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She took a deep breath, trying to keep her feelings under control Curiosity and sy of frustration

"You’re…all right, though I ave her a look of exasperation, understanding ry amusement

"Not many die of it, lass Not me And not you"

"Not yet" Involuntarily, she put a hand over her belly She stared up at hiuess we’ll see in six months if I die of it"

That rattled him; she could see it He blew out his breath and scowled at her

"Ye’ll do fine," he said curtly "Ye’re wider through the hip than yon wee heifer"

"Like your uess she ide through the hip, too, but it didn’t save her, did it?"

He flinched Quick and sharp as though she’d slapped hi it filled her with panic, rather than the satisfaction she’d expected

She understood then that his proood part illusion He would kill for her, yes Or willingly die hie her honor, destroy her enemies But he could not defend her from her own child; he was as powerless to save her from that threat as if she had never found hi her belly like frozen mercury "I knoill"

"Ye won’t!" He rounded on her fiercely, and she felt his hands bite into her upper ar to believe hi way to a cold despair

"You can’t help," she said "You can’t do anything!"

"Your rip slackened, and she wrenched herself free

"No, she can’t--not without a hospital, without drugs and things If it--if it goes wrong, all she can do is try to save the b-baby" Despite herself, her gaze flickered to his dirk, blade gleaainst the strahere he had left it

Her knees felt watery, and she sat down suddenly He snatched up the jug and slopped cider into a cup, pushing it under her nose

"Drink it," he said "Drink up, lass, you’re pale asher She took a sip, but choked and drew back, waving hi off the spilled cider

"You knohat’s the worst? You said it wasn’t my fault, but it is"

"It is not!"

She flapped a hand at hi him be quiet

"You talked about cowardice; you knohat it is Well, I was a coward I should have fought, I shouldn’t have let hih, this wouldn’t have happened, but I wasn’t, I was scared! And now I’ She took a deep breath to steady herself, bracing her hands on the straw

"You can’t help, and neither can Maer--" Her voice did crack then, and she bit her lip hard, forcing back tears

"Brianna--a leannan…" He ht across her sto I can do It’s the only thing I can do If I--if I have to die, at least I’ll take hiet, if he’s dead"

"Ye willna forget" The words were blunt and unco the cup of cider Now he tilted back his head and drank, quite deliberately

"It doesnadown the cup with an air of businesslike finality "We shall find you a husband, and once the babe’s born, ye willna have aped at him "What do you mean, find me a husband?"

"You’ll need one, aye?" he said, in tones of mild surprise "The bairn must have a father And if ye willna tell iven ye a swollen belly, so that I ht make him do his duty by ye--"

"You think I’d ain, this tihtly

"Well, I’m thinkin’--are ye maybe playin’ wi’ the truth a bit, lass? Perhaps it wasna rape at all; perhaps it was that ye took a mislike to the man, and ran--and made up the story later Ye were not marked, after all Hard to think aaltogether"

"You think I’ a hand at hiht her by the wrist

"Ah, now," he said, reprovingly "Ye’re no the first lass to ht the other wrist as she struck at him, and pulled them both up sharply

"Ye dinna need to make such a fuss," he said "Or is it that ye wanted the rip, used her weight to swing aside, brought her knee up hard He turned only slightly, and her knee collided with his thigh, not the vulnerable flesh between his legs she had been ai for

The blow rip on her wrists in the least She twisted, kicking, cursing her skirts She hit his shin dead-on at least twice, but he only chuckled, as though finding her struggles funny

"Is that all ye can do, lassie?" He broke his grip then, but only to shift both her wrists to one hand The other prodded her playfully in the ribs

"There was a man