something.” He drew the words out as if he spoke to a child.
“He won’t be looking for us. You said as much.”
His jaw clenched. “But he will be alert and I will not put you in danger.”
Her angry pulse throbbed in her throat. Gregory planned to protect her when he needed to protect her son. The danger to her was meaningless. This was about her son. “I care only about getting Simon back.”
“I understand, but we cannot react out of our fear and anxiety.” He didn’t mean their fear and anxiety. He spoke of hers, her cowardice.
“I am getting my son back.”
“If I judge it prudent once we have assessed the danger.” He spoke so calmly, dismissing her, making light of how vital it was to retrieve Simon.
Well, he discounted this new Faye, the one in charge of her own fate. “I am not leaving without him.”
“You may have to.” He loomed above a good foot, taut with suppressed emotion. He could tower and glower all her liked.
“You cannot stop me.”
“I will if I must.”
She could hardly credit her ears. Verily, this entire conversation was a cruel jest. Her mouth dropped open and she snapped it shut again. “Let me explain this to you. I am here to rescue Simon, whether you will it or nay. It matters not what you and my father planned. There is a new plan now, and I will see this done.”
He grunted and shoved a hand through his hair. “This is no place for a woman.”
A lady does not show her temper. A lady does not screech like a hag. The trees dipped and swayed in her vision as she battled her temper. “I am his mother. Where else would I be?”
“Safe at Anglesea.” His support at Anglesea had been nothing but mouthing words. Here and now, when challenged, he took the same line as her father and brothers.
“You said you understood.”
“I do understand—”
“Nay, you do not. For you to even speak to me thus means you understand nothing of a mother’s pain when her child is in the hands of a monster. You think you know how much of a monster, but you don’t even know the half of it.”
“My lady—”
“It was me who suffered every blow of that animal’s hands. It was me he forced to submit to his will. I bore it all to shield my children from him. Do not think you understand. Do not think you can stand between me and my God-given right to protect my child. You want to shield me.” A broken laugh escaped her. “You cannot shield me from what is done. And you will not stop me now.” Her breathing rasped in the sudden still. Good Lord, had all that come out of her mouth?
Stark anguish crossed his face. “I take your meaning, my lady.”
What meaning had he taken? His words were laden with so much more. She’d wounded him in some way. Her newfound courage flickered and died. He cared for Simon and he’d demonstrated it in hundred different ways. She hadn’t meant to speak all that, but she had opened her mouth and it had all poured out. “I beg your pardon.”
“Nay.” He hunched over the bed of the cart, his expression hidden from her. “It is I who must beg your pardon.”
Chapter 7
Faye’s outburst exhausted all her words. She used the continuing journey to tuck away all the messy tendrils of emotion that swirled about her. Thank God, Gregory kept silent about her appalling behavior. As the miles passed, the tension eased. She must keep a closer watch on her mouth and her emotions. God alone knew what could come out if she didn’t.
Day bled into evening with a glorious display of red and orange flung across the sky in lavish abandon.
“The inn is a hard by.” Gregory pointed to a small branch in the road. “We will stop for the night.”
Faye nodded. Tomorrow they would arrive at Calder Castle and the greatest challenge of her life. There was no choice but to rise to the challenge. William’s knife pressed against her ankle.
“We will sleep in the common room.” Gregory cleared his throat. “It is not what I would like for you,
“He won’t be looking for us. You said as much.”
His jaw clenched. “But he will be alert and I will not put you in danger.”
Her angry pulse throbbed in her throat. Gregory planned to protect her when he needed to protect her son. The danger to her was meaningless. This was about her son. “I care only about getting Simon back.”
“I understand, but we cannot react out of our fear and anxiety.” He didn’t mean their fear and anxiety. He spoke of hers, her cowardice.
“I am getting my son back.”
“If I judge it prudent once we have assessed the danger.” He spoke so calmly, dismissing her, making light of how vital it was to retrieve Simon.
Well, he discounted this new Faye, the one in charge of her own fate. “I am not leaving without him.”
“You may have to.” He loomed above a good foot, taut with suppressed emotion. He could tower and glower all her liked.
“You cannot stop me.”
“I will if I must.”
She could hardly credit her ears. Verily, this entire conversation was a cruel jest. Her mouth dropped open and she snapped it shut again. “Let me explain this to you. I am here to rescue Simon, whether you will it or nay. It matters not what you and my father planned. There is a new plan now, and I will see this done.”
He grunted and shoved a hand through his hair. “This is no place for a woman.”
A lady does not show her temper. A lady does not screech like a hag. The trees dipped and swayed in her vision as she battled her temper. “I am his mother. Where else would I be?”
“Safe at Anglesea.” His support at Anglesea had been nothing but mouthing words. Here and now, when challenged, he took the same line as her father and brothers.
“You said you understood.”
“I do understand—”
“Nay, you do not. For you to even speak to me thus means you understand nothing of a mother’s pain when her child is in the hands of a monster. You think you know how much of a monster, but you don’t even know the half of it.”
“My lady—”
“It was me who suffered every blow of that animal’s hands. It was me he forced to submit to his will. I bore it all to shield my children from him. Do not think you understand. Do not think you can stand between me and my God-given right to protect my child. You want to shield me.” A broken laugh escaped her. “You cannot shield me from what is done. And you will not stop me now.” Her breathing rasped in the sudden still. Good Lord, had all that come out of her mouth?
Stark anguish crossed his face. “I take your meaning, my lady.”
What meaning had he taken? His words were laden with so much more. She’d wounded him in some way. Her newfound courage flickered and died. He cared for Simon and he’d demonstrated it in hundred different ways. She hadn’t meant to speak all that, but she had opened her mouth and it had all poured out. “I beg your pardon.”
“Nay.” He hunched over the bed of the cart, his expression hidden from her. “It is I who must beg your pardon.”
Chapter 7
Faye’s outburst exhausted all her words. She used the continuing journey to tuck away all the messy tendrils of emotion that swirled about her. Thank God, Gregory kept silent about her appalling behavior. As the miles passed, the tension eased. She must keep a closer watch on her mouth and her emotions. God alone knew what could come out if she didn’t.
Day bled into evening with a glorious display of red and orange flung across the sky in lavish abandon.
“The inn is a hard by.” Gregory pointed to a small branch in the road. “We will stop for the night.”
Faye nodded. Tomorrow they would arrive at Calder Castle and the greatest challenge of her life. There was no choice but to rise to the challenge. William’s knife pressed against her ankle.
“We will sleep in the common room.” Gregory cleared his throat. “It is not what I would like for you,
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