Tucked away in one of the alcoves on the far right side of the room, Eva sat working on something in her lap. Finn couldn’t quite make it out, what with half a dozen tables and twice as many men between them, but he thought it might be mending or sewing.
She looked up from her work briefly, but long enough for Finn to see what she tried to hide, to see what Finn had tried to ignore.
He’d been avoiding her out of loyalty to Dallan and out of fear of his own weakness. He’d seen all the signs, watched her eat less and less each day. Watched her disappear slowly, fading in body and spirit to meld into the shadows. For the past three weeks, Eva’s melancholy crept bit-by-bit back into her life. He could see in her absent, wandering gaze that she was as lonely now as she had been when first they met.
Only this time, he knew what to do about it.
Chapter Seventeen
He waited untilmost of the men had left to take a short break before he approached Eva’s alcove. Dallan nodded his thanks as Finn turned toward Eva.
As he drew nearer, Finn saw that she worked on embroidery.
“What are you making?” he asked, sitting down on the other chair in the alcove.
She didn’t look up from her work as she answered. “A baby gown for Astrid.”
“Your cousin? Yes?”
She nodded.
“Is she expecting a child soon?” Eva had spoken much of her cousin, Sitric’s younger sister, but Finn couldn’t recall her ever mentioning a husband or children.
“No,” Eva replied softly.
“Is she hoping to have a child soon?” Finn wasn’t going to stop until she spoke more than a single word in response. “Perhaps she’s gotten betrothed?”
Eva finally set down her work in a huff and looked up at him.
A small victory. He knew he had a long way to go, however. She wouldn’t easily forgive his treatment of her these past weeks.
“I simply wish to know why you’re making it for her,” Finn explained gently. “’Tis all.”
Eva’s face fell from defiance into sadness. “Because I miss her,” she whispered. “And I know she’s eager to start her family, whenever Sitric finally finds her a husband.”
Finn’s heart ached for her. He couldn’t imagine being separated from all those you loved, even the ones living right beside you. “Have you heard any news of her?”
She shook her head, picking her embroidery back up to resume her work.
Well, he had his answer. Eva was most certainly not alright. And he wouldn’t leave until he’d cheered her at least a touch. He decided to change to a lighter topic.
“What about you?” he asked.
“What about me?”
“Are you eager to start a family?”
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Not in the least.”
How had they never discussed this? “Why not?”
“Why should I be?” she countered. “Why would I want to bring some poor man into a family constantly at war? Why would I want to risk my life birthing a son only to lose him in a battle twelve years later? To have him murdered by a cousin who wishes no competition for the throne? To lose a daughter in childbirth at sixteen?”
“Twelve is a touch young,” Finn offered, “but I see your meaning.”
“Brian’s brother died at twelve.”
“So, your plan is to never love anyone ever again so that you don’t have to suffer through losing them?” This had not been the cheerful conversation he’d hoped for, but he knew it was an important one, nonetheless.
