted him with all her being. In her mind’s eye, whenever she thought of her future, she thought of it with Roarke. Foolish notions, indeed.
She ate her meal with Elise and Mina, who bombarded her with questions about Noele. She placated them as well as she could, having promised Noele that she would not breathe a word of her pregnancy to anyone. Only she and Roarke knew of the child Noele carried. Noele wanted to tell Garick before anyone else found out.
After the meal, she made sure the rooms were cleaned and the temporary tables stored. Then she went to check on Noele.
Only Noele wasn’t alone. Roarke sat on the edge of the bed, holding Noele’s hand.
She stepped in the room and cleared her throat. Noele smiled weakly in her direction, but Roarke did not even turn to acknowledge her.
“Breakfast went well,” Solara reported.
“Thank you.”
“Are you better?”
She nodded. “Somewhat, although I am still weak. I fear I will have to find someone else to tend to my duties around here for a bit. I am so tired I can barely stay awake.” Solara slipped onto the edge of the bed, ignoring Roarke. Their knees touched and he moved his away.
Noele smiled, then put her hand over her mouth and yawned. “My apologies. I do not know why I am so
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