“Boxed his ears?” This time Arianna laughed, light and free. “Oh, with Liam what choice do you have? He was never an easy one. Girl, the stories I could tell you would curl your hair. Takes after his father, he does, and can go royal on you in a blink. Now Finn would say it’s my temper running through him, and he’d be right. But if a woman doesn’t have spine and temper, men like that will march right over her.”

She paused, studying Rowan’s face, and her own eyes filled abruptly with tears. “Oh, you love him still. I didn’t want to look and offend you. But I can see it.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

But before she could turn away, Arianna gripped her hands, gave them an impatient squeeze. “Love is all that matters, and you’re smart enough to know it. I’ve come to you as a mother only, with no more than a mother’s right, and a mother’s heart. He suffers, Rowan.”

“Mrs. Donovan—”

“Arianna. It’s your decision to make, but you need to know. He’s hurt as well, and missing you.”

“He doesn’t love me.”

“If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have made so many foolish mistakes. I know his heart, Rowan.” She said it softly and with such simple faith, Rowan felt a flutter in her stomach. “It’s yours if you’ll have it. I don’t say it because I want him to step into his father’s place. Whoever he loved would have been welcomed with joy. Don’t turn your back on your own happiness just to hug your pride. One’s cold without the other.”

“You’re asking me to go to him.”

“I’m asking you to listen to your heart. Nothing more or less.”

Rowan crossed her arms over her breasts, rubbed her own shoulders as she paced the bare room. “I still love him. I always will. Maybe part of me recognized him in that first instant. And my heart just fell at his feet.”

“And he didn’t treasure it as he should have, because he was afraid of it.”

“He didn’t trust me.”

“No, Rowan, he didn’t trust himself.”

“If he loves me …” Even the thought of it weakened her, so she shook her head, turned back with her eyes level, her hands steady. “He’ll have to say it. And he’ll have to accept me on equal grounds. I’ll take nothing less.”

Arianna’s smile was slow, and it was sweet. “Oh, you’ll do, Rowan Murray, for yourself and for him. Will you go back and see?”

“Yes.” She let out the breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “Will you help me?”

*  *  *

The wolf raced through the woods, as if trying to outrun the night. The thin crescent of the moon offered little light, but his eyes were keen.

His heart was burdened.