Lorna erupted into laughter, and Jane joined in. They both giggled together for a moment before they eventually stopped.
“He’s a good man.”
Jane smiled sadly. “Every sister would say that of her brother.”
“Nay.” Lorna shook her head. “He’s a good man because heis. He’s only holding ye here because he thinks it is what he has tae do.”
“Tae save his men?”
“Aye.” Lorna nodded. “Tae save his men. I’m grateful it is Kenn in yer faither’s custody and nae Morven.”
The last sentence was whispered in a voice so soft that Jane would’ve missed it if the chirping birds had not stopped their song.
“Why?”
Jane couldn’t resist asking the question. She noticed the doubt that crossed over Lorna’s face as the woman tried to decide if she should trust her or not. “He’s spent enough time in dungeons. When he was a boy, Morven was abducted and imprisoned for seven years in the darkness of the Fyfe dungeons, never seeing the sunlight for a day.”
“Heaven forfend! Surely nae!”
“He’s become a great warrior now, but he will never be the same person again. My sweet brother died in that darkness, never tae return.”
Jane’s heart panged. She could see the pain in her eyes, the pain of a lost childhood—a fate she knew well.
“I tell ye this tae ken that we understand the pain of being away from yer home. But we would never treat ye like a prisoner. My brothers suffer from a very heavy fate, one so dark that I wish every day that I could take some of it away. I want ye tae ken ye’re safe here, my lady.”
“Jane,” she whispered in a soft reply. “My name is Jane.”
Lorna’s face curled into a smile. “I kent that from the first night ye came. I just thought ye didnae want me tae use it.”
Jane nodded. “I want ye tae call me that now.”
“And ye can call me Lorna.”
Jane nodded again. “I will, Lorna. And in these dreary days, I hope I can find a companion in ye.”
She nodded, and Lorna beamed back at her. “That I can give. But we’ll both miss dinner if we dinnae head back tae the castle now. Come, I ken a quicker way.”
Jane followed her as they hurried through the trees. Her mind was barely on the way they tread, being on Lorna’s words instead. She was curious to learn more, particularly about Darach, but she had refused to say anything because she sensed the girl would prefer not to speak further. Jane knew that she had confided in her and that asking for more would be taking advantage of her candor. At least she knew why Morven was shrouded in darkness. Who could blame him?
Soon enough, they could hear shouts from the courtyard and the procession of soldiers on horses parading over the bridge from a distance and into the keep. Jane listened to Lorna’s plea, and for the first time, she sat in the great hall for dinner. Lorna sat by her right while Darach sat at the head of the table with a few of the guests that had ridden in earlier that night.
But at dinner, people spoke. For the first time in a while, Jane’s mind was filled with whispers oftruthsandlies,so much that a headache started in her temple until she could bear it no longer.
She turned to Lorna. “I think I’d need tae retire. I feel quite weary.”
Lorna nodded and apologized on their behalf for having to leave early. Darach's dark and brooding gaze followed them as they left the table.
“I am grateful to ye for finding me today,” Jane whispered when they reached the door.
Lorna stared at her, an apologetic look on her face. “Sleep well, Jane.”
Jane stepped into the room and listened to the sound of the door locking behind her. She looked around at the candlelit room, and for the first time since she was abducted, what she felt was not fear.
But confusion.
CHAPTERTEN
He’ll come. He’ll come for me.