She ran at him without hesitation and carried her over to sit at the desk. Mazey cleaned up their mess and while doing so, listened to the exchange between daughter and father.
“Mazey is teaching me letters, and she says she’s learning herself. Ah dunno how to do it all yet, but ah learned a few of the sounds,” Siusan bragged.
“Well done, my daughter. Mazey, are ye interested in learning to read?” Baile asked her curiously.
“Ah have little use for it to be honest. What would ah do with reading?” She said the words quickly before her brain registered that she probably shouldn’t say things like that to the clan chief. “Ah mean… ah just mean. Ah dunno. Ah’m glad ye’re teaching Siusan and that ye taught Malmuira too.”
He laughed. “Nay, it’s okay for ye to have an opinion. My daughter by marriage, Lara, she never wanted to learn. Drives her husband crazy, because he swears she would love it. But it’s her choice.”
“Why would she love it?” Mazey couldn’t think of one reason she would love reading. It would just make her more of an outcast than she already was.
“Knowledge is always a good thing. Ah have some books passed down for many years—poetry and such. And the record keeping has helped over the years. Ah really think the more literate our country is, the better off we’ll be.” He spoke with sincerity and vigor. “No matter though, thank ye for helping Siusan learn. Sometimes ah go on about things that aren’t a bother to anyone else.” He smiled sweetly at Siusan who squished her father’s cheeks together and then giggled. “Are ye all ready for bed?”
Siusan put on her best pouty face. “Nay, ah want to stay up with ye. Ah’m not tired.”
Mazey sighed. “Siusan, ye’ve not been tired since Mal got here. Ah swear, if ah have to convince ye one more time ye’re supposed to be in bed, ah’ll have to make ye sleep in the stables.”
This comment didn’t even phase Siusan. In fact, it had the opposite effect of what she wanted it to. “Aye! Ah wanna sleep with the horses. That would be fun.”
Baile looked crossly at Mazey. She shrugged her shoulders back at him. It was his daughter that was being difficult.
“Nay, Siusan, ye’ll go to bed now and ah’ll not hear another word about it. And if ye give Mazey any more sass about the time she puts ye to bed, ah’ll make sure ye don’t see the horses for a week.”
Siusan’s bottom lip trembled, but she knew not to argue with her father. He rarely made proclamations, but when he did, he meant it. She got off of his lap and stomped out of the study.
Mazey smiled gently at Baile. “Thank ye. She really is a joy to take care of. It’s just been since Malmuira got here that she doesn’t want to go to bed. Ah think’s it’s excitement, but it’s difficult.”
Baile nodded and grabbed her hand before she left. “Would ye like to go for a walk with me in the garden after ye put Siusan down to bed?”
Mazey’s mind flashed back to the dream from the night before and she felt her cheeks flush. “Aye,” she responded before scurrying out of the room.
Baile waited on the bench,in the garden, where he liked to work. The moon was out, so even though it was night, the path was well lit.
As Mazey approached, she couldn’t help but ask, “Do ye think it’s okay to be seen together without Siusan?”
Baile sighed in response. She irritated him with the question, but it needed asked. “Ah dunno.”
She felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach and she turned away. It wasn’t okay. He needed to protect his reputation. He grabbed her hand and whirled her around. She flinched back, shielding her head with her arm. She took a moment to realize what happened. She put her arm back down and straightened herself up, embarrassed she reacted that way. The defensive movements were second nature and not easily forgotten.
“Ah’ll not hurt ye, Mazey.” Baile’s eyebrows furrowed low over his eyes and he drew his lips together. “Ye’ll never be hurt again. Ah’ll not allow it.”
Mazey hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear those words.
“Ah know ye wouldn’t hurt me,” she whispered. “Ah can’t help how ah react. It’s been so long.”
Baile pulled her in to a hug. His movements were slow. “It takes time to heal. Ah’ll be here with ye until it does, and after if ye allow it.”
A surge of emotions welled up in her. “What do ye want from me?” she asked. Bitter tears welled up inside her. There was no way this wonderful man could want her—would want to help her for nothing in return.
Baile pulled away from her and looked down at her with an expression she couldn’t bear to see. Hurt. S
“Haven’t ye realized it yet, ye silly girl? Ah want to take care of ye. Ah want to keep ye. Ah want for us to love each other. Have ah not made that clear? Ah want to let ye heal first and if ye never do, then ah will be here with ye and ah’ll hold yer hand and talk to ye.”
“But why?” A gust of wind blew in the scent of heather from the field near the keep.
“Because ah love ye.” He kissed her cheek.
A lightning bolt zapped through her. He loved her? How could it be? Tears fell down her cheeks.
