“I can’t let his good, honorable name be tarnished. I won’t let lies destroy my da’s legacy. I have to prove his innocence. Who claims this? I want to talk to him? Tell me now.”
Royden reached out to take her in his arms and was shocked when she stepped away from him.
“Tell me now, Royden,” she demanded, avoiding the comfort of his arms. It would be too easy to surrender to the comfort he offered when strength was called for.
“I don’t know who claimed it. I just learned of it myself.”
“From who?” she demanded.
He wondered if he should tell her, but only for a moment. She had a right to know. “Penn.”
“And you believe him, a man who owes allegiance to your foe?”
“Penn only alerted me to the rumors. He knows nothing beyond that.”
“And how do you know this? Did you speak with anyone who heard the rumors?”
“No,” he said and held up his hand before she could accuse him of anything. “I spoke with my da. He hadn’t heard anything and he was shocked at the news himself.”
“Because he knows it’s a lie,” Oria said. “He was and still is a good friend to my da.”
“As am I, Oria, which is why I wanted to tell you before doing anything,” he said, wishing it didn’t feel like she had placed a distance between them.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I want to track down the origin of this claim and find out the reason for it,” he said.
“The reason? It’s a lie, plain and simple,” Oria argued.
“Aye, but why the lie? Who is besmirching your da’s good name?”
“The coward—the guilty one,” Oria said.
“Then we will find him,” Royden assured her and reached out once again wanting to hold her and let her know he was there for her. But again she stepped away from him and began to pace.
“Could the rumor have come here with some of the people we brought back from my clan?” she wondered aloud.
It bothered him that she didn’t seek solace in his arms. He had to remember that she had learned, out of necessity, to tackle many problems on her own while he’d been gone. But he was here now and they had each other. She wasn’t alone anymore.
She stopped pacing. “I need to go talk to them.”
She turned to leave and he felt a catch in his chest along with a spark of anger that she would say nothing more to him or invite him go with her. He was about to call out to her when she stopped and turned.
Oria rushed over to her husband and placed a hurried kiss on his lips. “I am so grateful I won’t have to do this alone. That I have you, your love, your trust, and you will help me prove my da’s innocence. I love you, Royden.” She kissed him again, not lightly this time. “I will return and tell you everything I find out.”
His hand latched on to her arm when she quickly turned to leave. “I won’t forbid you from doing this.”
Her brow went up. “You would dare forbid me?”
His brow narrowed in response. “I dare anything when it comes to protecting my wife, whether she likes it or not. You can ask your questions, but you will be careful, wife, and take no unnecessary chances. And I will speak to those who I believe may be helpful in finding the truth.” His brow lost its scowl. “Trust me when I say I feel your pain in this matter and I share it with you. But your da would not want you placing yourself in harm’s way because of him. Remain the wise and patient woman I know you are and remember you are not in this alone. I am here for you.”
As tears tugged at the corner of her eyes, his words born from the depths of his love for her. She gave him a hug, pressing her face to his chest and letting his linen shirt catch the persistent tears. Worried more tears might fall, she hurried from the room.
Royden stared after her, feeling guiltier than he had ever felt in his life since he couldn’t help but think what would happen—if the rumor proved true.
Chapter 25
Oria found Ross easily. He was busy in the planting fields. She had told Royden that Ross had an exceptional touch when it came to farming and he’d immediately assigned him to the planting fields. He had also allowed him to settle in one of the small farms just on the outskirts of the village that had sat empty since shortly after the attack.
She caught his attention with the wave of her hand and returned the smile Ross sent her when he spotted her. Gone were the harsh lines that had marred his pleasant features and his shoulders no longer slumped with the weight of his worries.