His Heart's Home Read Free

trying to sound calmer and more confident than she felt and allowed Liam’s little hand to tug her back in the direction of the tents. Surely Aidan wouldn’t have gone into the forest? She tried to convince herself.  It was much too far for his little legs to travel. Like his brother, he was afraid of the dark.
    Ciaran’s stepsons, ages eleven and nine, had been sent to search the other side of the settlement. Perhaps they had found him there? She settled on that hope, calming slightly, but quickly became flustered again when she couldn’t remember the way back to her wagon.
    “Over here, mama!”  Liam pulled in one direction while his mother’s eyes continued to comb her surroundings, trying to pick out anything that she had missed. Her moss green eyes moved quickly, searching desperately for Aidan’s black curls, or at least some sign of the wagon or the other boys.
    Distracted by her task, she didn’t watch where Liam was leading. She simply followed blindly until she collided into someone’s chest.
    “Careful, lass.”
    Ciaran looked up with a fearful start - straight into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.  They mesmerized her for a moment, until she realized the man they belonged to had taken hold of one of her arms to stop her from stumbling, but hadn’t yet let her go.  
    “Are you all right?” the man asked and frowned.  Ciaran thought his accent might be Scottish, but she wasn’t entirely sure.
    “I’m sorry, forgive me, I have to find my son,” she said breathlessly, backing away from the stranger, whose frown deepened when he heard this.
    “He’s lost?” the man asked, concerned. “What does he look like?  I’ll help you find him.  He can’t have gone too far.”
    Ciaran shook her head.  “Oh no, I couldn’t ask you to do that-“
    “I didn’t hear you ask.  I believe I offered,” the man said gently.  “Where did you last see the laddie?  How old is he?”
    “I can manage on my own, thank you,” Ciaran insisted firmly.  She couldn’t risk being indebted to a man she didn’t know, not even if it was to find Aidan- if he really even meant to help her at all.  It might just be a ploy of his to drag her off alone so that he could take advantage of a defenseless woman.
    Ciaran didn’t want to believe that of the handsome man staying in front of her, but life with her husband hadn’t given her a great deal of faith in his sex.  Sean had warned her that men would only be nice to her for one reason. If she even let one of them get his hands on her, she knew better than to expect sympathy or mercy from Sean.
    “Mama?” Liam said quietly, tugging on her skirt.  “Mama, over there.”
    Ciaran looked in the direction that her son was pointing and her heart leapt with relief.  She finally saw Aiden. He was sitting next to a grizzled old man and listening to him talk.
    “Aidan!” Ciaran cried, flying away from the blue-eyed stranger and rushing toward her son.  “Aidan , you know not to go wandering off!” She tried to sound angry, but was too relieved to manage.  “I’m sorry for the trouble he’s been,” she said to the old man, as she pulled her little boy away.
    “He’s been no trouble,” the old man said, smiling toothlessly.
    “Well, I’m sorry all the same,” Ciaran murmured, edging away, and ignoring Aidan’s cries that he wanted to ‘hear the rest of the story’. 
    She hurried off in the direction she hoped the wagon was in, but the back of her neck tingled strangely. She turned her head and gasped, surprised to discover she was being watched. Two cool blue eyes tracked her movements as she rushed the boys away. A flush settled on her skin and she quickened her pace until she felt free of the scrutiny.  Ciaran relaxed a little after that, grateful that one set of trials was over at least.
    Her relief was short-lived, however. She found the wagon. Unfortunately, her husband was standing beside it, and he looked murderous. Was Sean angry she