She grinned. “I haven’t heard that name in years.”
He mentally shook himself. The child. His gaze swept her face, from the wisps of dark hair that hung over her forehead to her startling blue eyes past her pert nose to her bowed full lips. Not a child. Not the girl he remembered. “I remember…” Holding her in his arms, carrying her to the castle. He shook himself. “The last time I saw you… it was a long time ago.”
“Aye. I believe the last time I saw you was…when I was very young. You never visited with your father and brother.”
“No,” he agreed. “I was sent away to squire with my uncle. Michael must have explained all of this to you.”
She remained silent, staring at him with an intensity that unnerved him.
He had purposely stayed away. Away from Michael, but he had no intention of telling her that.
“And yet you returned now.”
“My brother is getting married. There was no excuse for me not to come.”
“Were you looking for an excuse not to come?”
Definitely. He opened his mouth to respond and then closed it. How could he tell her that he and his brother were not on the best terms? “Not an excuse. There are many reasons I haven’t returned.” The furrow of concern in her brow caused him to pause. This was a mistake. He was not looking forward to seeing Michael. Then why had he come?
“Gabe!”
The voice broke the strained silence like glass shattering.
Gabriel stepped away from Eve, eyeing her apprehensively. “Here!”
A moment later, Henry crashed through the brush. He wasn’t as quiet or as used to forests as Gabriel was. He grew up in the city of Cambridge. “God’s blood!” he exclaimed, fighting his arm free of a branch. “What sort of witchcraft surrounds this place?”
Eve gasped. “Henry?”
Henry turned to her. His gaze swept her appreciatively and a slow welcoming smile spread over his lips. “And who do I have the pleasure –”
He never finished the sentence. Eve raced forward, throwing her arms around him. “It’s me, Henry! It’s Eve!”
Henry jerked back to look down at Eve. Startled shock raced through him.
Gabriel had the pleasure to watch his friend struggling with recognition. She certainly was not the child they both remembered.
“Little Evie?” Henry asked.
Eve smiled, and Gabriel’s heart did a little jump of excitement at the radiance.
“God’s blood!” Henry grabbed her in a tight embrace and lifted her off her feet to swing her around in a circle.
Her laughter echoed through the glade.
A happier tune, Gabriel didn’t know.
Henry set her on her feet. He ruffled her hair, causing strands to come free from the braid she wore down her back. “Little Evie is getting married.”
“I’m so glad you came,” she said and included Gabriel with a happy look. “Both of you.” She held Henry’s hand tightly and looked at Gabriel. “I am glad you accepted our invitation. Michael was certain you would not come.”
The joy of the moment filtered from Gabe and he narrowed his eyes slightly. Of course he was. After what Michael had done to Gabe. Gabriel suddenly felt the old feeling of betrayal rise within him. He glanced at Henry.
Eve put a long-sleeved covered hand on his arm. “I am delighted you came.”
Suddenly, as Gabe locked eyes with Eve, nothing else seemed important. Only making her happy. And as he realized what he was thinking, he knew the mistake he had made. He shouldn’t be here.
Chapter Two
