will be watching.”
“At the first sign of danger, I will have you so far from here that only God will be able to find you.”
He watched her breath recede from her lungs in a long, slow drag. “Is that so?”
“Without a doubt.”
She picked up her knife and poked at her pasty. “Who says I would agree to go with you in the first place.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t give you a choice. Maybe I would just take you.”
Her throat rose and fell in a convulsive swallow. “I need a drink,” she said, righting her cup.
Peter filled it for her. “Can you manage not to spill it again?”
“It could end up in your lap if you keep this up.”
It might, if he discomposed her enough. It would be completely worth it though, because she wasn’t angry with him, not really. “Tomorrow I will remember to bring a change of clothes,” he said, smiling.
Chapter Six
Zipporah opened the bedchamber door for her mother. “Come in. I am not at all surprised to see you.”
“I had hoped to speak with you right after supper,” Lady Havendell said. “But you left before I had the chance.”
“It is safer in my chamber. Did Peter leave?”
“Aye, right after you did.”
Zipporah sat on the edge of her bed. She smoothed her shift over her thighs. “At least he behaved himself around Gilburn. I was worried we would have bloodshed-over-pheasant served for our meal.” She also wondered if Peter might show up at her window. Fortunately, he hadn’t.
If he had, she might not have been able to turn him away.
Her mother sat next to her. “Would I be prying if I asked what really happened this morning?”
Zipporah shrugged. “Just Peter’s usual foolery. He met us out on the road. I’m not even sure how he knew I was with Gilburn.”
“I suspect he watches you a lot.” She smiled. “Tell me what happened next. Or is it a secret?”
“Nay.” Zipporah’s neck warmed despite herself. “It is most definitely not a secret. Nothing happens between us that could be in any way considered secret.”
“I was only asking.”
Zipporah sighed. “Peter spooked my gelding to get me away from Gilburn. While we were alone, I told him Gilburn is courting me. It distresses him.”
“And no wonder. Is that why he asked to see your father again?”
“Maybe.”
“And have you agreed.”
“Agreed?”
“To marry him.”
Zipporah pursed her lips. “I most certainly have not.”
“So you did not tell him about Katrina?”
“Heaven’s, nay.” Zipporah’s hands felt clammy all of a sudden. “I cannot tell him about his child.”
“Why not?”
“I do not even know where to begin.”
“The garden is quiet. You can tell him there.”
“’Tis not so easily done.”
“Just open your mouth and tell him, daughter.”
How could she, after all this time? She should have told her father. He would have tracked Peter down and taken care of everything. But she hadn’t. She had kept the babe secret.
“I . . . I cannot look him in the eye and tell him he has a dead child.” Zipporah’s throat constricted. She took a breath to calm herself.
“When news of Edward’s death reached us, your father was my comfort. Peter needs to know, so that he can comfort you.”
“You think you know Peter so well, but you do not.”
“I am not so old that I do not remember what it is like to be in love.”
“I am not in love with Peter.” She did not need him, and she most certainly was not in love with him.
“Very well.” Her mother smiled. “You would be wise not to find yourself alone with him too often. After all, he has been away from you for a long time.”
She understood where her mother was going with this. “And how do you know he has not had others over the last three years?”
Her mother’s smile widened. “Call it woman’s intuition. There is something about the way he looks at you. Your father was the same
“At the first sign of danger, I will have you so far from here that only God will be able to find you.”
He watched her breath recede from her lungs in a long, slow drag. “Is that so?”
“Without a doubt.”
She picked up her knife and poked at her pasty. “Who says I would agree to go with you in the first place.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t give you a choice. Maybe I would just take you.”
Her throat rose and fell in a convulsive swallow. “I need a drink,” she said, righting her cup.
Peter filled it for her. “Can you manage not to spill it again?”
“It could end up in your lap if you keep this up.”
It might, if he discomposed her enough. It would be completely worth it though, because she wasn’t angry with him, not really. “Tomorrow I will remember to bring a change of clothes,” he said, smiling.
Chapter Six
Zipporah opened the bedchamber door for her mother. “Come in. I am not at all surprised to see you.”
“I had hoped to speak with you right after supper,” Lady Havendell said. “But you left before I had the chance.”
“It is safer in my chamber. Did Peter leave?”
“Aye, right after you did.”
Zipporah sat on the edge of her bed. She smoothed her shift over her thighs. “At least he behaved himself around Gilburn. I was worried we would have bloodshed-over-pheasant served for our meal.” She also wondered if Peter might show up at her window. Fortunately, he hadn’t.
If he had, she might not have been able to turn him away.
Her mother sat next to her. “Would I be prying if I asked what really happened this morning?”
Zipporah shrugged. “Just Peter’s usual foolery. He met us out on the road. I’m not even sure how he knew I was with Gilburn.”
“I suspect he watches you a lot.” She smiled. “Tell me what happened next. Or is it a secret?”
“Nay.” Zipporah’s neck warmed despite herself. “It is most definitely not a secret. Nothing happens between us that could be in any way considered secret.”
“I was only asking.”
Zipporah sighed. “Peter spooked my gelding to get me away from Gilburn. While we were alone, I told him Gilburn is courting me. It distresses him.”
“And no wonder. Is that why he asked to see your father again?”
“Maybe.”
“And have you agreed.”
“Agreed?”
“To marry him.”
Zipporah pursed her lips. “I most certainly have not.”
“So you did not tell him about Katrina?”
“Heaven’s, nay.” Zipporah’s hands felt clammy all of a sudden. “I cannot tell him about his child.”
“Why not?”
“I do not even know where to begin.”
“The garden is quiet. You can tell him there.”
“’Tis not so easily done.”
“Just open your mouth and tell him, daughter.”
How could she, after all this time? She should have told her father. He would have tracked Peter down and taken care of everything. But she hadn’t. She had kept the babe secret.
“I . . . I cannot look him in the eye and tell him he has a dead child.” Zipporah’s throat constricted. She took a breath to calm herself.
“When news of Edward’s death reached us, your father was my comfort. Peter needs to know, so that he can comfort you.”
“You think you know Peter so well, but you do not.”
“I am not so old that I do not remember what it is like to be in love.”
“I am not in love with Peter.” She did not need him, and she most certainly was not in love with him.
“Very well.” Her mother smiled. “You would be wise not to find yourself alone with him too often. After all, he has been away from you for a long time.”
She understood where her mother was going with this. “And how do you know he has not had others over the last three years?”
Her mother’s smile widened. “Call it woman’s intuition. There is something about the way he looks at you. Your father was the same
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