“Who?”
“Stephen.”
He kissed her hand again. “I agree completely.” He wanted to shift the subject off of Stephen. “I regret not having seen you most of the day. I missed you a great deal.”
She felt warmed, giddy, by his declaration. “You did? I missed you also. But I kept busy.”
“Is that so?” he shifted so that his arms were braced on either side of her slender body. “What did you do all day?”
“Went through the trunks you brought from Forestburn.”
“And?”
“And I am missing most of my winter clothing. No cloaks or warm things. With this weather, I am afraid that I shall freeze.”
He nodded in understanding. “I apologize. I grabbed what I could find.”
She reached up and touched his cheek. “I know that,” she said. “I did not mean to criticize. It simply means that I must obtain some winter fabric very soon.”
“Of course,” he nodded. “We can go tomorrow.”
“Go where?”
“Into the village. There are a few merchants there, or at least there were. Hopefully they did not run off when Mortimer’s army invaded.”
Toby nodded, not at all pressed to admit she was looking forward to a shopping trip with Tate. She watched him as he played with her fingers, inspecting the skin and acquainting himself with the texture. He seemed preoccupied and weary. Finally, she gave a squeeze.
“Are you going to tell me why you came to see me?” her eyes were twinkling when he looked at her. “It was not simply to sit on my kitten, was it?”
He relaxed into an easy grin. “Nay,” he said, seeming to hunt for the correct words. Finally he shrugged. “I suppose I simply wanted to see you. I cannot explain it, but you have been on my mind all day and I could think of nothing else but to see you.”
She flushed sweetly. “I am honored,” she said. “And, I will admit, surprised.”
He put her hand against his lips as he spoke. “Why?”
She was having a difficult time concentrating on her train of thought as his lips gently nibbled her flesh. “Because it was only a few days ago that we were at Forestburn and things between us were quite different. A world of difference, in fact; I am still coming to grips with the fact that we are betrothed. And the offer came from a man who openly insulted me when we first met.”
His mouth was still against her hand. “I did no such thing.”
She nodded emphatically. “Aye, you did. You told me that beauty and bad manners were a family trait and that, unfortunately, one trait negates the other.”
He just stared at her. Then he burst out laughing. “Do you memorize everything I say?”
“I have an astounding memory.”
“No doubt,” he sobered, shaking his head. “I shall have to watch what I say around you if you do not easily forget.”
She was smiling in spite of herself, watching the expression on his face. “Nay, I do not forget,” she said softly, her smile fading. “Would you mind, then, telling me what changed your mind about me?”
He cocked a dark eyebrow in mock exasperation. “Must you know everything?”
“I must.”
He was amused. “Suffice it to say that your trait of beauty negated the trait of bad manners. And so did your traits of bravery, intelligence and compassion.”
She watched him as he rubbed his cheek against the back of her hand. Now that they were communicating easily, there were many more questions she wanted to ask him. She was suddenly wildly curious to know more about him, this man who would be her husband. When she thought about it, they’d never had a moment to truly sit and come to know each other. Everything had been in passing or during a crisis. But now, there was time.
“Will you be truthful with me?” she asked timidly.
