Warrior's Last Gift Read Free Page A

Where is this child now?”
    The unexpected question pierced Jeanne’s heart like an arrow, drawing tears she couldn’t hide. “The babe was born too early. He dinna survive.”
    “Oh, Jeanne.” Lady Dani’s eyes filled with tears as she leaned close to clasp her arms around Jeanne. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
    “Few did, my lady.” It had been best that way.
    They held the embrace for several minutes before Lady Dani sat back in her seat and cast a watery smile at Jeanne as she wiped her hands down her cheeks.
    “Very well,” she murmured. “You said that in his last request, Eymer specifically insisted that Captain MacNicol accompany you to send him off to his afterlife?”
    Jeanne nodded. In spite of all her protests, in spite of her arguments that fulfilling such a vow with Eric MacNicol at her side would be sheer hell for her, Eymer would not be swayed on that point.
    Lady Dani asked, “Did you love that man, the father of your child?”
    “With all my heart.”
    “And Eymer knew how you felt about that man?”
    “Aye. But I made it clear that part of my life was behind me.”
    “I see.” Lady Dani nodded once more. “Would I be correct in guessing that Eric MacNicol is the man we’re talking about?”
    Jeanne swept her gaze to the floor, hoping the flush heating her cheeks wouldn’t give her away.
    “It’s all right, Jeanne. You don’t have to answer that.”
    “Will you help me?” Lady Danielle was her last hope.
    “Yes. I’ll make sure Malcolm sees the importance of your keeping your oath to Eymer.”
    “Oh, thank you, Lady Dani. I can never repay this gift.”
    Lady Danielle smiled, putting her arm around Jeanne’s shoulders to give her a hug as they strolled out the door of her solar and into the hall.
    “There’s nothing to repay, my friend. In fact, I’d suggest it’s not me that’s giving you a gift, but Eymer.”
    Eymer? His gift had been giving up his freedom to marry her and be father to her child. This time she would be forced to spend with Eric MacNicol was no gift. It was a punishment for all her sins.

C hapter T hree
    Eric stretched his back and glanced over his shoulder. If anyone had asked him this time yesterday where’d he be right now, he would have sworn he’d be tucked in his bed, recovering from his recent travels. He certainly wouldn’t have guessed he’d be a full day’s journey away from Castle MacGahan, headed toward the sea with Jeanne in tow.
    And yet here he was, tasked with the responsibility of keeping safe the woman he’d never intended to even speak to again.
    “Are you ready for a rest?”
    Jeanne shook her head, surprising him once again. He’d pushed her hard from the moment they’d passed through the castle gates, giving her no consideration or leeway. Intentionally, their pace had been more difficult than what he would have set for his most seasoned warriors. His hope had been that she’d give up before the sun set on their first day.
    She hadn’t. And though her face was drawn with weariness, she continued on even now.
    Perhaps he’d underestimated her determination.
    He shrugged and turned his back on her, pressing forward.
    It wasn’t his place to question her decision. No more than it had been his place to question Malcolm when his laird had knocked on his door late last night with orders to act as Jeanne’s guardian on her journey to fulfill her husband’s last wish. Eric was sure that Jeanne’s visit to Lady Danielle was behind the laird’s change of heart.
    The trees in front of him faded into one another, much less real to him than his last vision of the woman behind him, struggling to sit up straight in her saddle. She clearly needed rest, whether or not she’d admit to it.
    Still, it was she who’d refused his offer, plain and simple. She’d wanted this and now she had it. Her fault and none of his own. Nothing more than what a woman such as she deserved. She’d gotten what she’d asked for.
    No matter how he