“I’m afraid,” she said.
Terese sat on the bed beside her. “What have you got to lose by getting to know him? You are safe here. No one will let any harm come to you.” She smiled. “Andrew cares for you and would kill anyone who dares to hurt you.”
Megan pulled Terese closer to her and whispered, her voice breaking with fear, “A man told me that once and I believed him. I trusted him. I loved him.” Tears filled her green eyes. “He kept me isolated, beat me senseless, and nearly killed me.”
Terese took firm hold of her hand and listened.
Megan choked on her tears as she said, “I had no choice. I had to do it. I had to kill him.”
Megan burst into tears and Terese wrapped the sobbing woman in her arms, her own eyes filling with tears for the horror Megan must have suffered.
“You did what you had to do to survive,” Terese assured her. “It is over now and done, has been for years. He can hurt you no more. Unless…”
Megan turned wide, frightened eyes on her.
Terese pushed the dark curls off Megan’s forehead. “Unless you allow the fear he instilled in you to stop you from finding and loving a truly good man.”
“I don’t know if—”
“Give Andrew a chance,” Terese encouraged and laughed. “Good lord, the man offered to shrink himself down when you said he was too tall, and he’s forever there to help you and not once has he raised his voice or spoken badly to you.”
“I am safe here,” Megan said wiping away the last of her tears.
“You know not a one of us would let any harm befall you. You may still have trouble accepting it, but you are safe here and will remain so.”
Hester peeked her head in. “Andrew would like to see you to ascertain for himself that you are well and not burning up with fever.” She giggled. “He’s beside himself with worry, Megan. You have to put him out of his misery.”
Terese looked to Hester. “What of Talon? He is only two doors down.”
“Rowena went to sit with him, since he seems to fancy her company,” Hester said. “I told her I’d let her know when Andrew was gone.”
“I could go outside and visit with him,” Megan suggested.
“No,” both women said.
“Rowena said at least two, maybe three days, off that foot,” Terese said.
Megan threw the blanket off her. “Then just get me to a chair near the hearth in the common room. It’s not wise for us to take a chance of Talon being discovered.”
“She’s right,” Hester said and Terese agreed.
The two women supported Megan with their shoulders under her arms, lifting her off the ground, their heights a good four to five inches over her petite one.
As soon as Andrew saw her he went to her aid, scooped her up, and plopped down in the chair near the hearth with her in his lap. He swiped the blanket out of Hester’s hand before she could cover Megan’s legs and he tucked it in securely around her. Then with his arms around her he insisted she tell him what happened, he wanted to hear it all.
Hester grinned at Terese and disappeared behind the curtain to the women’s living quarters where Terese was sure she would wait to give the all-clear signal to Rowena. While Terese took hold of Lachlan’s hand and walked out of the cottage, the pair in the chair never noticed anyone’s departure.
“Tell me that I am right about Andrew, that he is a kind, good man,” Terese said as they walked over the convent grounds.
“That would depend,” Lachlan said.
“On what?” she asked anxiously.
“If I must include this morning’s incident when he intruded upon us at the most inopportune time,” he said with a grin.
She laughed. “Under the circumstances I think you should forgive him.”
“I will only forgive his foolish actions because he is a man in love.”
Terese stopped. “You truly believe that Andrew loves Megan?”
“I know he does,” Lachlan confirmed. “I have never seen him make a fool of himself for any woman, therefore, he must be in love.”
Boyd shouted for Lachlan and gave an impatient wave.
“Something must be amiss,” Lachlan said and gave her cheek a peck. “I will return as soon as I can.”
“It seems we both promise that.”
Lachlan cupped her chin. “A promise, that I assure you, will be kept.”
“Go, I will see you later,” she said, though her heart ached when he took off. Time was growing short for them and while there was no talk of love between them and certainly no necessity for it since it could never be, she couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to truly be loved.