Tomorrow Finn and Dallan would both compete in the trial of defense, which consisted of nine men throwing spears at them. Her hands shook just thinking about the danger they’d be in, and how little she could do to help them. Either one could be killed tomorrow. She still had no interest in marrying, or even seriously courting, Finn, but she’d be damned if she didn’t get one last kiss from him.
Eva determined that she needed to meet with Finn alone tonight. Hopefully, he cooperated. Smoothing out her cream dress for the hundredth time since she’d donned it, Eva worked up the courage to finally go to the hall for dinner.
*
“I can’t believehow well she plays,” Dallan’s voice swelled with pride at his sister’s accomplishment. “She took lessons for years. I don’t know what you’re doing differently, but it’s working.”
Finn feared that falling in love with his student was what he was doing differently. Of course, he’d never admit that to Dallan. Or Eva. After hearing her thoughts on love and marriage, that seemed a poor idea.
“I can’t believe Cormac let you sit so near to her,” Finn changed the subject.
Dallan grinned. “I’m winning him over. Though I doubt he’ll let me speak to her, at least I can be present in her life.”
They sat at their usual table, finally able to eat after a hard afternoon of training. Eva had yet to appear, and Finn couldn’t stop himself from checking her table between each bite of his meal.
“Ostman!” Diarmid and Conan sat down next to them, one on each side of the table.
“Were you trying to kill us this afternoon?” Dallan asked, shoving a large bite of roast boar into his mouth.
“If it will keep you from dying tomorrow, I will push you today,” Conan replied evenly, not the least concerned over the brutal practice they’d just finished.
“I don’t hear the Ostman complaining,” Diarmid baited Dallan. “Isn’t that right, Finn?”
But Finn couldn’t respond. Eva had finally appeared.
Wearing the cream gown.
“Finn?”
Why was she wearing the cream gown?
“Finn!”
“Sorry.” He somehow managed to take his eyes off her, which momentarily halted his highly inappropriate thoughts about a certain woman taking off a certain cream gown, and his growing concern overwhyshe wore it. “I was thinking about tomorrow.” Nope. Not even a little bit.
Nine men throwing spears at him could not possibly be more of a challenge than getting through dinner andnotsprinting down to the lakeshore. Yet, somehow, he managed it. He pretended to listen to his friends’ lively discussion. He acted like he wasn’t having trouble keeping his eyes off Eva. And at the end of the evening he walked, looking calm and composed, toward the forest path when inside his mind raced and his heart pounded.
Why did she want to meet with him? Was something wrong? Did she want him to kiss her again?
That thought halted him under the thick canopy of trees. Gods, what if that’s what she wanted? Would he do it again? At this point, would it matter?
Fighting hard to push such thoughts to the back of his mind, Finn continued down the forest path toward the stone where he knew she waited. More than likely, she was simply worried over tomorrow’s trial. Aye, that was it.
“I was wondering if you’d come.” Her breathy voice made every part of his body tighten.
He offered her his hand, helping her up off the stone. It was so small inside his own, so delicate. “Curiosity got the better of me, it would seem.”
They walked hand-in-hand until they stood before the rushing water. The wind howled across the valley, whipping the surface of the lake into a frenzy of white-capped waves, storming the sandy shore like an invading army.
Finn felt Eva shiver, her hand wiggling in his. “Where’s your cloak?” he asked, unfastening his own and draping it over her shaking shoulders.
“I didn’t expect it to be so cold.”
“It’s after dark.”
“’Tis nearly midsummer, though.”
As much as he loved debating Eva, Finn didn’t want her out here too long, even with his cloak on her.
