“We?” His father asked and looked around.
Galeren returned to the door, took hold of something and appeared again. He held the hand of a novice nun, dressed in a white habit. Their gazes fell to their hands, fingers entwined within the other’s.
Rose covered her slight gasp with her hand.
“She needs to stay here fer a wee bit. Fer protection.”
“Who would hurt a nun?” his uncle, Cainnech, grumbled while his dearest friend, Father Timothy, hurried to her side.
“She is not a nun yet,” Galeren was quick to point out. “She has an enemy and he might show up here. She needs our protection.”
His uncles nodded in unison. Rose smiled at them. They didn’t think about it long.
“Are ye truly a woman of God?” Timothy asked her softly.
“Aye, Father. I will take my vow in the spring.”
“We will protect the woman of God to the death,” Uncle Cainnech vowed. His brother and the others all agreed with a cheer.
“At the threat of war?” Galeren put to them.
“At the threat of death!” the men shouted.
“So much fer peaceful.” Tristan smiled into his cup. “We can sleep outside the gates tonight in Elias’ cottage.”
He thought that’s what she wanted, but she shook her head. She finally had a family and she wanted to enjoy them.
A fight broke out among the children and a group of Tristan’s cousins lifted their cups to sing a song in celebration that two of their relatives had returned home tonight and spill their whisky.
“I would like to stay in the manor house with your parents and Elysande and her bairns, if you do not mind.”
She knew he would be happy to spend more time catching up with them. She also knew his family wanted him and Rose to take a room in house.
Tristan smiled and thanked her. He took her hand and held it across their chairs where they sat. If it was an act of possession, she liked it. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles while she spoke with his cousins. She was acutely aware of his touch, the intimate brush of his fingers against hers while he shared drink and laughter with the men, including Captain Harper.
He couldn’t keep from touching her. She possessed him and she liked that, too.
He gave her everything she’d ever wanted and strove to make her happy every day. There was nothing left to do but thank God for him and enjoy the adventure.
The End
About the Author
Paula Quinn is a New York Times bestselling author and a sappy romantic moved by music, beautiful words, and the sight of a really nice pen. She lives in New York with her three beautiful children, six over-protective chihuahuas, and three adorable parrots. She loves to read romance and science fiction and has been writing since she was eleven. She’s a faithful believer in God and thanks Him daily for all the blessings in her life. She loves all things medieval, but it is her love for Scotland that pulls at her heartstrings.
To date, four of her books have garnered Starred reviews from Publishers Weekly. She has been nominated as Historical Storyteller of the Year by RT Book Reviews, and all the books in her MacGregor and Children of the Mist series have received Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Her work has also been honored as Amazons Best of the Year in Romance, and in 2008 she won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for Historical Romance.
Website:
pa0854.wixsite.com/paulaquinn
