Ensnared (Knights of Brethren #3)(14)

While I’d met my nephew, Bernhard’s oldest son, during my last visit, I couldn’t remember if his daughters had been born yet. Maybe one of them had been a babe.

“Dreams of you kept me awake,” I stated. “On-ly dreams.” I enunciated my words, although I wasn’t sure why since my nieces weren’t babbling infants. They had to be at least four and six years of age. Or maybe three and five. Surely old enough to talk.

Mikaela held up the brush like a weapon and started toward me. “Go away, Gunnar. I have no wish to see you any more today than I did yesterday.”

“You’ll be happy to know they were good dreams. Really good dreams.” Every dream about her was a really good dream, but from the way she was lifting the brush, as though she intended to beat me from the room, it was clear she wasn’t interested in hearing about my dreams or anything else.

When she was but a foot away, she stopped, brush at the ready. The brown of her eyes flashed with sparks of gold, the fires inside her easily combusting as usual, fires I took too much enjoyment in fanning. “You need to leave.” Her whisper was menacing. “This is highly inappropriate.”

“What’s inappropriate about me coming to give Nanna a hug and to meet my nieces?” I asked in a loud whisper.

“Really? You expect me to believe that’s why you’re here?” Her whisper dropped a notch, almost coming out a growl.

“Yes.” I cocked my brows in feigned innocence. “Don’t tell me you think I came here to visit you.”

Her mouth opened, but then her retort stalled.

“Oh,” I whispered, again loudly. “I guess you were secretly thinking about me and wishing I’d make an appearance.”

“No.” A flush crept into her cheeks. “That’s not true at all.”

I was right. She had been thinking about me. But she was stubborn and would never admit it. My gaze snagged on a gray-and-white cat curled up in a corner chair. “I see you still have Grumpy.”

“Happy.”

“Yes, I am happy now that I’m here with you.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was fighting back a smile. “No, his name is Happy.”

“Why, exactly, did you name him Happy?”

“Because he made me happy.”

“And . . . ?”

“That’s all.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from reminding her of her sweet declaration the day I’d delivered the kitten to this very room. I’m naming him Happy because you made me happy.

“Don’t say anything else.” Her whisper dropped in another warning.

I shrugged as if to demonstrate I had nothing else to say. “Also, why are we still whispering?”

She glanced over at the girls, who were watching our exchange, their eyes wide, their innocent ears still hearing every word. A burst of laughter escaped from Mikaela’s lips, but she caught it in her hand.

Immediately my nieces smiled, although tentatively. They obviously took their cues from Mikaela.

I hadn’t spent much time with Bernhard’s wife, Sofia. But during the times I’d visited previously, as well as last night, I’d surmised that she was nearly as conniving and cruel as Bernhard. I’d learned she’d lost several babies during childbirth but was expecting again. Apparently, Bernhard was determined to have a second son.

As much as Mikaela and Nanna shielded their charges from the influence of their parents, even good nursemaids couldn’t stop children from growing up and making poor choices. Bernhard had gone his own way, and from what I’d heard, his son was just like him, although now fostered out to another nobleman and no longer living at Likness Castle.

Though I’d had Nanna’s gentle guidance and loving care, I hadn’t exactly led a stellar life either.

“So,” I said, turning my attention upon the girls. “Are these my nieces? Or are they angels visiting from heaven?”

My question earned giggles. And a widening smile from Mikaela, one that made her features come to life with a vibrance that never failed to light me up.

“If I had to guess, I’d say angels.” I crossed to them and crouched. “You’re too beautiful to be mere mortals.”

Again, they giggled. They were miniature versions of their beautiful mother. It saddened me to think that one day Bernhard would barter them to the highest bidders regardless of their needs or wishes, just as my father had done to my two older sisters. Or confine them in a convent like my younger sister Viola.

“Do you angels have names?” I asked.

Their gazes darted to Mikaela, as though gaining her permission to speak.

“Let me guess.” I tapped a finger against my lips, pretending to be deep in thought. Then I pointed at them. “You’re Rikissa. And you must be Renate.”

“Yes, how did you know?” the taller girl asked in an awed whisper while the younger one curled closer to her sister.

“As Mikaela knows, I’m incredibly intelligent. Not to mention witty, handsome, and strong—”

“And he has a very big head.”

“That too.”

Mikaela was still smiling.

Energy coursed through me in a way I hadn’t felt since the day I’d ridden away from her. Being with her always made me feel as though I could accomplish anything I set my mind to doing. “Now that we’ve established that you’re both angels, can you guess who I am?”