“Should I ask her, then?”
“If you do, you may see both the pitchfork and the strap come out at me. You would not want that, would you?”
There was a twinkle in his eye as he spoke. He was deliberately flirting with her and Vesper couldn’t ever remember having such an engaging conversation with a man. There were rare occasions when she would receive flattery from any one of Eynsford’s men and, in particular, one man who seemed to be quite solicitous of her, but it wasn’t something Vesper reciprocated. Therefore, she was badly out of practice when it came to the art of flirting. All she could do was speak of the first thing that came to mind.
“Nay, I would not,” she said, watching him flash a smile at her. “I suppose I would not ask if it would mean your downfall.”
Val bowed exaggeratedly. “You are most gracious, my lady,” he said. “I will be forever in your debt.”
Vesper smiled coyly. “I am sure that is not necessary,” she said. “In fact, my father and I should be the ones in your debt to show us such hospitality. It was most kind of you.”
Val hit the bottom of the stairs, helping her down the last few slippery stone steps. “We rarely have guests, so this is a special event. Your company is most welcome.”
Vesper came off the stairs, her skirt lifted slightly so she wouldn’t step on it. Something about his last few words sounded very inviting and almost personal. It was enough to bring a blush to her cheeks.
“I am glad,” she said, noticing that he hadn’t let go of her arm. Not that she minded. “I… I am sure it will be a memorable evening for us all.”
“Of that, I am sure.”
Val led her towards the keep entry, with the mild evening sky above and the hall across the bailey, light emitting from the lancet windows. Val moved through the entryway but Vesper paused, drinking it all in. It was a beautiful night.
“This place reminds me of Eynsford,” she said wistfully, looking across the torch-lit bailey. “Such a lovely castle. Have you ever been there, my lord?”
Val nodded. “I have been there on business,” he said. “But I have never seen you there.”
Vesper looked at him, smiling weakly. “That is because Lady Eynsford was very careful with her ladies, my lord,” she said. “Whenever Lord William had visitors, we were kept away. I would have never known you were there.”
Val lifted his eyebrows. “I do not blame Lady Eynsford for keeping you away from male visitors. One look at you and men would lay siege to the castle simply to gaze upon your beauty.”
Even in the moonlight, Vesper flushed violently. “I cannot imagine such a thing, my lord,” she said. Then, she began to walk, heading to the steps that led down into the bailey. “I hope they are not waiting for us to arrive. I do not mean to be late.”
She was trying to change the subject, embarrassed that Val’s gentle flirting had caused her to blush. She loved it and was unnerved by it at the same time.
But Val figured that out fairly quickly. Vesper had moved out of his range, her head lowered as she descended the steps,and his hand had dropped from her elbow. The reason for her behavior began to occur to him. He followed.
“You have no idea how lovely you are, do you?” he asked softly.
Vesper wouldn’t look at him, having no idea how to gracefully answer him. “I… I would not know, my lord.”
“Stop addressing me formally. We are old friends now. You may call me Val.”
She came to a stop, looking at him with great surprise. “I… I am not sure that is proper, my lord.”
He cocked a disapproving eyebrow at her, reaching out to take her hand. He tucked it into the crook of his elbow, possessively. “It is proper if I say it is proper,” he said. “It is impolite to refuse to call me by my name when I have asked you to. Did you ever think of that?”
She hadn’t. She continued to wallow in embarrassment as he resumed their walk towards the great hall. “I did not mean to offend you,” she said. “I will call you Val if that is your wish.”
“It is. And I would like to call you Vesper but mayhap I will wait until your father gives me permission. I should not like to become too familiar with you and anger McCloud. I have seen what that man can do with a sword and I have no desire to be on the receiving end.”
Vesper’s lips twitched with a smile as she dared to look up at him. “Val,” she repeated as if mulling over the name. “Is that your Christian name? The name you were given at birth?”
He shook his head. “My given name is Valor,” he said. “I am the only son of Sir Gavin de Nerra and Lady Margaretha Byington de Nerra. I was named Valor because that is what my parents wished for me– a life of strength and valor. And you? I did not realize that McCloud was so pious that he would name his child after evening prayers.”
Vesper’s smile grew. “It was my mother’s idea,” she said as the entry to the great hall loomed before them. “She was very devout. I also have a brother named Matins.”
Val could see the door to the hall looming, too, and he slowed his pace. He was enjoying their conversation so much that he didn’t want it to end, knowing that the moment he set foot in the hall, he would lose her company all to himself. He would have to share her.
He didn’t want to.
