“You place too much unwarranted faith in me, Joseph.”
“That I do, and yet you have never let me down.”
“You have never given me an opportunity to.”
“Did you drop the candle?’ he asked as he slowly closed his eyes. Catriona didn’t miss that throughout this inane conversation, he was still holding on to her wrist. She could easily pull away now. It seemed he was still exhausted enough to loosen his grasp. If she stepped away right now, she doubted he would do anything to stop her a second time.
But for some reason, she stayed there as she murmured, “No, I did not.”
“My point exactly.”
Catriona stared at him for a long moment before she asked, “Why are you here?”
His eyelashes fluttered. “Odd. I thought I lived here.”
Catriona raised her eyes to the ceiling in silent exasperation.
“You’re rolling your eyes at me, aren’t you?”
Her heart skipped a beat. Catriona watched as he opened his eyes, taking in the stunned look on her face, and the most marvelous, most unimaginable thing happened.
He smiled.
It was a soft curve of his lips that told of how relaxed he was. His hand slipped away from her wrist, but she was still held captive, this time by the sheer difference his smile made.
“I knew it,” he murmured. “I am beginning to understand you bit by bit.”
Catriona swallowed, willing her heart to stop its rampaging. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“What was your question? Oh, why I am here?” Joseph shifted, sitting up fully. He seemed to be completely awake now, and that smile he had graced her with was gone. “I came here to read something before bed, but instead of getting a book, I just sat down here instead. I suppose today was so tiring that my body could do nothing else. I don’t know when I fell asleep.”
“Hm, well I suppose getting married and then leaving one’s wife alone for the rest of the day could make anyone tired.”
“Forgive me.” Joseph dragged his hand down his face before fixing her with a solemn look. “I had business to take care of and?—”
“Yes, yes, whatever it is must have certainly been far more pressing than ensuring I was settled in.”
He tilted his head to the side, studying her. “You’re upset.”
“What gave you that idea?”
“I don’t just mean right now. From before. There is something bothering you, and I am beginning to think that I may be the reason.”
“You aren’t,” she protested, but she doubted she was very convincing. So, she walked away instead, needing the distance. She chose the armchair just a few feet away.
“Then what’s bothering you?”
“Nothing is?—”
“You shouldn’t lie to me, Catriona. I don’t like lies.”
“I cannot imagine that anyone does,” she told him. “But I am telling you the truth. I am not upset with you.”
“But you are upset.”
She sighed. “Can’t we end this conversation? It will only result in us going back and forth contradicting each other.”
“That would be splendid. As long as you tell me what ails your mind, we can be done with it.”
