Cadelyn paused as she thought of the friend she’d left behind. Her last memory of Lily-Elsie was of the young woman weeping as she rode away in the misty dawn and it made her sad tothink about it. Silly, flighty, but sweet Lel was all alone now that Cadelyn and Susanna had departed. Cadelyn reflected on her for a moment longer before returning her focus to the game at hand.
And the question.
“It is my turn now,” she said, setting the jumped piece aside. “You told me that you were not betrothed, but is there anyone special waiting for you?”
It was a rather personal question but Kress didn’t flinch. There were no rules, after all. Reaching out, he moved one of his pieces, jumping another of hers.
“Nay,” he said. “What about you? You have already stated your resistance to this betrothal. Because you have someone else in mind?”
Cadelyn shook her head, moving another piece and jumping one of his. “Nay,” she said. “If we are being perfectly honest, about three years ago, there was a young squire I thought was rather handsome. He served with Baron Somerhill, an ally of de Winter.”
Kress nodded. “I know Baron Somerhill, Marcus Burton,” he said. “A stunning warrior with a great history of service to England. Who was the squire?”
“Peter de Lohr,” she said. “He is the son of the Earl of Hereford. Do you know him, too?”
Kress thought on that. “I do not know Peter, but I know his father,” he said. “What does Peter look like?”
“Tall and very blond,” she said. “He is very handsome, too, and he knows it. He tried to flatter me enough so that I would let him kiss me.”
He glanced at her, hearing the outrage in her tone. “And you did not?”
She stiffened. “Never,” she insisted. “He may have been handsome, but I was not going to let him kiss me, not after Iheard he had kissed other girls, too. He is also a year younger than I am. I willnotconsider a man younger than I am.”
Kress had to put his hand to his mouth, casually, so she wouldn’t see his smile. “Shocking,” he said. “And he is the only one you have considered handsome or special?”
“It is my turn to ask the question.”
“Then ask.”
She looked at him a moment. “Where are you from?”
“Roe Cross Castle in Lancashire,” he said. “My father is Lord Longdendale and holds the Honour of Longdendale, a collection of castles and properties to the east of Manchester.”
“And you are his heir.”
“Only one question per move, lady.”
“That was not a question, but a statement.”
He eyed her at the technicality. “I am his heir,” he agreed. “And I have four younger brothers that I have to beat back at every turn, so do not think for one moment that being the heir to Longdendale is an easy role.”
She grinned, flashing those big dimples. “That isnottrue,” she said. “Your brothers are not really vicious… are they?”
She suddenly sounded worried and Kress’ lips twitched with a smile. “Not really. My brothers adore me, and I, them. I could have done worse as far as family is concerned.” He jumped one of her pieces and plucked it from the game board. “What is your favorite thing to cook? You said you like to cook.”
Cadelyn thought seriously on that as she moved her piece, easily jumping one of his. “Stuffed Eggs,” she said. “They are hard boiled eggs, only you remove the yolk and mix it with cheese and herbs, and then you bake it. It is quite delicious. Now, it is my turn to ask another question.”
“As you wish.”
“May I call you Kress?”
The humor of the conversation abruptly fled as he considered her request. It was so much easier when she simply addressed him as “knight”, because there was nothing personal to it. It kept up some kind of imaginary, professional barrier between them. Letting her address him by his name was lowering that protection.
He didn’t want to do it.
“Nay,” he said softly. “I would prefer it if you did not.”
An expression of great disappointment crossed her features and she put her head down, watching him as he jumped one of her pieces and set it aside. But he didn’t ask her a question; he simply waited for her to make the next move.
