“Wha’ are ye doing here?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
He could scarce tell her the truth. It had been well over ten years since he’d held a sword in his hand with any real intent.
Fortunately, she did not wait for his reply. Instead, she clamped her fingers to his forearm. “Are ye planning to leave?”
“What?”
“Are ye intending to leave Murtray? Take off down the road, just, wi’ Brada on your back? Because I refuse to stay at home, I mean.”
“Lass, alanna, I would no’ do that.” He meant to leave here, aye, but only at her side.
“Are ye certain? Reagan said ye are acting strangely.” Her fingers tightened.
“Reagan, is it?”
“I wondered—I wondered if ye meant to strike back at me.”
“I would no’ do that either.” Love did not strike back.
“Or if I had done somewhat last night”—here she lowered her voice, even though no one could possibly hear them in the racket of the yard—“to displease ye.”
“Displease me?” He had to close his eyes for an instant, the emotions came so strong. “Nay, and nay.”
“Then come.”
“Where?”
She bent a look on him. “Just come.”
People did stare when she led him away. Finlay supposed it made a strange enough sight for the chief’s daughter to be hauling off the harper. Katrin hissed between her teeth and let go of him.
“Go to yer chamber. I will be right up.”
“Eh?”
She bent a look upon him that left nothing to the imagination.
“Now?” he asked. In the midst of the day. Broad daylight.
She stepped closer, so close he could see the dark ring around the pale iris in her eyes. “I mean to ha’ ye again. Will ye argue wi’ it?”
“Nay, mistress.” His whole body came alight. “No’ me.”
She marched off away from him, her hips swinging with confidence. A spear of delight pierced him. Och, and she was today as she had ever been, if only she knew it. So far, she did not. She had not remembered. Mayhap if they lay together again?
It would take much less than that to persuade him.
She was waiting when he reached the corridor outside his chamber, and her door swung open before he could touch his. She reached out and seized him, towed him in.
Her lips were on his before the door finished closing. Aye, this was the woman he remembered. The one eternally his own.
*
Katrin did notcare that it was still daylight. Dark would fall soon enough, though she had not the patience to wait for it. She could not say what had got into her. The effects of that which had passed between herself and Finlay last night, mayhap. Or the way the stories he had told kept sneaking up to capture her. The dream she’d had while in his arms. The man himself.
All she knew was, they had not many days left between them. She wanted all the nights with him. And if the night was to begin early, then well enough.
She leaned up and kissed him. He tasted wonderful, did the harper, sweet as honey mead, his mouth warm and somehow instantly her undoing. If she’d had any resistance left, it would have deserted her then.
