Snow woke and smiled, seeing the wood ceiling overhead. It was a bit blurry but she could make it out just as she could her surroundings, and it all was in color. Her gray, drab world was gone. Now she saw colors, wonderful, beautiful colors.
Her sight had continued to improve in the last three weeks, though she had continued to keep the news to herself. She worried it wouldn’t last and her sight would be lost to her again. Instead, her sight had continued to improve and if it improved no more than it had to this point, she’d still be grateful.
Her hand went to her queasy stomach and her smile grew. More time would confirm it, but she was pretty sure she was with child. She had thought it too early for any signs that she carried a bairn to show, then she recalled what her mum had told her one day.
I remember I knew right away you were growing inside me. I got a queasy stomach every morning as soon as my monthly bleeding was late. Then I would get hungry and want to eat and then the queasiness would return again.
Snow was glad her mum had spoken to her about it. She didn’t want her daughters to be ignorant about the way of things for women.
Their mum had taught them well.
Snow turned and snuggled her face against her husband’s pillow. He was usually there when she woke and the one who woke first usually stirred the other awake in an intimately, delightful fashion. This morning, however, Rannock had come for Tarass with an important message he’d been waiting for, and he had left.
All had been quiet since the incident with Lord Polwarth and Abbot Bennett. No other pools of blood had shown up or dead bodies. Runa had examined Cleric Norman’s body and there had been no signs of any injury. The assumption was that the snowstorm had caused him to wander off course and he froze to death. Tarass had a troop of his warriors return the body to the monastery.
While Snow was pleased the problems that had plagued them seemed to have settled, she continued to be concerned over the threat from the supposed creature. Was this lull on purpose? Did someone want Tarass to let his guard down?
Snow sat up and glanced around the room. She was completely alone, Thaw having gone with Tarass and it too early for Nettle to arrive. She recalled how Lord Polwarth had almost whisked her away so easily, but she needn’t worry about that happening again. Tarass had seen that the secret passage was made impassable. He’d also posted sentinels in the area where it was located in case there were others who knew of it.
She was safe in her home, safe with her husband around. She also felt safer with her sight having been almost fully restored. At least, she could see if any danger lurked nearby.
With her stomach settling, she knew what to expect next. She got hungry and couldn’t wait to eat, since she knew the queasiness could return at any time. She got out of bed with a spring to her step, her knee having healed nicely, and began to dress, her stomach grumbling.
Tarass sat with Rannock in his solar. The warriors he had sent to find out what news Finn had learned had finally returned. It hadn’t been easy but they had been successful in their mission, and the news had left him troubled.
Tarass had listened intently to the two warriors tell him what they had learned. It was a brief message.
A man with markings is on his way to you. He knows the truth about your parents’ deaths and he knows the one responsible. There is also one in your clan who knows the truth.
“Someone in the clan knows the truth,” Rannock said, repeating part of the news. “If only the man with the markings had made it here alive. This all would be solved.” Rannock shook his head. “How do you find out now about your parents’ deaths?”
“I find the one in the clan who knows the truth,” Tarass said. “The traitor among us. The one who poses as a dwarf and brings fright to the clan. Though, I doubt this person works alone.”
“How do we find this person? It’s not like anyone is going to step forward and admit it.”
“Unless forced to,” Tarass said.
Rannock went to question again, but stopped a moment his brow shooting up. “Well-placed rumors certainly can have people speaking up.”
“Precisely, and you can get that rumor started now,” Tarass said, standing. “Go find Nettle and tell her to make sure she starts it as a whisper, as if no one is to know about it. That will spread it faster. Tell her that I search for someone who harbors information vital to the clan’s safety. That should get people questioning things they see or hear.”
Rannock’s smile spread wide. “Nettle will have the rumor spread in no time with her never-ending chatter.”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” Tarass said. standing. “I’m going to wake my wife, so make certain to keep Nettle occupied and away from my bedchamber for a while.”
Snow was slipping her shift over her head when she heard the door open. She turned hastily, suddenly fearful from her experience with Lord Polwarth of who it might be, and got her face tangled in the shift.
Tarass smiled at his wife’s predicament, though was glad for it, his hands eager to roam her naked body.
“You’ll not be needing that, wife, at least not yet,” Tarass said as he approached her.
Snow sighed with relief and smiled, and she stopped fighting the garment. She wasn’t surprised when it was yanked off her.
Her husband’s face was still fuzzy, though not the blue of his eyes, so bright and bold. They were clear when he was this close to her, and seeing them always sent a tingle through her.
Tarass settled his hands on her waist and was about to kiss her when her hand suddenly went to her stomach and she paled. He lifted her gently in his arms and went to the bed to sit with her on his lap.
“Not feeling well?” he asked, concerned since this had been happening each morning when she woke.
“It will pass,” she said and laid her head on his shoulder.
“There’s no denying it. You’re with child,” Tarass said with a smile. It waned when he saw her grow paler.
“I believe so,” she said, her smile wide.
He rested his hand to her stomach. “I am thrilled beyond belief that our child grows inside you, but I hate seeing you suffer like this.”
“My mum suffered the same carrying me, but it passed after a while,” she assured him.
He grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her. “Let’s get you into bed.”
“No, I want to stay in your arms,” she insisted. “Tell me what took you from our bed so early this morning.”
He knew she wanted her mind taken off her roiling stomach and he obliged her. Besides, he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to hold her close and do whatever he could to help her feel better.
Tarass explained everything to her along with his plan to find the one in the clan who betrayed him.
He was met with silence when he finished, something he wasn’t expecting. She always voiced her opinion or gave advice, which he often found helpful. So why the silence?
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You once mentioned that the whole tribe where your parents were staying when they were killed was massacred, except for one woman who managed to hide. Why would the whole tribe be massacred if it were only your parents this person wanted dead?”
“I and others have asked that over and over and can find no answer.”
“Maybe you didn’t ask the right question.”
“I’ve asked every possible question,” he assured her, though he wondered if it was himself he was reassuring, since he continued to feel he had failed his parents. Their deaths should have been avenged by now.
“Why massacre a whole tribe?” Snow asked.
“Pure anger and hate.”
“For the tribe or what they didn’t find?”
“What do you mean?” Tarass asked.
“Were you supposed to be there with your parents?” she asked and didn’t know if her stomach roiled due to the bairn or the thought of what could have happened to her husband if he had been there.
“No,” he said, shaking his head, then stopped abruptly. “I’d forgotten. My mum told everyone I was going to meet them there in hopes that I would.” He shook his head annoyed for not realizing that, but then he’d never planned on joining his parents so it had never been a thought. Now, however, he looked at his parents’ deaths differently. “You’re saying that it wasn’t only my parents this person wanted dead but my whole family.”
“It’s a possibility,” Snow said.
“But why wait? My parents have been dead months now. Why not strike again and see me dead?”
“There was no opportunity to see it done before you came here to Scotland,” Snow suggested. “And once here, it would take planning and travel, getting to know the area. Or sending someone with you to grow familiar with the area.”
“Hence, the one among us who knows the truth,” Tarass said. “That would mean I could eliminate those who joined me once I arrived here.”
Snow poked him in the chest. “That would mean you’re in danger and need to take precautions.”
“As do you, since your family now as well,” he said, angry that he had placed her in danger by marrying her.
“I don’t believe so,” Snow said. “This person wanted your family dead before I came along.”
“Which would have basically ended the MacFiere lineage, not so now that we’re wed and you carry my child.” The realization flared his anger.
Snow couldn’t argue with that premise. “Then we both need to be cautious and see that the culprit among us is caught soon.” Her stomach grumbled.
“You need to eat,” Tarass said, another grumble from her stomach confirming it for him.
“I would prefer to slip under the blankets with you and have you slip inside me, but I’m famished… for food this time,” Snow admitted with some disappointment.
Tarass chuckled. “It’s cold and gray outside. We can return here later and spend time warming each other.”
“I can’t wait,” she said.
Mid-day found Snow walking through the village with Nettle and Thaw, her husband busy talking with Rannock in regard to the sentinels that patrolled the village. They came upon Runa leaving Helga’s cottage.
“How does Helga’s new bairn do, Runa?” Nettle asked, letting Snow know who she spoke to.
Snow looked at the woman, fuzzy, but at least not a blur. Her face wasn’t clear, but her blonde hair was bright enough to see the color.
“The little lassie does well and Helga’s thrilled she has a daughter after having two lads,” Runa said and looked to Snow. “And how are you feeling, Lady Snow? Rumors say you’re with child.”
“Time will tell,” Snow said, not ready to confirm anything yet.
“Nettle!”
The three women turned at Nettle’s name being called out.
“It’s Helga’s husband, John,” Nettle said to let Snow know who approached.
“I know who you should be talking to about bringing harm to our clan,” John said, stopping by Nettle. “Fasta, that’s who. She’s a liar and cares not who she harms with her lies.”
“What has she lied about?” Snow asked well aware the woman had a penchant for lying.
“Lady Snow,” John said with a respectful bob of his head. “I’m sorry to intrude, but if someone is bringing harm to this clan it most certainly has to be Fasta. Her lies have hurt my marriage. She claims to have miscarried my bairn when that’s impossible. I’ve never cheated on Helga. I have no reason to. She is a good wife to me and a wonderful mum to our bairns. I would never chance losing what we have together. Besides, I’ve loved my wife since we were young. There’s no other woman for me.”
“We both know that, John, and that’s all that matters, so stop bothering Lady Snow,” Helga said from the open doorway.
“No, it’s not all that matters,” John insisted. “I’ll not have my good name sullied. Fasta is a menace to this clan. Besides, if she lied about me what else has she lied about.”
“I will speak to my husband about this, John, and see what can be done,” Snow said.
“I would be most grateful, m’lady,” John said and hurried into the cottage.
“If John wasn’t the father of the miscarried bairn, who was?” Nettle asked.
“I found it difficult to believe that John was the father of Fasta’s bairn,” Runa said. “He and Helga seemed so much in love and though she delivered their bairns easily, he still worried over her. He begged me to make sure nothing happened to her. He told me that he couldn’t live without her.”
“Why would Fasta lie about him?” Snow asked.
“Because that’s what Fasta does, at least since I’ve known her,” Nettle said and looked to Runa. “You have known her longer. Has she a fondness for lying?”
“I can’t say I know Fasta well. She only joined the tribe—clan—a short time before we all arrived here.”
That caught Snow’s attention and she planned to discuss it with Tarass as soon as possible.
Snow continued walking with Nettle, Thaw exploring anything that caught his interest as they went along when he stopped suddenly and started barking, then took off.
“Thaw’s tail wags as he runs,” Nettle said.
“Someone is nearby that he knows and likes,” Snow said. “Let’s hurry and see who it is.”
Snow wasn’t far from the keep when her name was shouted with delight.
“Snow!”
Snow squealed with joy at the sound of Willow’s voice and when she caught partial sight of her sister’s form, she ran to her.