Finn felt himself tense at the question. “Are you asking if my family plundered the island before settling?” He couldn’t keep the edge from his voice.
Eva didn’t back down, though he was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. “My cousin has, so far, plundered no fewer than three monasteries and two towns,” she reminded him gently. “And that’s to say nothing of my extended family and their allies. Suffice it to say, I understand why Brian is cross with Sitric, though I love my cousin no less for it.”
He hadn’t considered that she herself had ties to the Ostmen who’d invaded Éire. He’d entirely overlooked that she was here because of those relatives. Of the many folk who’d asked him about his Ostman heritage, she was the only one who had no reason to hold it against him.
“My uncle came to Éire in his nineteenth summer on aviking,” Finn told her. “He never returned. Two summers later my father, his older brother, came looking for him.”
“Was he alright?” Eva scooted toward him on the sandy shore, concern written across her delicate features. “Did he find him?”
“Aye,” Finn answered, growing more comfortable as his tale went on. “My father found my uncle all right. He had decided he’d rather be a tradesman than aviking, and started a shipping business in Luimneach. He’d not yet been able to send word home.”
“And your father stayed as well? In Luimneach?”
Finn shook his head. “My father has always been a farmer, from his birth to the present. He loves working the land, living in villages where everyone knows each other’s business,” he said with a laugh. “And in one such town just south of Luimneach, called Ath Dara, he found my mother. They’ve been there since.”
Eva smiled at him, filling him with warmth. “You’ve naught to be ashamed of, Finn,” she assured him. “It sounds like a fine family you have, no matter whence they came.”
“I’ll try to remember that,” he replied, surprised to find he meant it.
As he packed up the cloth and helped Eva to her feet, one thought played in Finn’s mind over and over: he’d told the truth earlier.
He would do anything to see that smile.
Chapter Seven
The following mornEva woke with the sun. She was ashamed to admit that most days she lay in bed far longer than she ought, and with no good reason to do so. But not today.
Her first harp lesson with Finn was after dinner tonight, and it was all she could do to make it through the day in all her excitement. Though he’d made a good argument about not doing it out of pity, Eva still wasn’t convinced that he’d have agreed had her brother not intervened. She reminded herself of this as often as possible to ensure she kept a level head throughout her day. She had a keep to run, after all. She could hardly afford to daydream about music.
“My lord!” she called, finally catching the evasive prince on his way across the courtyard. “Do you have a moment?”
Illadan strode toward her with a grin. Though he was quite tall, she thought Finn was taller still. “What do you need, my lady?”
“We need boars,” she replied. “Moira informed me yesterday we’d run out, and I thought you might have men to spare for a hunt.”
She stifled a giggle at the look of concern on his face. So much worry over a simple dish.
“We shall go today. Thank you for your assistance.”
“’Tis my pleasure, my lord.”
Though the day had begun well enough, by dinner Eva felt battered. A devastating fire in the kitchens left them functioning below what was needed to feed all the men. Eva had to make arrangements for a temporary kitchen to be set up, consisting mainly of a large fire pit in a vented tent and a massive table. Luckily, even if they were short a kitchen, the keep at Cenn Cora was anything but short-handed. Illadan sent five men to do the physical labor required, in addition to however many he had spared for the hunt.
Eva oversaw the project, somewhat disappointed when Finn was not among the men Illadan sent. She didn’t know why she should be upset by it, particularly since she’d be seeing him in a few hours’ time.
Finally, after what had become quite a trying day, the hour arrived for dinner. After the initial feast, she was no longer required to wear her apron dress, for which she was immensely grateful. Instead, she’d chosen a plain cream gown, well-fitted but understated. The last thing she wanted was to have men approaching her.
Even if she had any interest whatsoever in marriage, which she didn’t, she doubted Brian would consent to her marrying as a hostage. She didn’t dare to imagine Dallan’s outrage if he discovered a man desired his little sister. Not that she foresaw that being a problem any time soon.
Eva took her spot at the foot of the dais, watching as the men arrived in the hall. A flutter like the susurrus of butterfly wings erupted deep in her belly when Finn entered. She smiled when he looked at her from across the room, for a moment forgetting everyone else entirely. Forgetting that her father had died, that she was a hostage. Forgetting, even, that she was alone.
The flutter turned into a gentle tug when he smiled back at her, a single dimple appearing on his cheek.
“You’re happy tonight.”
Eva reluctantly looked away from Finn, finding Illadan passing by on his way up the dais.
“I’m pleased we have roast boar again,” she lied. She could hardly tell him what had actually brought a smile to her face. “The men will perform better for it.”
