Lucy Monroe - Moon Craving

It was enough to make him howl in delight. However, his joy was tinged with melancholy.

He could not tell Abigail of his full nature and risk her revealing the secrets of his people to outsiders. Thus he could not share some of the benefits of the true mate bond with her, like mindspeaking. Since he had accepted a while ago that he would most likely not find his true mate, that should not bother him. But it did.

Knowing the mental intimacy they were capable of made him long to participate in the ancient Chrechte act. Yet part of him was relieved he had a reason to avoid it. The true bond was disconcerting enough; the deep intimacy of mindspeak was not something he was comfortable sharing with a woman he had met only a few days before. Particularly a human who had been born and raised in England.

He must be careful not to speak into her mind as he had done when shouting her name during his first climax the night before. He could not risk revealing the true state of their mating before he was ready. If that time ever came.

Abigail’s first view of the Sinclair holding was more than a little imposing. Her sister’s letters had described a keep similar to their father’s, with timber fence surrounding the motte and bailey. Not so now. In the almost three years since her sister had first gone north, that timber had been replaced with stone, and the Sinclair keep looked more like a castle. A solid, impenetrable fortress, to be precise.

A wide moat surrounded the high stone wall. The water was dark, indicating a depth that would prevent easy crossing.

Horse hooves clattered as their party went over the single access point, a narrow bridge that led to the only opening she could see in the wall. Clanspeople had come out of their cottages to welcome their laird home and followed the horses across the bridge. They were joined by more men and women in the bailey.

Some called out, many cheered and children ran in games of tag around the men mounted on their huge steeds. It was a much different picture than the one Emily had painted of her first view of the Sinclair holding. Both warrior and warhorses showed their superior training because the children were never in danger of being trampled.

Talorc maintained their forward movement, however, crossing the bailey to guide his horse onto a path up the motte. Stone walls rose high on both sides, casting a shadow over them all, those riding and on foot alike.

Abigail could not tell if the steep hill was man-made like her father’s motte or a happenstance of nature. The path beneath her horse’s feet was composed of dirt and moss-covered stones. It felt solid, indicating the hill had been created many years ago, whether by God or man. No rainstorm would wash away its foundation as tragically happened back in England on occasion.

Sybil had worried and lamented about such a thing happening since she had taken her daughters to live in the Hamilton keep.

The gate at the top of the path was open and Talorc rode through, his bearing proud and imposing. A contingent of warriors, every bit as ferocious looking as the ones that had accompanied them north, waited in the courtyard. They stood in front of a single circular stone tower centered on the flattened top of the hill. The tower soared well over thirty feet into the air, competing with the fierce soldiers for Abigail’s curious attention.

Talorc dismounted and greeted the warrior that looked to be Niall’s twin with a fist to his heart. The other man copied his laird’s movement, adding a nod toward Talorc that was almost a bow but not quite.

Abigail smiled at Niall. “That is your brother, Barr, is it not?”

“Aye.”

“He’s almost as handsome as you, but he lacks the mark of strength you carry on your face.”

Tipping his head back, Niall laughed out loud, making Abigail grin. She liked to see joy on her new friend’s face.

The warriors around them stopped greeting their laird and stared. So did the clanspeople, looking at Niall as if he’d sprouted Medusa snakes on his head.

Niall’s mirth transformed to a fierce glare, causing all but a red-haired man standing near Talorc to affect immediate interest in something else. The red-haired man was smiling and staring at Niall with what could only be described as a love-struck expression. Not that Niall seemed to notice, he was too busy trying to intimidate his friends.

Abigail shook her head, giving up on trying to keep track of the conversations around her. She could only see a few people’s lips, and she didn’t have enough experience watching them speak yet to accurately read more than every other word. She could not see her husband’s mouth at all. However, when everyone, including the clanspeople that had followed them from the lower bailey fixed their attention on Abigail, she surmised he’d said something in regard to her.

Panicked, she looked at Niall. “What did he say? I was not paying attention.”

Niall gave her a strange look but didn’t hesitate to reply. “Our laird introduced you as his wife. The soldiers and clan are now at liberty to speak to you.”

“You mean they weren’t before?”

“You dinna notice none of the soldiers spoke to you on our trip north?”

“I thought they might be shy.” Or that they hadn’t liked her because she was English. “You spoke to me.”

“I had my laird’s leave to do so.”

“Wow, Sybil would throw a fit worthy of a yowling, scalded cat if my father presumed to dictate who could and could not speak to her.”

“Does that mean you intend to throw such a fit?” Talorc asked, having approached without her noticing.

She shook her head with a smile. “Not at all.” If he but knew it, he had just made her life all the easier. The fewer people that spoke directly to her, the less chance her secret would be revealed.

“Good.” He put his arms up, indicating he would help her from the horse. “Come.”

She didn’t hesitate, sliding from the white mare’s back right into her husband’s strong arms. He set her from him immediately but put one hand on her shoulder. “I have already introduced my wife, I now tell you that Abigail of the Sinclair is your new lady.”

Surprise rippled through the crowd, but it was no stronger than her own sense of astonishment. Even Abigail recognized a seal of approval when she “heard” it. Talorc was telling his people he expected them to accept her.

Amazing.

She knew he had not done the same for Emily. Her sister had felt hated by the Sinclairs.

An old man approached, a scowl on his wrinkled features. “You ask us to pledge our loyalty to this Sassenach?”

“Nay.”

Abigail felt her heart plummet. Had she misunderstood?

“I do not ask. I demand it. As is their right, any who wish to challenge me may do so. Be assured, however, that I will consider the least slight to my mate a challenge for my position as laird.”

The old man stepped back, clearly reeling from his leader’s words.

Abigail felt a bit faint herself. Talorc had just announced to all who cared to listen that he considered her his friend. Warmth suffused her along with guilt she had kept buried deep inside since she began hiding her deafness from those around her.

She did not want to deceive her husband, but terror at his reaction to the truth prevented her from admitting it. Even now. Her plan had been to reveal her affliction upon reaching the Highlands so that Talorc would send her to live with her sister, Emily, among the Balmorals. With that goal in mind, telling the truth of her lack of hearing would have been easy.

Or so she supposed, but now it felt impossible. Once again hope was blooming inside that there might be a place for her among the Sinclairs. A true place. A position of belonging. And she did not want to give that up.

The redheaded soldier Abigail had noticed earlier stepped forward. “I will show our lady to your quarters so she can rest from her journey, my laird.”

Talorc nodded. He turned to Abigail. “Wife, this is Guaire, seneschal to the Sinclair holding.”

“Seneschal? I don’t know this word.”

“It is similar to a steward,” Guaire replied in English, earning himself a glare from the other warriors around him.

Except for a slight tightening of his shoulders, he ignored the reaction, showing he was used to such from the others. For some reason that bothered Abigail. She knew she was going to like this soldier. He had been happy when Niall laughed and that pleased Abigail.

Niall was one of the few people in the world she counted as friend.

As they walked away, Talorc must have said something because Guaire stopped and looked back at his laird. Abigail swiveled her head so she could read her husband’s lips as well.

“You will give her your arm on the stairs and assure her safety.”

“Aye, my laird.”

“I’m no bumbler, Talorc.” She was deaf, not lacking in grace. “I’m not about to go tumbling down the stairs.”

“Nevertheless you will allow a soldier to aid you whenever you use them.”

She gave him one of his famous shrugs, refusing to agree to such a ridiculous instruction and unwilling to lie either.

As she and Guaire left, Abigail was actually grateful for her inability to hear the many whispers and comments that had to be going on behind them.

They stepped into the hall and Abigail sucked in a breath.

The interior was every bit as imposing as the exterior and far more austere. No colorful silks adorned the stone walls to give the hall a more cheerful aspect. No chairs surrounded the huge fireplace, conspicuously unlit despite the late-afternoon chill in the cavernous room. The sun might shine outside, but it had not penetrated the thick stone walls of Talorc’s tower home. The only furnishings in the great hall were two long tables with backless benches down each side.