Her confusion grew. “How?”
“Because I was informed of the same thing.”
That didn’t make sense to her, still. “You… you were informed that I was betrothed?”
He sighed faintly. “I was informed thatIwas betrothed,” he said. “I was told that I was betrothed to the daughter of Harald de Efford, Lord Eckington. She is a widow with two children. Does she sound familiar to you? Mayhap you know her.”
Catalina stared at him. Then her eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth in shock. “It’s you!” she said through her fingers. “Youare the prince?”
He nodded. “I am,” he said. “I am Horus Essien Nazimuddin Mei al-Kort, named for the falcon-headed god of protection and healing from my mother’s native country. In the country of my birth, Kitara, my father was the king. I am ashehzadah, a prince, known as thedosara beta, or the second son. My brother is the heir, now presumably king of a bereft country. It was destroyed, and that is why I find myself in England. My lady, I do not know how you feel about this betrothal, but if you are disappointed, know that I had no choice in the matter. I am very sorry if you are unhappy about it.”
Catalina still had her hands over her mouth. She was looking at Essien with bulging eyes, ready to pop out of her head. Her breathing seemed to come in odd gasps until she finally pulled her hands away and emitted something of a cough.
“I think I need to sit down,” she said, sounding weak. “Forgive me… I do not mean to be rude… but I must sit down.”
Essien immediately went to take her arm to steady her. He didn’t even think about it. The lady was in distress and he meant to help, so he quickly took her arm and escorted her over to the wall where there were several thick logs, tree stumps, that the soldiers used to sit upon. Catalina lowered herself onto one.
He could see her hands shaking.
“May I fetch you something to drink?” he said, unsure what to do at this point. “Or would you simply prefer to be left alone?”
She didn’t say anything for a moment. She just kept breathing and blinking, with a sort of dazed expression on her face. Then she took a deep and rather ragged breath before looking up at him.
“You should stay,” she said. “You should stay and sit down. We seem to be in a predicament together, and rather than avoid each other, we should probably discuss it.”
Essien sat right down, his back straight, facing her as she struggled to regain her composure. “We are certainly in a shocking situation together,” he said. “Well, shocking for us, anyway. A marriage contract is not shocking. But it can be when it is forced upon unsuspecting victims.”
She nodded. Then she took another deep breath and blew it out. “My God,” she said. “You have my deepest apologies, my lord. I know how my father is, and if he browbeat you into accepting this, I cannot adequately express my embarrassment. Please know that I did not know about any of this until he told me a short time ago.”
“You did not know this afternoon when we met?”
“Nay,” she said. “Did you?”
“I did not,” he said. “However, when I was told of the betrothal, and whom it was with, I will admit that I had visions of you attacking me from behind and trying to gouge my eyes out as we stood before the priest.”
There was a glimmer of mirth in his eyes. Catalina saw it. She tried not to smile but couldn’t help it. She tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help that, either. Suddenly, she was ringing with laughter, her hands over her face in shame.
“God’s Bones, what you must think of me,” she said. “I swear to you that I am not a violent person by nature. Quite the contrary.”
He held up a hand to ease her, a grin on his face. “I know,” he said. “You thought I was absconding with your child and you protected her, as a mother should.”
“Exactly,” she said sincerely, sobering. “Only a madwoman would take on a man twice her size if it were not something truly important.”
He nodded. “I realize that,” he said. “But you were most impressive. And fearsome. Those are excellent traits for a woman.”
Those were kind words, but it didn’t distract her from the subject at hand. The smile faded from her face as she looked into his eyes, the color of a pale cat’s-eye stone.
“I probably should not ask you how you feel about the betrothal, but I will,” she said. “Since neither one of us can break it, it does not matter how we feel. But mayhap we should speak of what you expect from me.”
His brow furrowed curiously. “Expect?”
“Aye,” she said. “For example, if you wish for me to marry you but remain living with my father, I will do so. Having a wife must be shocking enough, but having the burden of a wife and her two children must be a truly horrific thought for a man such as yourself.”
His furrowed brow had turned into a frown. “What kind of man do you think I am?”
She gestured in the direction of the tournament field. “I meant that you must travel with the tournament circuit, so a wife tagging along must be quite a burden,” she said. “You have had your freedom. I do not wish to impose on the life you have lived.”
He scratched his chin as he thought on her statement. “Then you wish to stay with your father?”
