“You would be a wise man to hold the fact that I yelled at you against me.”
He exhaled.
“I deserved it. I daena mind yer spirit. Our spirits are aligned.”
“So you want to marry me?”
“I do, I hae been thinking on it long, and I ought tae.”
I watched his face, he leaned back in his chair, gazing down at his hands in his lap. The curl of his lashes on his cheek, the chiseled planes of his face, the strong nose. He had that crinkle at the corner of his eyes from smiling so much.
But he wasn’t smiling now, now he was serious.
I said, “Torin, are you asking me to marry you?”
He raised his eyes. “Aye.”
He hooked his feet around the legs of my chair again and drew it even closer, so my knees were between his. Then he straightened in his seat and his large, warm calloused hands took mine between us. Our faces were inches away.
“I want tae marry ye, mo leannan, I ken I am nae much. I am nae royal, I daena hae lands nor men. I am nae deserving of yer hand, I ken all the reasons why. But I will strive tae be a better man, one who ye would find tae be yer ever useful servant, Torin.” His eyes looked earnest, and he finished, “Will ye tie yer life tae mine?”
I was so close to his face, I leaned forward and put my forehead against his cheek and looked down on his strong hands holding mine.
His palms were roughened from sword hilt and rein, yet his hold was careful, almost reverent. My fingers felt small inside his, but secure, as if the whole of me was steadied in that grasp. His thumbs brushed gently across my knuckles, slow strokes, comforting — a vow unspoken.
I’m sure I could think of a number of reasons to say no, and more than a few ways to change the subject, or put him off. Icould be reasonable and think this through. Probably. Wasn’t there a lot I needed to know?
But instead I answered, “Yes.”
Because my heart was full of love, and this, him, was all I knew, all I needed.
“Och, ye will marry me?” He raised my hand and kissed the knuckles.
I nodded. “Yes. Definitely. But, we’re from different times, are we... are we allowed to?”
“Who is goin’ tae stop us?”
“God, maybe?”
He said, “I hae been prayin’ on this question: how can a man from my time, love a woman from another? But ye ken what I think, mo leannan? I think we hae been brought taegether by some hand upon our lives, tis likely God. It canna be a mistake. Yer brother searched for ye and now ye are found, and I, Torin, yer brother’s right hand man, swore an oath tae keep ye. It has tae be a good thing for us tae marry.”
I nodded, chewing my lip. “So we’re going to marry? We decided?”
“Aye. I swore my love tae ye a long time ago, mo leannan, aye, we are decided.” He pulled my chair very close, placed his hands on my hips and kissed me, warmth spreading through me.
I was deeply in love and growing very hot for him.
He pulled away.
I licked my lips. Yum. “You’ll be my husband?”
“Aye, and ye will be my wife.”
My breaths were coming faster.
“When?” I asked.
He asked, his voice low and rumbling. “I daena ken how it works, here — will we need tae post the banns? Dost I need tae take ye tae the church?”
