Oria sat staring at Henry. This couldn’t be true. This was a bad dream—a nightmare. It had to be. How could she have gone to bed last night and woke this morning a different woman?
The thought had her asking, “I’m not a Scot?”
The way Old Henry squeezed her hand again and the tears that clouded his eyes told her there was much more to the story.
“Your da was told you are the image of your true mum.”
“Someone recognized me?” Her heart felt like it slammed against her chest. “Trevor?”
Old Henry nodded. “Trevor was scouting the area and came across you here. He met a few times with your father in the dark of night, and asked about you. Your da denied it at first, insisting you were his daughter. Trevor didn’t believe him and told him how a slave woman had abducted the daughter of a chieftain of a powerful Norse tribe. They were never able to find the child until now. Trevor told your da there was no denying who you were and he threatened to snatch you away from him as you’d been snatched away from your true family. Your da finally admitted the truth. I think your da felt guilty when he learned the truth. All those years, he believed your mum dead and that he was protecting you. But knowing you were stolen from your true parents disturbed him.”
Oria didn’t know what to think. Lies upon lies, secrets upon secrets. Promises upon promises. Was there truth to anything? At least one of the questions about her da had been solved. The dark figure he’d met with had been Trevor. It had nothing to do with betraying the clan and that brought a small bit of relief to her.
“So I’m not a Scot, I’m a Norsewoman?”
Old Henry looked hesitant to continue.
“Please, Henry, I need to know,” Oria encouraged, though wondered if her painful heart could take much more.
“You’re the daughter of a Norsewoman from a powerful tribe that once owned this land and all the land around it,” Old Henry said.
Shock almost robbed her of her breath as an unbelievable thought slammed into her. It couldn’t be, it just couldn’t be, she silently told her. Why then did it seem like a piece to the puzzle had suddenly fallen into place?
Oria shook her head. “Tell me it isn’t so, Henry, tell me Demelza isn’t my sister and—God help me—please tell me the Beast isn’t my brother.”
A tear slipped down Old Henry’s cheek. “I wish I could, but I can’t.”
This couldn’t get any worse. Good Lord, her brother was responsible for all the suffering brought on the clans and worse, he had been the one responsible for tearing Royden and her apart.
“Your da was warned not to let you wed Royden,” Old Henry said. “But he knew how much you loved Royden, always loved him, and he wanted you happy and safe. His only thought was to keep you safe and with the one person he knew would protect you with his life.”
“Royden,” Oria said as pieces to the puzzle continued to connect. “That was why my da wanted so many chieftains and some of their warriors at my wedding. He wasn’t betraying them. He needed their help. He feared an imminent attack.” She shut her eyes, holding back tears and the horrific memory of that day. “Chieftain Galvin Macara and his son Bayne were fearless warriors. That’s why he was upset when Galvin refused to go to the wedding.”
“Your da feared the attack would come on your wedding day, but he couldn’t be sure,” Old Henry said. “He wanted as many powerful and skilled warriors there just in case.”
Oria turned a confused expression on Henry. “Why didn’t my da just tell everyone?”
“Lies and secrets have a way of growing with time. Your da was trusted by all, as was his word. If the truth were known, he feared all the clans would demand you be given to the Beast in exchange for him to leave them in peace. But worst of all, he feared once Royden learned the truth he might have second thoughts about taking you as his wife. Or worse, his da would forbid him from marrying you. Your da wanted you protected and safe. With all the years you’d been gone from your true family, your da didn’t think they would be so cruel as to kill your husband, the man you loved since forever,” Old Henry said. “Your da also worried what might happen if the Beast managed to stop the wedding and take Royden prisoner.”
“So my da devised the plan for me to wed Burnell,” she said, then shook her head. “They could have easily made me a widow. Why let me stay wed to him?”
“Demelza could probably explain that to you and also tell you all about your true family,” Old Henry said.