Annaleigh squeezed her hand. “We must ask yer mother if it is all right for ye to go intae the loft,” she said, pointing up to the slats, which were about six inches apart. “’Tis dangerous for a wee lass, so let us ask her first.”
Penelope wasn’t happy with that response. “What if she says we cannot?”
Annaleigh was already turning for the stables’ exit. “Then we shall go intae the kitchens, find the sweets, and eat them all.”
That was an idea that Penelope could agree with, even more than the lure of the kittens. She pulled from Annaleigh’s grip and began to run, no doubt running to Castle Questing’s enormouskeep in search of her mother. Annaleigh laughed softly as she watched her go.
“She is either going tae ask Cousin Jordan if she can go intae the loft or she is simply running straight tae the kitchens tae feed,” she said. “’Tis difficult tae know with that one.”
Shaking her head with mirth, she started to follow Penelope but Talus caught up to her. They walked out of the stables together.
“I think that is a trait most women share,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“They are difficult to predict.”
“God made us that way, lad.”
Talus snorted. “God is a cruel jester sometimes,” he said, but quickly sobered. “May I ask you something, my lady?”
“Of course.”
“Would you allow me to sit with you at the feast this evening?”
He’d asked that before and Annaleigh had given him permission, but with the caveat that it was simply to be friendly. There was no romance involved. Talus understood it; she knew he understood it. But that still didn’t prevent him from asking again and again, hoping that, at some point, she would change her mind. But she never had.
She never would.
She sighed faintly.
“Talus,” she said quietly, pausing to look at him. “I dunna mind if ye sit next tae me at the evening’s feast, but I’ve told ye many times before that I’m not looking for a husband. If ye wish tae sit next tae me so we can speak as friends, then I welcome it. But if ye have a mind tae woo me, I canna have ye impose upon me when ye know I am not interested. Do we understand one another?”
The warm expression faded from his face. “Unfortunately,” he said. His jaw ticked faintly as he struggled for courage to say what he wanted to say. “May… may I ask if you find something unappealing about me? Something you simply do not like? I can change, my lady. I can change whatever it is you do not seem to care for.”
She put up her hands to stop his rambling. “There is nothing about ye that I would change,” she said. “I simply dunna want a husband right now.”
“But someday?”
“Of course,” she said. “I want a husband and family, like all lasses.”
“But not now.”
“Not now.”
“And that goes for Anthony as well?”
“It goes for every man.”
He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t want to be unchivalrous. It was obvious that he’d been hoping for a different answer. However, he took comfort in the fact that it wasn’t only him– it applied to everyone.
Especially his archrival, Anthony.
“I suppose I cannot fault you for your conviction,” he said after a moment. “But I simply do not understand a woman of your age that does not want to marry. I could understand if you faulted me the fact that I am English and you are Scots, but I’m starting to think there is something wrong with me.”
He believed that, too. Annaleigh could see it in his eyes. Sighing heavily, she reached out and looped her arm through his, tugging him along with her as she resumed her walk towards the keep.
“Talus, there is nothing wrong with ye,” she said. “Ye’re a fine young knight.”
