'My mother.'
'What about your father? Won't he have something to say about a marriage?'
'No,' she answered. 'He's dead.'
'But the grave was empty, remember?'
'How would you know about the grave?'
He let out a sigh. 'You told me.'
She remembered then. She'd torn the headstone down and hadn't had enough sense not to boast about it to the Scots. 'In my heart, the man's as good as dead.'
'Then I needn't be concerned about that complication?'
She didn't answer him because she didn't have the faintest idea what he was talking about. She was too weary to think straight now, too.
'Judith?'
'Yes?'
'Tell me what this is really all about.'
His voice was soft, coaching. She started crying again. 'I could have killed Isabelle. If there had been any problems, I wouldn't have known what to do. She was in such terrible pain. No woman should have to go through that. And the blood, Iain,' she added, her words tripping over themselves now. 'There was so much blood. Dear God, I was scared.'
Iain didn't know what to say to her. They had all asked an incredible amount from her. She was such an innocent, too. Hell, she wasn't even married, and yet they'd demanded she deliver a baby. He wasn't even certain if she knew how Isabelle had conceived the babe. Judith had risen to the challenge thrust upon her, however. She'd shown compassion, strength, and intelligence, too. The fact that she was so frightened made her victory all the more amazing in Iain's mind.
Her unhappiness bothered him, and he felt it was his duty to help her get through this upset.
He decided to try praise first. 'You should be very proud of what you accomplished tonight.'
She gave him an inelegant snort.
He tried logic next. 'Of course you were frightened. I would imagine that would be a normal reaction for one of your inexperience. You'll get over it.'
'No, I won't.'
He tried intimidation as a last resort. 'Damn it, Judith, you are going to get over this and you are going to have sons.'
She pushed herself away from him again. 'How like a man not to mention daughters.'
Before he could respond to that remark, she poked him in the chest. 'Daughters aren't important, are they?'
'I would make room for daughters, too.'
'Would you love a daughter as much as a son?' she asked.
'Of course.'
Because he'd answered her so quickly, without wasting any time at all to think about it, she knew he meant what he said. The bluster went out of her anger. 'I'm pleased to hear this,' she said. 'Most fathers don't fed the same way.'
'Does yours?'
She turned around and started walking back to Frances Catherine's cottage. 'As far as I'm concerned, my father's dead.'
He caught up with her, grabbed hold of her hand, and then took over the lead. She glanced up at him, saw his frown, and immediately asked, 'Why are you angry?'
'I'm not angry.'
'You're frowning.'
'Damn it, Judith, I want you to admit you'll marry.'
'Why?' she asked. 'My future isn't any concern of yours. Besides, my mind's set, Iain Maitland.'
He stopped abruptly and turned to her. He grabbed hold of her chin, leaned down and whispered, 'My mind's set, too.'
His mouth covered hers. She grabbed hold of him so she wouldn't fall over. Her mouth opened for him. He growled low in his throat and deepened the kiss. His tongue thrust inside to mate with hers. He wanted to devour her softness.
He didn't want to stop with one kiss, either. When he realized that fact, he immediately pulled away. Judith was too innocent to realize her own jeopardy. He wouldn't take advantage of the trust she had in him. That truth didn't stop him from thinking about it, though.
He shook his head to clear it of the erotic fantasies going through his mind, then grabbed hold of Judith's hand again and dragged her behind him.
She had to run to keep up with his long-legged stride. He didn't say another word to her until they'd reached his brother's home. Judith had her hand on the latch, but he blocked it with his arm. She decided then that he wasn't quite through confusing her.
'No matter how horrible this birthing was, in time you'll get over it.' She looked up at him with the most astonished expression on her face. He nodded to let her know he meant what he'd just said. 'That's an order, Judith, and you will obey it'
He nodded again while he opened the door for her. She didn't move. She continued to look up at him in confusion. 'Horrible? I never said it was horrible.'
It was his turn to look confused. 'Then what the hell was it?'
'Oh, Iain, it was beautiful.'
Her face was radiant with joy. Iain shook his head in confusion. He didn't think he was ever going to understand her.
He took his time walking home. His thoughts were centered on Judith. What was he going to do with her?
He'd reached the doors of the keep when the picture of the warrior's ring she wore popped into his mind.
Where the hell had he seen it before?
Chapter 8
There was hell to pay for her interference. The priest arrived on Frances Catherine's doorstep the following afternoon and requested an immediate audience with the Englishwoman.
Both the seriousness in Father Laggan's voice and the look on his face indicated trouble was brewing. He shifted to the side of the stoop while he waited for her agreement to fetch Judith. Frances Catherine spotted Agnes standing a little distance behind him. She understood the reason for the audience then.
Agnes looked quite smug. Frances Catherine's worry increased tenfold. She stalled for time so she could find her husband. Patrick would stand up for Judith, and from the look on Agnes's face, she knew Judith would need someone in her corner.
'My friend was up most of the night, Father, and is still sleeping. I'll be happy to wake her, but she will need a few minutes of privacy to get dressed.'
Father Laggan nodded. 'If you would ask her to meet me at Isabella's cottage, I'll go on along now.'
'Yes, Father,' Frances Catherine whispered. She made an awkward curtsy before shutting the door in his face.
She shook Judith awake. 'We're in trouble,' she announced. 'God, Judith, roll over and open your eyes. The priest was here… with Agnes,' she stammered out. 'You have to get dressed now. They're waiting for you at Isabelle's home.'
