Love. Yes, Cree loved strongly, though he never spoke the words. She wondered what kept him from telling her.
“The wound looks good. No swelling and only a minimum of redness. You were lucky. It could have been much worse.”
The subject was soon changed and after helping Dawn back on with her blouse Elsa sat to talk with her about birthing. She wasn’t surprised to learn that most women hadn’t wanted Dawn to help in their births. Superstition ran rampant in the Highlands and naturally the women would worry that somehow Dawn’s affliction would affect their babes.
Elsa told her about some births she attended, some stories making her laugh and others bringing a tear to her eye. If Elsa’s intentions were to ease her mind about giving birth, she had. They parted with a hug and Dawn set to work placing what was left of the food in the basket to be collected later.
Dawn turned a chair to the fire and sat feeling a bit tired, though content at least for the moment and she would take each moment one at a time and enjoy those she could. She did wonder what was going on at the keep and was anxious for Flanna to visit and let her know. She also expected Cree to share any news with her. He had promised to trust her just as she trusted him. So there was no reason for him to keep anything from her.
A large yawn let her know just how tired she was actually feeling and she decided a nap would do her and the babe good. She walked into the other room, got under the warm blankets, and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
~~~
Cree was glad to see that by the time he returned to the Great Hall everyone had taken their leave and would not return until the evening meal was served. He sent one of his men to let Kirk McClusky and his son to know that it was safe for them to meet and that they were to come to his solar.
Sloan waited along with Cree, both men enjoying a tankard of ale.
“Anything to tell me about Lucerne?” Cree asked.
Sloan shook his head slowly. “That woman is crazy. One minute she’s ranting, the next she’s crying, and then all of a sudden she’s nice, not that it lasts long, but the nice part of her, miniscule as it is, isn’t bad. Her mother is with her now and it seems as if her presence has calmed her.”
“You sound as if you feel sorry for her and perhaps that’s exactly how she wants you to feel.”
Sloan rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought about that and I’ve made sure to stay aware, but so far I haven’t seen anything that would have me believing that she is somehow involved with wanting Dawn dead.”
“Keep searching.”
“Damn, how long are you going to punish me?”
Cree didn’t answer, the door opened and Kirk and Torr entered. The two men joined Cree and Sloan and tankards were filled and talk began.
“I think the best thing for us to do is to have me approach Ann privately and confirm for certain that Dawn is my daughter,” Kirk said.
Cree agreed. “Yes, we definitely need confirmation on that. And we need to move fast since the cleric intends to perform the wedding ceremony on Sunday. I’d like to have proof before then that Lucerne is not Gerwan’s daughter.”
“I worry that Lady Gerwan will deny it,” Torr said. “She would be condemning herself and Lucerne if she did. She has lived with the lie all these years. Why tell the truth now and risk so much. And if she does do that, what is left for us to do?” He turned to his father. “Do you call her a liar in front of all?”
Kirk shook his head. “I could never do that.”
“What then do we do?” Torr asked.
“We do what must be done,” Cree said as if issuing an edict.
Torr looked to Cree. “Does that mean letting Dawn go with us, her family, where she will be safe?”
Cree stared at him for several silent moments and Torr held his gaze, not giving him the satisfaction of looking away.
Cree lunged forward in his seat and jabbed a finger in Torr’s direction. “You must be deaf or aching for another punch. I’ve told you repeatedly that Dawn is mine. She belongs here with me and here is where she will stay. We will find a way to see this done.”
No one said a word, but all wondered who would be the one to suffer in the end.
~~~
Dawn stretched herself awake. Her stomach grumbled letting her know that she had slept longer than she had planned. She got out of bed with another stretch and then a rub to her lower back. She was still feeling the remnants of sleep when she entered the other room at the same time the door opened and Cree walked in.