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ALISON HAD BEEN THINKING about it all day and decided to ask Ben about something that bothered her a great deal. She would rather ask him when they were alone, but that didn’t seem likely any time soon. Perhaps she could just pretend Dominic was not there. “Ben, May I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” He was pleased she managed to handle Dominic so well and was even more pleased she felt comfortable asking him questions.
“‘Tis true my sisters have killed five lads, but I have not killed any and I am afraid I do not have the courage. How do you...I mean where do you get courage?”
Ben wanted to give that some thought before he answered and tipped his head to one side.
Dominic had no such reason to be cautious before he answered. “I would not let it bother you. You will have plenty of courage when the time comes.”
Alison slowly stood up and turned to glare at Dominic. “Do you mean if I am as angry as I am right now, I would have no trouble killing a lad?”
He raised both his eyebrows and took a step back. “I have upset you. I did not mean to, please forgive me.”
Just as slowly, she turned back around and sat down. However, she did not forgive him nor did she ever intend to. She took a deep, cleansing breath and slowly let it out so she could calm down.
Ben gave her a few more minutes to cool off before he answered her. “Walrick would be the one to talk to about courage. MacGreagor lads are taught bravery from birth, but the lasses are not taught until later and Walrick is doing the teaching these days.”
“He teaches lasses how to fight, I have seen him.”
“Aye. I believe once you are more confident in your skill as a fighter, you will find you have courage as well.” Ben watched her face. She seemed to be pleased with his answer, although she still did not look at him. Perhaps she was just shy. She did not seem to be shy where Dominic was concerned, so perhaps he would ask her why she wouldn’t look at him—if he ever got her alone.
The new colt came into the world without incident. Alison delighted in its wobbly legs and glorious baby face, waited until the foal began to feed and then asked to be taken home. She was exhausted. Dominic was afraid he would offend her again and kept quiet all the way back, which pleased her greatly.
*
COMINE MACDUFF WAS furious—another night wasted. With his own cow to tend, he begrudgingly headed home.
*
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Alison was back. She liked it much better when she could talk to the mare and adore the new colt without any of the men around, especially Dominic. She didn’t see Ben in the corral tending to the stallions, or with the sheep or even the cows, and she hadn’t really meant to look for him. However, it did make her think of what he said about gaining courage. So she looked at the warrior field to see if Walrick was there training the women. The field was empty. She forgot to go see Walrick before she left and made a mental note to do that later.
The air was warm, she’d gotten a good night’s rest, and the wild flowers in the meadow smelled wonderful. The mare seemed to like them too and nibbled the tops off while the colt enjoyed yet another meal. Occasionally the mare swung her neck around to look at her colt, walked forward and then chomped at more grass and flowers. Quickly enough, the colt caught up and resumed eating.
Alison knelt down, picked a hand full of flowers and then got back up to see if she could find the other new colt among the mares. He was a good week older and she wanted to see how much he had grown. With her hand, she blocked the sun and began to slowly sweep the glen with her eyes,
“Have you thought of...” When he walked up behind her, Ben hadn’t realized he would startle her. He was surprised by the look of sheer horror in her eyes when she dropped the flowers and spun around. “I am so sorry.”
Then she began to gasp for enough air to fill her lungs. Afraid she would collapse, he grabbed both her shoulders. “Alison, breathe.” At last, she drew in enough air and then let it out. A tear rolled down her cheek and she let out a soft cry. Instinctively, he drew her to him. “Just breathe. I thought you knew I was there. Please forgive me.”
Except for Neil, Ben was the only man who had ever held her and she both liked and hated the feel of him. Even so, right now, she was so frightened, his arms felt comforting and she did not want him to let go. Eventually, she did manage to nod her forgiveness.
“Why did that frighten you so much? Surely your sisters have...”
“‘Tis just that...”
“What?”
She pulled away and gave him her best half smile. “Nothing, I thought I was completely alone.”
When she began to walk toward the mare with the older colt, he walked with her. “We are friends now, am I right?”
“Aye.”
“Then I will make you a promise if you will make me one.”
“What sort of promise?”
“I promise never to lie to you if you promise the same.”
She stopped to glance into his eyes and then looked away. “Completely honest...about everything?”
“Completely.”
“No one is ever completely honest. There are times when a lie comes in quite handy and you know it as well as I do.”
“Well, then perhaps we could promise to tell each other the truth on all important matters.”
This time her smile was genuine. “Yet then we would have to agree on what is important and what is not. It could ruin a good friendship.”
Ben sighed. Getting around Alison on any subject was not going to be easy. She was way too smart for most men and probably for him as well. “As you wish. Yet please tell me why you were so frightened back there. I have never heard of someone being so scared they lost their breath.”
“Well, since you said please.” She knew what his reaction would be, or thought she knew. Maybe she should tell him just to see how he would react. “Lately I have felt like someone is watching me.”
He remained perfectly calm. “I see, do you feel it now?”
“Nay, not now. You do not laugh at me?”
“Not at all. Knowing when someone is watching you is a gift, and many a lad has tried to develop that talent. It saves lives.”
She was pleased with his response. Was there nothing about Ben she could hate? Being displeased with Dominic was easy enough, but Ben seemed to have all the right answers. How was she to avoid becoming attached to a man when he said all the right things, and it felt so good to be in his arms?
“Did you feel like someone was watching you before I approached you?”
She giggled, “Aye, but now we know it was you.”
“True. Will you tell me the next time you feel it?”
“I will try.”
“Good.” Ben was actually frantic. If the clan was not missing a plaid, he might not have been so concerned, but the MacGreagors lived without a wall or a fence, which made kidnapping one of their women far more possible. He was beginning to side with the men who wanted a wall.
“What did you come to ask me?” she asked.
“What? Oh, I wanted to know if you thought of a name for the new stallion yet. We best name him soon so he can get used to hearing it.”
“You are right, of course.” They were almost to the new colt and she stopped to look him over. He was dark brown with one white spot on his right hip. It was almost the size and the shape of a goblet. “We should call him Chalice.”
Ben grinned. “Chalice is a good name.”
