Page 68 of Lord of Misrule

“Now? My sister is having her baby!”

“Yes, she is. And she is in good hands. This will only take a minute—now please, look at me. I have something I need to say.”

“What is it?” She turned to see him.

“I think you have the wrong idea about...about what we did together.”

“I know you did it out of pity.”

“Nay! That’s not true.”

“Raven told me that Jarvis told her that is what you said.”

“Jarvis,” he growled. “I am going to kill him.”

“Can we go now?”

“Nay, we can’t. I am trying to tell you that I have strong feelings for you, Kit.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You do?”

“Feelings of lust. Glad I could help you out with that.”

“Stop it. I care for you, sweetheart. More than I’ve ever cared for anyone before.”

“Well, you sure have a strange way of showing it.”

“I might have said I bedded you out of pity, but it was only because my brothers were giving me a hard time. I didn’t mean it.”

“Tolin, it doesn’t matter. It’s over, so just forget it.”

“Forget it? Is that what you want?”

“Yes. It is what I want because this is only slowing me down. Now please, I need to get to Brenna.”

“I see. Yes, I suppose that is most important.”

They rode back to the castle without saying another word. Once there, she slipped off the horse before he did, not wanting him to touch her waist to help her dismount.

“Kit, Kit,” called out Oliver, seeing her and running over.

“Oliver, is Brenna all right?” she asked the man.

“I think so. The midwife and Lady Raven are with her but they won’t let me into the room.”

“Of course not. You’re a man. I’ll go to her at once.” Kit ran off, not bothering to look back at Tolin because thinking of making love with him was the last thing she needed in her life right now.