Page 93 of Anice’s Bargain

How many times had he craved these very words? And now he heard them, not only from his wife, but also from Lord Bastionbury, who had helped straighten James’s life from a path of crooked morals.

James shifted his gaze away. “Thank ye.”

“And I’m sorry for your loss.” Lord Bastionbury spoke with a gentleness that conveyed his genuine sympathy. “It is always hard to lose a father, even when they are difficult to love.”

Anice’s hand tightened on James’s, there at his side as he needed her most. This time, James could only nod, not trusting himself to speak.

“I must go see to my men.” Lord Bastionbury removed his hand from James’s shoulder. “We shall speak again when you are more recovered.”

“Anice!” A feminine voice cried out.

Several girls edged around Lord Bastionbury as he made his departure. Three petite, chain-clad young women, two with blonde hair, one with dark hair. The daughters of Lord Werrick. Of course. James smiled in spite of himself.

They enveloped Anice in a hug so fierce, it pulled her hand from his. He let his arm fall and watched the reunion take place. Though they had shared a month of happiness at Caldrick Castle, this was what Anice had been craving. This was what James had never truly known for himself: a family.

Anice’s eyes were glossy with tears, her face bright with the brilliance of her smile. All three younger sisters chattered on with so much energy, it made James feel even more exhausted than he already was. All at once, they ceased their talking and came to him.

“Oh, James!” Ella put her fingers to her lips. “You nearly died protecting Anice. It was terribly romantic of you, but you could have been killed.” She pulled something from a large pouch at her side, a bit of red fur, and plopped it beside his face.

A ratty looking beast stared at him with bright, black eyes, frozen with bewildered confusion at its new location.

“Don’t put that there.” Anice plucked the thing away from James, while Ella pulled it from her hand and back into her arms.

“This is Moppet,” she said in a surly tone. “He was going to try to make him better.”

“James.” It was Catriona who spoke now, her face more solemn than he’d ever seen. “Your da. I’m so sorry, I—”

“He would have killed us all and taken Werrick.” James shook his head. “The fault doesna lie with ye, lass.”

Catriona nodded. “Then I’m sorry I did not act quickly enough to prevent you from being attacked. I…” Her face crumpled and she looked away in an obvious attempt to regain her composure. “I hesitated. I didn’t want to kill him.”

James drew from a dwindling well of energy and took her small hand. It was hot and damp against his fingers. “Ye did what ye had to, Cat, and ye saved the lot of us by doing it. Ye did well.”

She nodded solemnly.

Leila took Cat’s place and gazed down at him with a slight furrow to her brow. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. How could one tell another their father was to die?”

“The failure of our union?” James prompted.

Leila nodded. “I could not see everything, but I knew. You are much stronger than I expected. I thought you’d side with your father.” Leila held out a small bag toward him. “These are for you.”

James peered inside and found several poultices and a few vials of cloudy liquid. Items that were not hurriedly made but had been prepared in advance. “Ye made these prior to the battle.”

“Aye.” She held his gaze. “Even though I thought you had betrayed us, you are still a part of our family.” She brightened. “I’m pleased you did not, though.”

He reached for the small bag. Anice rushed forward to take it as it began to slip from his weak grip. “You need rest.” Concern showed in her eyes. “Go on, girls. Off with you. I’ll be with you in a moment’s time.”

“The vial will help you sleep, while keeping the fever at bay.” Leila turned away with Cat and Ella reluctantly following behind her. The creature Ella had rescued remained perched on her shoulder.

He wanted to ask what it was, to jest about it with Anice, to hold her hand and cradle her against him. But she was pulling the stopper from a small vial and assisting him in getting the bitter contents into his mouth and down his throat.

“Those girls love you.” Anice put the empty vial into the bag, then leaned over him and pressed a kiss to his brow. “I love you.” She kissed his lips, sweet and tender.

“I love ye, mo leannan.” He tried to reach for her, but his arm wouldn’t cooperate. The exhaustion and the injury had finally taken their toll.

“Say it again,” she whispered and closed her eyes. “For I thought at one point to never hear it again.”

“I love ye, mo leannan.”