Athena stopped in front of him and tilted her head back, a curious expression on her face. “And did ye find it?”
“Nay.” He blew out a breath. “Today we admitted defeat.”
But the memory of thevictorywhich had come soon after that admission had a slow smile creeping back across his face.
“And that is what has ye so happy? Or is it the housemaid?—”
“Nay!” Phin shook his head emphatically. “There’s nae housemaid. There’s only Olive.”
Slowly, Athena’s eyes widened. “Phineas Oliphant, do ye mean to say while the rest of the house party thought ye were digging in the dirt, ye and Olive were…”
When she trailed off, Phin grinned proudly. “I took her maidenhead?—”
His sister’s hand flashed out and her palm connected sharply with his cheek. Phin was more surprised than hurt, and when he reared back, his head slammed against the doorframe. “Ow! What was that for?”
“Ye and Olive—” she began, but he interrupted.
“Ye said yewantedus to be together! I didnae think ye’d object this strongly,” he finished in irritation, his hand coming up to probe at his stinging cheek.
His sister’s expression softened. “I dinnae object to the two of ye finding pleasure together. I object to yer phrasing.” Her brows dipped in. “If she is nae longer a virgin, thanks to ye, it wasnae that ye ‘took her maidenhead,’ Phineas. Shegaveherself to ye.”
“And there’s a difference?”
It wasn’t a question, but Athena nodded sadly. “Aye, there is a difference. It is about choice, and Olive chose ye. She is likely the smartest woman I have met, so if she chose ye, I believe it was the right choice.” Her long finger stabbed at Phin’s chest. “Dinnae make me doubt her brain.”
He had to grin at the strange endorsement, even though his cheek ached. He wrapped a hand around her poking finger and tugged her closer. “I love her,” he admitted proudly. “I’ve alreadyhad a long talk with her brother, and he agrees we’ll do well together.”
“Married?” Athena asked, so suspiciously, he had to chuckle.
“Aye, ye dobber.Married.I’m going to ask her.”
“Why did ye no’ ask her when ye were—” She hesitated.
“Mid-coitus? Post-coitus? Blissfully holding her atop me? The bit where my great manhood was inside?—”
The noise his sister made was half-gasp half-laugh as she smacked her free hand over Phin’s lips. “Shush! But…aye. Why no’ ask her then?”
Since her hand was still over his mouth, he made a point of mumbling incoherent syllables until she removed it with a grin.
“Well, Phin? I am waiting to see what kind of excuse ye have.”
Suddenly uncertain, he shrugged. “Um…well, frankly, I didnae ask her, because I wasnae certain of her response.”
Athena suddenly stuck her head out the door and looked up and down the hall. When she straightened again, she lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “She gave herself to ye, and yewerenae sureif she wanted to marry ye?”
He shrugged again. “I wasnae sure—still am no’ certain—she loves me.”
His sister’s eyes narrowed further. “Is she certainyeloveher?”
From the way she said it, it was obvious Athena didn’t expect the answer to beaye. So Phin lifted his chin and told her the truth. “I told her so quite a few times, and each time, she ignored my words.”
Frowning, Athena pulled away. “I ken I only just met her, but that doesnae sound like her. She wouldnae just…just…useye like that. Olive loves ye, I am certain of it. She wouldnae have given herself to ye for any other reason.”
Feeling vulnerable, Phin shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets again. “Well… I dinnae ken. I love her and I told her so, and each time, she brushed me off as if I’d said naught.”
“She is hard of seeing, no’ hard of hearing,” his sister mumbled. “Perhaps she didnae understand…?”
I love ye. How difficult was that to understand?
