Page 79 of Love Me Forever

“And have found no answer?”

“None that makes sense,” Brianna admitted.

“Then there is no sound reason for you not to wed Royce, and I remind you again that you do love him—a good reason to wed him.”

“I had always thought to wed for love, and I had thought that I had when I wed Arran.”

“Royce is not like Arran, and I think you know that.”

“Aye, they are completely different; Arran was a coward, Royce has courage,” Brianna said. “I found that I could not trust Arran...”

Moira questioned her reluctance to continue. “Do you refuse to trust Royce? Has he given you any reason besides not completely divulging his identity to you for you not to trust him?”

She shrugged. “He has been good to me, but I wonder why he waited until I stood before my brother to speak the truth.”

“Fear,” Moira answered.

Brianna looked at her strangely. “He is a legendary warrior who has faced death in countless battles.”

“It was merely his life in question then, now it is his heart. What if he had told you before leaving the cottage? Would you have wanted him to return here with you? Or would your anger have spoken before your heart had time to warn you?”

“Stubborn,” she whispered, knowing full well she would have reacted emotionally and probably with regret.

“The choice is yours, Brianna, but then, is that not what Royce told you? Are you angry because he allowed you a choice? For that is what he did.”

Brianna had not considered that. She had told Royce that she could bear him no children. He had insisted she could, but he had given her the choice to wed him on that very condition. If she did carry his child they would wed, if she did not the choice was hers. Was he actually saying the choice was hers all along?

Brianna sighed with frustration. “I am more confused than ever.”

Moira laughed. “I feel the same myself at times.”

“Even with all the knowledge you have gained?”

“Knowledge does not guarantee clarity of life.”

“Then I am doomed,” Brianna said on a laugh. “I thought that once I gained your knowledge, my life would be easy.”

Moira spoke as a teacher to a student. “The key to understand; it opens many doors. You have time before his return. Use it wisely.”

“I do not know where to begin, confusion clutters my mind. I think one way and then I think another way. I ask endless questions of which I can find no answers.”

“Then do not look at the answers, study the questions.”

Duncan stirred and began to fuss.

Brianna was about to hurry over to him when she looked to Moira.

“Go take care of him; he has missed you.”

Brianna hurried to the baby’s side. She scooped him up and cuddled him to her, kissing his soft cheek. “I have missed you.”

Duncan gave her a huge smile, and then rested his cheek to hers. She wanted to cry; she felt the tears well in her eyes and silently scolded herself for crying so much. Where was her strength and courage? Where was her determination?

“The questions,” Moira advised, seeing her near to tears, “study the questions.”

CHAPTER22

The days passed more swiftly than Brianna had expected. She kept herself busy with endless tasks and spent much time with Duncan. Her only solitary time was when she climbed into bed at night, and as of late she had been so tired, she fell asleep as soon as her head rested on the pillow. The early mornings when she woke were the times she spent in thought.