If My Heart Could See You by Sherry Ewing Read Free Book Online

just sit back and watch whilst I forfeit everything I have worked for and have it be stripped from me. I do not relish having to justify my actions to an angry king in order to keep what I have gained from the strength of my arm and sword!”
    “Lands, wealth, and title are not everything, Dristan,” Fletcher said lightly.
    “Aye, ’tis not, but I do not wish to have my head sitting on yonder pike outside these gates either! I have cheated death one too many times to have my head lopped off because of King Henry’s whim.”
    Riorden took a sip of ale. “Surely ’twould not come to that, mon ami . Are you not in good standing with our king?”
    “Aye, today I am such . . . who knows what the morrow shall bring,” he declared gruffly, hoping any further conversation regarding his decisions was closed. He watched the hall and his men with the eye of an eagle and thought mayhap he had been too lenient with them, that they indulged in drink too readily. A little time in the lists will change that , he thought smugly to himself.
    A commotion on the stairway brought his attention to the group following Aiden as they made their way to Dristan’s side. “ Mon dieu , I am saddled with mere babes,” he whispered in despair to Riorden.
    “They hardly look related, they are so unalike,” Riorden said just as faintly.
    The family came to stand afore Dristan, and with a slight word from Aiden, they knelt together, giving him their pledge of fealty. One by one, they rose as they were commanded whilst Dristan took his time inspecting each of the children. He watched as the young woman with dark hair gazed at him as if he were a tasty meal about to be devoured. He had seen such a look afore on many a maid and knew this girl to be trouble. He dismissed her with a stern look whilst she lowered her head, even though she continued to do her own inspection of her new lord through lowered lashes.
    The youngest boy could barely stand, he trembled so in fear. Perchance ’twas best if he started with him.
    “So, young Patrick, you, too, have remained with your laird it seems. He did not wish to see you fostered at another keep and learn the duties of page?” he questioned with a scowl.
    Patrick quaked in fear at the sound of his lord’s voice and, most likely, had wild thoughts of being roasted alive by a fire breathing dragon running fiercely through his mind. He reached for his older sibling’s hand. Instead of finding it, Dristan watched as Aiden gave the boy a gentle nudge, forcing Patrick to take one step forward closer to his new lord. “Na-Nay, my lord, ” was all he managed to yelp.
    Dristan crossed his arms on his massive chest and looked down upon the boy. “Perchance he did not feel you capable of the job, do you think?” He saw the stubborn Scottish pride rise up in Patrick’s small body and a spark light his eyes at Dristan’s words.
    “Nay, my lord; I could do it and do it well if but shown how!” he replied, with a confidence he probably only half felt.
    “Hmmm . . . I am not so sure,” Dristan replied as he stroked his chin, giving it further thought.
    Dristan could only imagine what was going through the young boy’s head, as Patrick stared at him with frightened eyes, assessing his liege’s height. He hid a smile when the lad gave a mighty gulp, attempting to shake off the panic surely about to set in. But he had to give the boy some credit as he watched the boy’s chin raise, as though he did not wish his recently deceased sire to think poorly of him.
    “You could teach me,” Patrick announced, and clapped his hands over his mouth in sudden alarm. ’Twas perfectly clear even the boy had not meant to have such words escape his lips.
    Startled gasps of surprise came from his sisters and those other souls standing nearby. It echoed in the once quiet hall. Dougal even went so far as to suggest mayhap a curse had unknowingly been placed upon Patrick to so foolishly suggest such a thing to the Devil’s