It took a while for him to find his voice. Even longer for his mind to make sense of the question.
I would leave the service of Rory Baine.The words were on his lips, but loyalty—to Callum if no one else—meant he could not utter them.
“I would work the fields.” Instead, he voiced his youthful ambition. “As a farmer,” he clarified. “Just as my father before me. With land to pass onto my sons.”
She nodded slowly, her eyes widening in surprise. “’Tis not common for a warrior to seek a life of peace.”
He thought of his father’s readiness to lay down his weapons. “’Tis more common than you might think.”
Silence fell between them, but it was not an awkward silence. The log crackled in the fire and occasional footsteps sounded overhead. Adam fancied he could hear the old house stretching and settling itself, ready for the night ahead.
Her next question was more hesitant. “You would like sons?”
Adam swallowed. This was not a matter he had given voice to for many years. “Of course. If I were living life as I pleased.”
A pain of some kind flickered in Esme’s eyes. But it had gone as soon as it appeared, leaving Adam to wonder if he had imagined it.
“What about you?” He smiled, to relieve the tension. “What would Esme de Neville do differently?”
Ye Gods, he was not anticipating the shimmer of tears in her beautiful eyes.
But her voice was steady as she replied. “Many things, too many to list here.”
“Tell me just one.” He wanted to see her smile again.
Esme met his gaze levelly. “I will not do that until we have more wine.” Before he could protest, she had crossed the room and pulled again on the bell rope.
“’Tis late,” he tried, pursing his lips regretfully.
But Esme shook her head, golden hair flying out around her. “You asked me a question and I shall give you an answer.” She looked inside her goblet and replaced it on the table with a huff of displeasure. “Entirely empty,” she explained.
This time, Jennifer anticipated the request and brought a full pitcher of wine into them. Adam eyed the scarlet liquid and tried to ignore the voice of warning in his head.
Esme refilled their goblets and sat back, cradling hers. “If I could do anything I pleased, I would learn how to wield a sword.”
Adam all but choked on his mouthful of wine.
“That is not what I expected to hear.” He was pleased to see Esme’s customary smile return.
“I am a woman of surprises.”
“You are.” His mind sounded another note of warning. But the wine was rich and good, and Adam found that he could easily ignore these warnings. “Might I ask why?”
“Why I wish to train with a sword?”
He nodded.
“Is that not obvious?” Esme’s fingertips drew imaginary circles on the table. “If I could wield a sword well, I could protect myself.”
“You would have no need of me?” The words came from him before he could think better of them.
But Esme’s eyes danced as she met his challenge. “I would have need of no man.” She put her goblet on the table and opened her arms wide. “I could go wherever I pleased, and no man would say’tis not safe for you to stay here.”
“As Callum did?”
“Exactly that.”
“But soon you will marry and have a wealthy husband to protect you.” His gaze clashed with hers and held it.
