His sincerity was soft but unmistakable. She believed him immediately. “Then tell mewhyye want tae call on me,” she asked softly. “Do ye have a purpose in mind? Because I dunna want a friend in ye. That wouldna be proper if we are both unmarried.”
“You want to know my intent?”
“Aye.”
“Must I be plain so soon?”
“If ye want tae return tae here specifically tae see me, then ye must. I think I have a right.”
He sighed. “My intent would be to come to know you,” he said. “If you are as remarkable as I think you are, then it would be a natural progression.”
“What progression?”
“Marriage, of course.”
That made her suck her breath in sharply, purely out of surprise. Although she had an idea that was what he might say, to hear him verbalize it was something else altogether. Suddenly, all she could think of was their differences, things she’d thought of before that had driven her to great disappointment. War was a great knight.
She wasn’t anything to speak of, at least not in her mind.
Didna he know that?
“But I’m a clan chief’s daughter,” she finally said. “I’m Scots.”
“I am aware.”
“But ye’re Henry’s favored knight.” She pointed out the obvious as if he’d gone mad. “Men like ye dunna marry Scots with no money, no title, no property. Ye marry a woman who can give ye all those things that I canna.”
His eyes were glimmering again. “If I met a woman with courage, warmth, and beauty and she was rich and titled, then I would consider her,” he said evenly. “But if I meet a woman with courage, warmth, and beauty who is a clan chief’s daughter, I will consider her, too. My lady, I do not make this decision lightly. I do not choose a woman based on the size of her purse. I choose a woman based on the size of her heart.”
It was the most beautiful thing Annaleigh had ever heard. She truly had nothing to say about it because he’d explained himself quite clearly. She understood him implicitly.
But she still couldn’t believe it.
“Ye’re certain of this?” she asked, incredulous.
“I am.”
He wasn’t wavering. Any more doubt on her part and he might forget the whole thing, so she struggled to come to grips with it.
To accept it.
“Then if ye’re certain, I would be agreeable tae having ye call,” she said. “But ye must ask William first. I’m his ward, so ye must ask his permission.”
War was trying to keep the smile of victory off his lips as she agreed to his proposal but he couldn’t quite manage it.
“But what of your father?” he said. “Shouldn’t I ask him?”
Annaleigh shook her head. “My da sent me tae Castle Questing,” she said. “He sent me tae stay, I believe. I dunna think he wants me tae return, so ye must ask William.”
That made things easier for War, to be sure. “I will,” he said. “May I ask him today?”
“Ye may ask him whenever ye feel the time is right.”
“I think the time is right now.”
Annaleigh laughed softly. “There’s no rush, ye know,” she said. “’Tis not as if I’ve got a horde of men lining up tae marry me.”
War cocked an eyebrow. “Nay, but you have two knights who are particularly interested in you,” he said, his gaze moving to the walls. “I will have to find them and tell them that you are not to be harassed any longer or my wrath will be swift.”
