Even now, as she looked at the powerful young knight, she could see the hope and interest in his eyes. It was the same expression she’d seen from the start.
But she simply wasn’t interested.
“Good day tae ye, Sir Talus,” she said after a moment, forcing herself to be polite to a man who had been most persistent. “How may I be of service?”
Talus smiled, dimples carving into each cheek. He had the du Reims curly hair, tumbling to his shoulders, giving him a rather barbaric and romantic look.
“I heard screaming,” he said, looking straight at Penelope. “I came to see if you needed help.”
Annaleigh looked at Penelope, too, who was gazing innocently at the big knight. “I think I have the situation under control,” Annaleigh said. “These things pass quickly with the little lass.”
“As I’ve seen.”
“We are on the hunt for kittens.”
Talus took it as an invitation. “Ah,” he said, walking past them and entering the stables. “It is the time of year when many are born. When I was young, I used to have a cat all my own.”
“You did?” Penelope was quite intrigued as she followed him. “Did your mother let you have him?”
Talus nodded. “She did,” he said. “My father did not think a cat was a suitable pet for a lad, but I loved that cat. Do you know what his name was?”
“What?”
“William.”
Penelope grinned, displaying little, white baby teeth. “That’s my papa’s name!”
Talus laughed softly. “I know,” he said. “But I swear that was his name. William was my favorite cat.”
“Where did you live?”
“At a great and mighty castle called Thunderbey. It is far to the south.”
“Do you miss your home?”
Talus lifted his gaze to Annaleigh, fixing her in the eyes. “Sometimes,” he said. “But there is much in the north to keep me here.”
He meant Annaleigh and she knew it immediately. It was a game he’d been playing with her almost since the day they’d met and he was becoming bolder about it, which annoyed her. Without giving him a hint of any reaction one way or the other, she took Penelope by the hand, pulling the girl over to the ladder that led up to the loft.
“Up there,” she said, pointing overhead. “I think there are some kittens. Mayhap Sir Talus will climb up the ladder and look for us.”
Talus was already to the ladder, preparing to climb, but Penelope began to fuss.
“I want to climb!” she said, pointing to it. “Can I not climb?”
Truthfully, the ladder wasn’t very tall. Perhaps only slightly taller than Talus, who was a fairly tall man. He crooked his finger at Penelope, who rushed over to him. He lifted her up by the hips, just high enough so she could get a good look at the loft. After a few moments, she began to crow.
“I see them!” she said excitedly. “I see the cat and her kittens!”
She was starting to squirm, trying to climb into the loft, and Talus had to hold tight so she wouldn’t get away.
“How many do ye see?” Annaleigh called to her.
“Many!” Penelope said. She didn’t really know how to count, for she was too young to have been taught her sums, but she excitedly held up a hand with splayed fingers. “This many!”
She was squirming so much that Talus had to quickly lower her because she was in danger of falling out of his grip. Once her feet hit the ground, she rushed to Annaleigh and tugged on her hand.
“Please, Annie,” she said. “I want to see the kittens!”
