“Then that is what we think about from now on,” he said. “That is what we work toward. You spent your time pursuing a man who did not pursue you in return. Imagine how your life will be if you actually pursue a man who wants you to.”
Her smile returned. “It is an astonishing concept,” she said. “I’m assuming that you mean yourself?”
He laughed. “I do,” he said. “I must not have made that clear.”
“Or I am completely dense,” she said. “I wonder… will you tell your brother any of this? That his decision to force a marriage upon you was not a terrible thing?”
Creston shrugged. “I do not know,” he said. “Mayhap. You should know that I am not close to my brother. Until this betrothal came up, I’d not seen him in a few years.”
“You do not get along with him?”
“I do not think he agrees with the choices I have made in life,” he said. “My father was quite upset when I left royal service, more upset when I swore fealty to Lord Exmoor and Blackchurch. In case you’ve not realized it, Blackchurch does not exactly have a spotless reputation.”
Ophelia shook her head. “I would not know,” she said. “I’ve never heard anything at all.”
“Not even while you were at Okehampton?”
“Not that I can recall.”
“Okehampton is not too far from here,” Creston said. “Although we do not really have any contact with them. We do not have contact with any local castles other than Dunstan Castle on the coast to the north.”
“Why Dunstan?”
“Because long ago, the Lord of Dunster thwarted an attack on Blackchurch by men who came in through their shores,” he said. “I do not know the entire story, but Dunster was able to deter them enough to allow Blackchurch to prepare for the attack, which never came. Ever since then, we’ve given Dunster our allegiance. Probably the only castle we have any allegiance to other than Tiverton.”
“Why Tiverton?”
“House of de Long,” he said. “They have a Blackchurch-trained son who did very well for himself.”
“Does Blackchurch feel an allegiance to every graduate?”
“Aye, because it is so difficult to complete the entire course.”
Ophelia didn’t have any further questions after that. They were still standing in front of the hearth, holding hands, standing on hides given to them by the Blackchurch wives. But she did have a surprise for him, so she began to pull him over to the new table in the eating chamber.
“Come,” she said. “My new friends have brought us food. So much food. Are you hungry?”
He let her tow him over to the table. “If you wish to eat, I will eat with you,” he said. “But I will admit that I’ve had too much to drink this morning, so I will probably pass on any more wine.”
She looked at him. “Are you drunk?”
“Do I seem drunk?”
She grinned. “I really do not know,” she said. “I only just met you yesterday.”
He laughed softly. “Surely you know what a drunk man looks like.”
She looked him up and down. “You do seem a little happy.”
The smile faded from his face and his hands came up, cupping her face gently between them. For a moment, he simply stared at her, drinking in the sight of her.
“I am,” he whispered.
His lips came down on hers, very carefully at first, as if he were testing the waters, seeing how she would react. Seeing if she knewhowto react. He kissed her once, twice, and then suddenly she was falling against him, her arms going around his neck. Her mouth latched on to his and she pulled him down to her level.
Creston couldn’t have pulled away if he’d tried.
He didn’t try.
