“And your betrothed? What of her?”
He barely missed a breath. “What aboot her? I never loved her. I dinna wish to marry her. I was doin’ John a favor and plan on breakin’ it off.”
“Oh,” she said, a bit taken aback by his response. Louise said he didn’t love the woman. “I see.” She felt better but… “Why did you not tell me?”
“I meant no—” he began but then stopped and began again. “I was afraid of speakin’ to ye aboot one more obstacle.”
“Aye,” she understood. “I do not know what the Lord wants from me anymore.” She wiped a tear from her eyes and smiled down at the kitten running through…daffodils. That was why they gave her the name.
“You truly do not mind having them with you?” she asked him.
He set his gaze on the children and shook his head. “No. They are no trouble.”
Oh, it was easy to like him.
“Captain?”
“Please, call me Galeren. Everyone calls me captain.”
She smiled. “Galeren. That is an interesting name.”
He took a moment to exhale. “My father does his best to live like the legendary knights of Arthur Pendragon. He named me after Sir Galahad—a knight perfect in courage, gentleness, courtesy and chivalry.”
Her smile widened. “I like those traits, my lord. They are good values.”
He nodded. “And even more valuable is the one who recognizes them.”
He was easy to like. Aye, to love. Did she love him? How would she know? She’d never been in love before.
“I have never heard of yer name before,” he told her.
“’Tis the name of a flower.” She smiled when his gaze went warm on her.
“You have a rare heart, Cap—Galeren,” she corrected and blushed a streak of crimson against walls of pure white. “You possess every trait I value.”
He moved closer, more aware of her then anything else.
“I want to close my eyes and listen to you speak,” she told him, and he smiled.
“I want to smell ye on my clothes.”
No. They had to stop. She marveled at how easy it was to slip right back into him and forget everything else.
“People cannot know that the man they follow fought against God for me or that I stole you from your betrothed. They will leave your side.”
He shook his head but didn’t look at her again. “I dinna care aboot their accolades. I am compelled to go home to Invergarry and leave everythin’ behind.”
She stiffened her spine. What should she say? “You should leave tonight then.”
He nodded and she was tempted to clutch his arm. She didn’t want him to go. He had to. One of them had to.
“I must go, Captain. I will see you again when I return home, I hope.”
He didn’t move.
She wished he would say something.
“My dear Captain, what is this?” A high-pitched female voice sounded close by. “You are the watcher of bratlings then?”