“I’ll be right behind you, husband,” she answered brightly.
“I bid you goodbye as well, sister,” Lark added to Claire with a chaste kiss. He nodded to Grainne and Doreen, and then he was gone, leaving Anna to fend off the ensuing interrogation on her own.
She buried her head under the blankets to muffle the din. Shouts of husband and wife filled her chamber. Peeking from beneath her covers, Anna beseeched her sister with her eyes.
And so it was Claire who put a stop to the cacophony by slamming the chamber door shut. “Come, ladies. We need to help her dress if she’s going to join the others on the hunt.” Cries of congratulations and demands for every detail of the wedding followed as they fussed about her.
• • •
Claire watched as her radiant sister, having finally extricated herself from Doreen and Grainne, opened her chamber door and shooed them into the corridor. If only their parents were alive to see this, Claire thought, they would have been so proud of Anna.
“You seem sad, Claire,” Anna noted. “Is everything all right?”
“I just miss Mother and Father,” she explained. “They would approve of Lark, you know, for the love you bear each other is so strong. I only hope that when it is my turn…”
“I promise you, Claire,” her sister vowed, “you will marry someone you love. King Godwin’s list or no.” Anna stopped and gave her a great hug. “Oh, here comes Trian.”
When Anna stepped away, Claire felt that all-too-familiar disorientation that had plagued her since she was a child. She reached for the wall. The corridor seemed to stretch and expand, then shrink back upon itself. An image crystallized in her mind, and she breathed in relief. She wouldn’t black out this time, only swoon, for it was good tidings.
“We’re on our way to meet him,” she heard Anna explain to Trian. For a brief moment, Claire’s eyes focused on Trian’s. He saw her distress and rushed to her, catching her before she fell. His arms were strong as he held her, and gentle for such a bear of a man. And he smelled of horses, and leather, and sunlight.
“Claire!” Anna cried.
“I’m all right, Anna,” Claire assured her. “I just need a moment. Trian, could you let the others know that we’ll be along soon?” He nodded and helped her to stand. Though he walked away, his scent lingered, and Claire breathed deep. The wholesome odor calmed her.
“What was it, Claire?” Anna worried. “There’s only one reason that you ever faint. Have you seen something?”
Claire smiled, then whispered in Anna’s ear and placed her hand on her sister’s stomach. “’Tis true, Anna,” Claire said when wonder filled her sister’s eyes. They heard the sound of feet taking the stairs two at a time and saw Lark rushing into the hallway, Trian close behind.
Anna gazed lovingly at her husband, and then whispered in his ear. Claire had never seen a smile as beautiful as Lark’s in all her life.
“What is it, Claire?” Trian asked.
“I’ll tell you,” Claire replied gaily, “later.”
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to my best girls: Becca, who listened to the “screenplay” on our walks; Julie, Cheryl and Mary, for never thinking I was crazy for putting pen to paper; and Karen and Laura, who read countless versions, from one thousand pages to five hundred and everything in between. Your encouragements and critiques were always appreciated.
Much gratitude goes to Kae Tienstra, my agent, who told me to call her back if “things didn’t work out” with the other agent and then answered when I called a year later.
Before Kae even saw the manuscript, there was Danelle McCafferty, an excellent editor, a plastic surgeon of manuscripts that have been divided in two and then sewn back together.
And to my team at Diversion Books—Randall Klein, editor; Sarah Masterson Hally and Eliza Kirby, production; the fantastic copyeditors; Trent Hart and Chris Mahon, marketing; and Laura Duane, for acquiring my manuscript—I am forever grateful that you took a chance on a new author. To my editor, Randall Klein: hold on to your blue pencils; the sequel is full of dreams!
Finally, a few familial shout-outs: to my sisters, for their support during the difficult times and their company during the good; to Dave and the boys, Patrick and Connor, for giving me time to write and for cooking dinner when I’m locked away in my office; and to my dad, for passing on his love of all literature.
About the Author
A graduate of the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science and Arts, Nicole E. Kelleher studied French Literature and Language, Spanish and Mandarin while taking classes at UofM’s Art School. She moved to France and attended the Université Catholique de l’Œest before relocating to Belgium to complete an internship at a fine arts and antiques auction house. During this time, she travelled throughout the countryside of Europe, immersing herself in its history, architecture, and art. Nicole lives in Northern Virginia with her two children, husband and Tully the Dog.
Connect with Nicole:
www.nekelleher.com
www.facebook.com/Nicole-Elizabeth-Kelleher-854445384602371
@nekelleher1
Connect with Diversion Books
Connect with us for information on new titles and authors from Diversion Books, free excerpts, special promotions, contests, and more:
Wild Lavender: The Aurelian Guard - Book One Page 36
