Page 34 of A Lover for Lady Jane (The Welsh Rebels #5)

“I was the one who happened on the rebels hiding in the deepest part of the forest. There were a dozen of them, mostly villagers who had no idea how to defend themselves. But I’m sorry to say two riders galloped away while we gathered everyone round, probably their leaders who used them as distraction to allow themselves a chance at freedom. ”

“Was one of them a giant of a man with wavy brown hair and impossibly broad shoulders?” Griffin asked.

He was right. Cynan was the one who mattered.

Tomos, even if he did know how to fight, was a weakling only following orders and the others, villagers who had been recruited at the last moment, would never mount a second expedition.

This was not their fight. But Cynan would not be defeated so easily.

“I know not the color of his hair,” Matthew said, shaking his head. “But he certainly seemed too big for his poor horse.”

Jane took in a shaky breath. If Cynan was still out there, then she wasn’t safe.

He would not rest until he’d captured her.

Not because he meant to hand her over to Hywel, but because he wanted to avenge the humiliation he’d suffered and would hate to be denied the opportunity of raping her.

A shiver crept down her spine. Griffin saw it, and he made to take her hand.

At the last moment he froze and bunched his fist instead.

Was he wary of being seen doing something too familiar in front of her family? Or did he think he had no right to touch her?

“What did you do with the other men? Did you interrogate them?” Thank God Christopher was asking the questions she should be asking because she was in no state to do anything.

Matthew sighed. “Of course, but they are simple villagers, who could only tell us where they had all agreed to repair to in case of a problem. A castle to the north, which is the direction we saw the two riders take. Most likely they have gone there to recruit more men and mount another expedition. I sent William and six men there, to try and catch the two fleeing rebels before they can disappear again.”

“What did those damn villagers think they were doing, lying in wait to capture an innocent woman?”

To say that Christopher was not impressed was an understatement.

He looked positively fuming on her behalf.

Such protectiveness surprised her. But hadn’t she already remarked that he’d changed?

Apparently, his apology a few months back had been sincere, and he now truly considered her as family. Her chest warmed at the thought.

“They were told they were here to help a spurned suitor secure a meeting with the lady of his choosing, nothing more. It was obvious they had been misled and possibly even paid to help the bastard, and didn’t think anything would happen to the lady in question.

In the end, we had to let them go with a promise they would not take part in such underhanded dealings again. ”

Yes. Jane could only agree. As Griffin himself had been kept in the dark about the true purpose of Geraint’s men, she could not condone the punishment of men whose sole mistake had been to believe the lies of a man without scruples.

“Thanks for coming here to tell us,” she murmured. If Cynan had gone north to regroup, then they had a few days to come up with a plan. “And please thank William for helping you.”

Her uncle nodded. “I also came to deliver other, happier news.”

At this Jane sat up, excitement bubbling up her chest. “Aunt Branwen had the baby then? Oh, that is wonderful news! Are they both all right?”

“Yes.” Matthew smiled, his face alight with pride and joy. “You have a new niece. Alys was born last week, in the hours just before dawn. Branwen was wonderful, as usual. I held her hand throughout and the labor was not as long as the other three were, for which I’m grateful.”

Jane’s lip started to wobble and she wished she could do like Sian had done, place her hand over her stomach and rejoice in the life she was harboring.

But, unlike her sister, she wasn’t with child.

Or… Suddenly she wondered when the last time she had bled was.

With everything happening around her, she had not kept track of her courses.

But she was not a virgin any longer. She had been with a man since her last monthly courses, and that man had spent his seed inside her.

And since that day, she had not bled. Could she be… ?

“I hope to see them both very soon,” she murmured, torn between hope and dread. What would happen if she was with child? Griffin had panicked at the idea of her being in love with him, he would be horrified to hear she was going to give birth to his son or daughter.

“Yes,” her uncle said, oblivious to her musings.

“But if I were you, I wouldn’t come anywhere near Sheridan Manor at this time.

You must be careful while those two men are free.

I doubt they will be able to do anything before they recruit more men, and at the moment, they have no reason to suspect where you are.

For all the rebels know, you sent us a message from Esgyrn Castle.

You are safe here, with all the men around, so it’s better you don’t venture too far away from Throckmorton until we find your captors. ”

“Yes.”

Indeed, no one but her family knew where she was. Even if Cynan had not gone to his hideout, which was doubtful, he wouldn’t know to look for her here.

“I will leave in the morning, to go and see if William has found anything but my men will stay behind to ensure your protection.”

At this, Christopher nodded. “Thank you. I know not how much trust can put on the guards Thomas employed. They seem to be a lazy lot who have no idea what a real fight is. I will feel better having reliable men around at this time, what with my sister-in-law being under threat and my wife with child.”

“Of course. May I offer my most heartfelt congratulations on this happy news and the restoration of your title?”

“You may.”

Jane exchanged an amused look with Sian.

Not so long ago, Uncle Matthew had seen Christopher as a rogue of the worst kind and forbidden him to set foot in Sheridan Manor.

It seemed he had come to accept the new family member wholeheartedly.

Could he extend the same trust to Griffin, who hadn’t done anything wrong, quite the contrary?

She dearly hoped so, for, just like her sister, she would feel more comfortable having her family’s approval regarding her choice of man.

Of course, she would first have to make Griffin himself accept the idea of a union between them.

Marrying a man like him was an extreme step, but she could not see another way forward.

She was in love with him, she would not stop being in love with him just because it scared him, just because he’d happened to be born on a farm instead of a castle, especially now that she had started to wonder if their tryst in the hay had not made her with child.

Somehow, she would have to make him see that there was only one possible future for them.

One as husband and wife.