“Agreed. Lord Ignace also says that his mother has retired to a convent. Seems his uncle suggested it. Says the mon wasnae happy about her plans to stand up against the rest of the DeVeaux or her lack of regard for her only child, his heir. He felt we would be pleased to ken that she willnae be sending him on any more journeys to add to her power and prestige.”
Callum chuckled. “And I suspect he and his uncle are still rejoicing. Obviously the uncle had some power of his own to get that woman out of the house and tucked away in a convent where she can do no more harm.”
“It does seem as if we have found that rarest of creatures, a likeable, honest DeVeau.”
“Aye, so let us hope the rest of his family continues to ignore him. I think ’tis the fact that Lord Ignace is the son of a sailor that has saved him from the others. He may be a DeVeau but he is still tainted by the common branch of the family tree.”
“From what I have heard of the DeVeaux and having met this lad, I think they would do weel to get a little more of the common blood into their family.”
“Aye.” Callum stood up. “I will be off soon I am thinking, but let us nay shake hands right now as I am sore tempted to strike ye down for what I ken ye are about to do.” He nodded at Brian in farewell and walked out of the room.
Brian stared at the door Callum shut behind him and sighed. He supposed he would feel the same if it was one of his cousins. Callum and Arianna had also been close when they were children. Even he had seen what good friends they were once he had gotten past his jealousy.
He sat down at his worktable and dragged his hands through his hair. This was going to be hard but he had to do it. He was healed enough now, after three long weeks, that he was finding it very difficult not to drag Arianna into his bed and make love to her until they were both too weak to even twitch a finger. If she did not leave Scarglas soon he would be doing just that and that would be wrong. A man did not make love to a woman and then turn around and tell her to leave. The trouble was that the need for her was growing so strong he just might sink that low.
He was searching his mind for the right words to say, ones that would carry no taint of rejection, when she stepped into the room and smiled at him. Brian wondered how such a sweet smile could make him feel so wretched. He knew she cared for him but wondered how much of that was because he had been so much kinder to her than any of the Lucettes and had helped her save the boys. A part of him wanted to hear her tell him how she felt about him but he knew that would be cruel because he would still have to let her go.
It did not surprise him when her smile began to fade and her steps slowed as she approached him. Callum had guessed what he was going to do today and she was nearly as astute. It puzzled him that doing the right thing, the honorable thing, should be making him feel like the worst of heartless bastards.
“Arianna, I have been meaning to talk to ye,” he said.
Arianna stopped a foot away from his desk and clasped her hands in front of her skirts. There was a look in his fine eyes that was easy to read. He was going to send her home, just as he had always said he would. The fact that he looked sad about that did not ease the pain of it at all. She kept her hands clasped tightly so that she did not give in to the urge to either cling to him or grab something heavy and beat him over the head with it.
“About what?” she asked.
“Weel, first, let me tell ye what Lord Ignace wrote. I received his missive just today.” He proceeded to tell her nearly everything the man had said even as a voice in his head scoffed at him for this pathetic attempt to delay doing what he had to do.
The news concerning the boys both pleased and worried her. They were safe for now but the future could bring problems. Arianna wondered why he was bothering telling her this because he must have just told Callum, who would be sure to tell her. He did not need to waste time before breaking her heart. Now that she knew what he was about to do, she really just wanted him to get it over and done with.
“Weel, that is good news. For now. There may be trouble later, however,” she said.
“Callum and I are aware of that, and everyone will be alert. I believe Lord Ignace will be sure to send us word, too, especially if he gains from the wine trade with us.”
“Of course. So, is that all?” She desperately wanted this over with as she was nearly shaking with pain and anger.
Brian cleared his throat and clasped his hands together on the top of his worktable. He wished she were not looking at him as if he was about to draw his sword and lop off her head. She had to know that this was best for her.
“I want to thank ye for all the care ye took of me while I was healing from my wounds.”
“Ye got those wounds fighting for my laddies.”
“Ah, weel, aye. And ye. But, I am healed now and your family is eager to see ye. So, I have arranged for an escort for ye and the boys for the ride to your family. Callum and Uven are preparing to leave with ye, too. It was my greatest honor to have been of help to ye in your time of need. If ye e’er need help again ...”