Page 23 of A Lover for Lady Jane (The Welsh Rebels #5)

“We decided last night to get married in the spring.” In that moment Jane looked every bit the blushing bride proud to announce her upcoming union to the man of her dreams. No one would suspect her of lying.

There she was again, improvising with ease.

He watched her, utterly awed. “And you are of course invited, if you’re a friend of Griffin’s. ”

“I-I’m not, not really.”

“Oh? Well, in any case, it’s good to see a friendly face in this village. The few people I’ve met so far are not what I would call welcoming… The old woman in the cottage over there scared me with her nonsensical blabbering about wolves and that man Huw is a pig.”

“Huw?” Ffion croaked. She looked about to choke.

“You know him then? Tall, blond, with blue eyes? Like a pale imitation of Griffin, only rougher and dull-witted?” Jane made a grimace and nestled herself closer to him as if in search of protection. “He…well he pounced on me, for want of a better word, just now.”

Griffin’s head snapped to her. He was no longer amused. “Did he hurt you?” He would kill the man if he had touched a single hair on her head. It was one thing using him in his foul schemes, quite another hurting Jane.

“No. But he was very insistent and refused to take no for an answer. He thought that telling me he was tired of his shrewish wife, and looking for spice in his life would sway me.” She shook her head as she looked at Ffion.

“Really, some men have no brains at all. As if I’d want such a faithless, lecherous swine to have anything to do with me when I have Griffin. Can you believe it?”

Fully reassured, understanding she was only trying to rile Ffion, Griffin fought hard not to laugh.

The woman was truly fearless, instinctively knowing where to hit.

There was no doubt a tense confrontation would follow between husband and wife, one where Huw would have to answer for his behavior with women.

Good, because now that he thought of it, Griffin wouldn’t be surprised if the man did try to sleep with all the women who crossed his path.

By all accounts, he did not believe in fidelity.

Hadn’t he suggested the woman he wanted to spend his life with should sleep with another man?

He would have guessed she was getting pleasure from the encounters, and yet he had not minded.

Why wouldn’t he allow himself the same freedom?

Well, they could do what they liked, as long as they left Jane and himself out of it.

Ffion never answered. Eyes ablaze with fury, she left, storming in the direction of the church, presumably to demand explanations from her husband. A moment later, Griffin was alone with Jane.

“Thank you.” He was more moved than he could express. “But how did you know who Ffion was?”

“I was on the bench on the other side of Myfanwy’s cottage lacing my boots when she came to you. I heard it all.”

“You did?” His heart fell. If she’d heard it all, it meant she’d heard him talk with unforgivable crudeness, allude to acts a lady, no matter how unconventional her childhood had been, should never have to think about.

“I did. That…horrid woman!”

Jane could not credit this Ffion’s cruelty.

How had she not hit her for what she’d had the gall to do to Griffin, using him so shamelessly and then telling him he was not worth her notice, was a mystery.

As soon as the baby had been mentioned, it had been clear who he was talking to, and though Jane should probably have walked away at that point, she had been unable to.

She couldn’t believe how unlucky they’d been.

Why oh why did the woman he was trying to flee have to come live here, in Myfanwy’s village?

It had not taken her long to decide to help him.

As the one responsible for the confrontation, it was the least she could do.

The best thing to do to put Ffion back in her place was to show her that Griffin was loved, that women did want him, half-English as he may be.

No one should have to pay for their parents’ decision to be together.

Jane’s own siblings were half-English, half-Welsh and she would take issue with anyone who dared tell her they were less worthy because of it.

“I could not sit there and do nothing,” she said, bunching her hands into fists. “I’m sorry if I overstepped the?—”

“Don’t apologize. Ffion only got what she deserves.” His eyes became hard. “But enough about her. Did Huw really pounce on you? I need to be sure.” It was clear that if the man had inconvenienced her in any way, he would be made to regret it.

“No. I haven’t even seen him. I only thought to hit Ffion where it hurt. And she’d said you had similar coloring so I thought there was no chance she would doubt me.”

Perhaps Griffin was right, perhaps she was unusually resourceful.

The claim that Huw had pounced on her to escape his shrewish wife had certainly seemed to strike home.

It pleased her to imagine the pair arguing about Ffion’s husband’s supposed advances on another woman.

Besides, she would not be surprised if the man really was sniffing around for opportunities to break his marriage vows.

What little she’d heard about him hardly painted him in a good light.

A man who sent his lover to another man’s bed could not be the scrupulous sort.

Well, as Griffin had said, they only got what they deserved.

“Thank you,” he repeated, lowering his mouth to her ear. Their proximity made her head spin. After a rather awkward day in the saddle the day before, she was glad to see the bond between them restored.

“You’ve already thanked me. No need to do it again,” she breathed.

“I’m thanking you for something different.” His voice was raw with emotion. “Had you not suggested we spend the night in the village, I would never have seen Ffion. I would never have been able to set my mind to rest concerning the…the babe.”

The babe that never was.

Jane placed a hand on his arm, compassion squeezing her chest. “I’m sorry. It must be hard for you to know she lied about something so important, to know she used you so cruelly.”

“Yes. But less hard than knowing a child was conceived without my consent and will be raised by another man.” This time he lowered his head so much that he actually placed his forehead against hers in a gesture of intimacy. “So, thank you. Now I might be able to get on with my life.”

“I hope you will.”

Would she be part of it? Now was not the moment to ask. She instead made sure to enjoy the moment. Griffin had kept his forehead against hers and his hold around her waist had tightened. They remained like this until Myfanwy’s exclamation made them both jolt.

“Finally! I see you are plucking the flower you deserve. Well done, Rhys, I knew you had it in you.”

Jane drew away from Griffin, realizing they were still entwined, as if they had indeed decided to get married and had every right to hold each other in public.

What was the old woman saying now? Was she the flower Griffin deserved?

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought.

After all, why not? No man was braver, more attentive, or more fascinating.

No man treated her with more respect or made her feel better about herself.

No man made her heart swell and her blood roar.

Why wouldn’t he deserve her? Why couldn’t he “pluck” her? He had already done so, in a way, by making her his. Could he one day come to accept that there might be a future for them? She dearly hoped so, because she was starting to think that, for her, there would be no future without him.

“We’ll be on our way now,” she told Myfanwy, eager to put an end to the awkwardness of the moment. “I would like to reach Castell Esgyrn before nightfall.”

She regretted the words as soon as the expression on Griffin’s face hardened.

He seemed to think that whatever was between them would be over once she had been reunited with her family.

But that was not what she had meant at all, least of all what she wanted.

One way or another, she would have to make him see it.

Behind her, old Myfanwy started to talk, her voice oddly distant. Jane turned around, because she knew that voice. The woman was having one of her premonitions, the kind of visions she could not always explain rationally afterward. If that were the case, they had better listen.

“The giant has been sent to England, but his friend lurks around the bones, hidden in the foliage. Fortunately, the English lord has started repairs on the chapel. ’Twill be easy to slip in undetected if you burrow under the rubble. A diamond can be safely hidden amidst pebbles.”

Griffin stared at her, clearly perplexed by the stream of nonsense. Jane stared back, not sure what to make of it either. Before she could ask any questions, a woman came running.

“Myfanwy! Quick, ’tis time. Nia’s labor has begun, she’s asking after you.”

The old woman’s gaze cleared, and she nodded at them, no longer a seer lost in an intangible world but a competent midwife ready for action.

“I have to go. Farewell, my lady, farewell, Rhys.” She frowned. “ Is Rhys really your name? It doesn’t seem quite right somehow. Ah well, not to worry. I have to go.”

“What on earth was that?” Griffin asked, as he and Jane made their way to Eryr, who was waiting by the cottage. “Giants, bones, chapels, diamonds and pebbles?”

Jane shook her head. “I told you she has these visions. We had better heed her words.”

“That’s all very well, but… Did you understand what she was telling us? I confess I did not.”

“No, me neither,” she had to concede. Still, she knew it had to mean something, possibly something important.

“Well, perhaps it will become clear when the time comes,” Griffin said encouragingly.

“Yes, perhaps. It usually does.” Jane could only hope it would not take more than ten years, like it had with her predication about Sian and Christopher getting married. “Let’s ride.”

They didn’t trot once all morning. Was Griffin trying to spare his horse, now that they were assured of reaching Castell Esgyrn before nightfall or was he doing his best to make the day last as long as possible?

Whatever it was, she was grateful for it, for she relished every moment spent in his arms and didn’t want it to end either.

Then, as they crested a somewhat steep hill, she spotted the familiar sight of Castell Esgyrn in the distance.

High atop its own hill, with the elegant north tower guarding over the squat battlements, it seemed to beckon to her, offering safety.

And yet as soon as they entered the woods, unease crept down her spine. Old Myfanwy’s warning rang in her ear.

The giant has been sent to England, but his friend lurks around the bones, hidden in the foliage.

The foliage—the woods closing around them.

The giant—Cynan, who’d presumably been sent to Sheridan Manor in case she fled there.

His friend—Geraint, who was even now lying in ambush, waiting to capture her before she could get to her father.

Suddenly it was clear as crystal.

“Wait.” She seized the reins and pulled, bringing Eryr to a halt before Griffin could question her. They had to leave, now, and ride back the other way.

“What is it?” Griffin asked, alarm spiking through his body. What had he missed? What had Jane seen?

“Let’s go back to the river,” she whispered, instead of answering the question.

The river? Why? Was she thirsty? No, there was an urgency in her voice that unnerved him. Something was wrong, he just could not for the life of him think what that might be. Trusting her instincts, he steered Eryr back the way they’d come without a word.

A moment later, they were at the bridge spanning the swirling waters.

Once they had crossed it, Jane jumped down from the saddle, agitation etched all over her face.

He followed suit, knowing she would not keep him waiting for long.

She started to pace back and forth, wringing her hands like someone trying to put order to he wild thoughts scattered through her mind.

“I think I know what Myfanwy was trying to tell us,” she said eventually.

“Geraint is lying in ambush in the woods, ready to block the only path leading to the gate and capture us before we can get to Castell Esgyrn. Remember, we lost a day in old Enid’s village, and we cannot gallop.

Whatever head start we had, we’ve lost it by riding double and taking a longer route.

Meanwhile, the men rode flat out on the direct road to intercept us.

They are here, waiting, I just know it.”

Griffin clenched his jaw. How had he not thought of this before? Of course that was what Geraint would do, what anyone would do, try to stop them before they could reach the safety of the castle and warn Lord Sheridan.

“How do we get past them?” He did not even bother to contradict or reassure Jane, because she was right. They were in danger.

She gave him a tight smile. “I know not, only that it will have something to do with diamonds and pebbles.”

Mm, yes. The second part of old Myfanwy’s prediction. But what the hell did it mean? He still had no idea.

Unable to offer an explanation either, Jane went to the stream to have a drink.

Griffin tried to think. Diamonds… How could diamonds, even supposing they had any, help them slip past Geraint and his friends?

Because he was certain that Jane was right, and a whole group of men were waiting for them in the woods.

The Welshman would have ridden with one or two of the rebels and could by now be at the head of a small group, recruited in the nearest village, the way he’d recruited him the previous month.

There would be no fighting them. Even if he had been a knight armed with a sword, there was only so much a single man could do against ten or even five.

Stealth, not strength, would be the solution to their problem.

A noise behind him caused him to turn his head. A cart was heading their way, pulled by a sturdy horse and surrounded by half a dozen men carrying tools. Griffin’s whole body surged. He already knew what the answer would be when he asked the men if they were going to Castell Esgyrn.

The English lord has started repairs on the chapel. ’Twill be easy to slip in undetected if you burrow under the rubble. A diamond can be safely hidden amidst pebbles.

The English lord—Lord Sheridan, who was undertaking works in the chapel at Castell Esgyrn, necessitating the comings and goings of workers.

Under the rubble—he and Jane could hide in the cart, under a piece of cloth.

A diamond—Jane, the most precious thing he had on this earth.

Of course. Clever old woman.

When Jane joined him again, he took her hands in his. “I know how to get into Castell Esgyrn undetected.”