Tor could see his cousin heading in their direction, her braids lifting in the wind. “I think she would very much like to see your new things,” he said. “She is not a selfish girl. She would not begrudge you your happiness. You are happy, aren’t you?”
Isalyn gazed up at him, a smile playing on her lips. “Very much, my provincial knight,” she teased. “And you?”
“Very much, my reckless old bride.”
They laughed at each other as Isabella came near. “Stop looking so deliriously happy,” she snapped, though it was in good fun. “You two make me sick and I am certain it is only going to get worse.”
Tor snorted. “It will, I am positive,” he said. “What are you still doing here? I thought you were going home with your father.”
Isabella cocked an eyebrow. “He drank too much last night and is only now breaking his fast,” she said. “I do not think we will be leaving before tomorrow. Ronan is even worse. He is still in bed.”
Tor grinned. “Where is Uncle Blayth?”
“In his chamber,” Isabella said. “How was your visit to town?”
“Productive.”
Isabella looked around at the party, lugging heavy chests. “Where is Lord de Featherstone?”
“He chose to remain in Carlisle,” he said. “He sent Fraser back with us, however. You should be grateful.”
Isabella looked at him, her eyes narrowing when she saw that he was smirking. “I have no idea what you mean,” she said dismissively, but she quickly changed the subject and tucked her hand into the crook of his free elbow. “Tor… I saw Barbara this morning. She did not know that you and Lady Isalyn are getting married and she… well, may we go somewhere and speak about it?”
It was an unhappy change of focus and Tor lost some of his good mood. “You were not threatened, were you?”
Isabella shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “My father and brother are here. Christian was here also, so I was well protected. But… I must speak to you about it, please.”
He was relieved that Barbara had at least behaved herself while he was away, but he was concerned with the urgency in Isabella’s tone.
“Certainly,” he said. “Let us take these treasures to your chamber and then we may speak.”
“Good,” Isabella said, looking to Isalyn. “Did you get some beautiful things?”
Isalyn nodded eagerly as the focus shifted to her. “The dress Tor selected for me is exquisite,” she said. Then, she held up her hand to show her the wedding ring. “And he bought this for me, too.”
Isabella looked at it closely. “A pretty gold band,” she said. “But no stone?”
Isalyn took the ring off. “No stone,” she said. “This is an ancient Roman wedding ring and what is inscribed inside of it is more valuable to me than any stone. Can you see it?”
Isabella was trying to get a look at it. “Libet te?”
“I choose thee.”
Isabella’s mouth popped open. “Oh, Isalyn,” she gasped. “How beautiful. How sweet!”
Isalyn took the ring and put it back on her finger. “It is both of those things,” she said. “I cannot wait to unpack the trunks so you can see the other things Tor has purchased. He was quite generous.”
Isabella nodded eagerly as Tor turned to the soldiers following them and whistled, motioning towards the apartment block. They headed in that direction and Isabella caught sight of Fraser, bringing up the rear. She let go of Tor and stood aside as the column passed, waiting for Fraser to catch up to her.
His smile upon her was warm.
“Good day, my lady,” he said. “I thought you were going home with your father.”
She took up pace beside him, walking towards the apartment block. “He had too much drink last night,” she said. “Our trip is delayed until tomorrow.”
“Good,” Fraser said. “That gives me more time to talk to you. I was rather lamenting the fact that you would soon be back at Castle Questing.”
Isabella looked at him coyly. “You can always come and visit.”
He grunted. “I would need to speak to your father first before doing that.”
“Just to visit?”
He averted his gaze, struggling with a reply, when he suddenly came to a halt and grasped her by the elbow, pulling her to a halt as well. The soldiers carrying the trunks continued on, following Tor and Isalyn, and Fraser waited until they were far enough away before speaking again.
“I only know to be direct, so I shall be direct now,” he said. “I have been thinking about this all morning. Though we have only known each other for a single day, I found our conversation last night to be most… pleasant. Before you retired for the evening, it was one of the better conversations I have ever had. I found myself quite distressed when your father said that he would be taking you home today.”
Isabella was trying to play it casual. The last time she got excited over a man speaking sweetly to her, she ended up betrothed to a man who left her at the church. Therefore, she wasn’t about to get too excited, as much as she wanted to.
“As I said, you may visit,” she said. “You do not need my father’s permission to visit Castle Questing.”
“I need it if I am to visit you.”
“For what purpose?”
He just stared at her for a moment before lowering his gaze. “Forgive me,” he said. “I thought… surely you are not ready for another man to call upon you so soon after Steffan’s death. But last night, I thought… it does not matter what I thought. That was horribly inconsiderate of me and I deeply apologize.”
He started to back away from her, but Isabella followed, realizing her attempts not to become overexcited had the opposite effect. She put her hand on his arm, grasping him before he could get away.
“Stop,” she commanded softly. “Fraser, I would like very much for you to come to Castle Questing and call on me. I was only trying to coerce you into saying what was on your mind.”
He paused, looking at her rather guardedly. “You need not coerce me into saying what is on my mind,” he said. “Ask me and I shall tell you.”
“Then I am asking. What are your intentions?”
“I would like to court you.”
A smile spread across her lips. “I would like that, too.”
He blinked as if surprised by her answer. “But… Steffan…”
She shook her head. “It was never meant to be,” she said. “He was overwhelming in his pursuit, insincere in his flattering, and probably told me more lies than I care to admit. At the time… well, I had never really had a suitor before and I suppose I fell into the flattery trap. I believed what he told me, but when he did not show up for our marriage, I realized I’d been tricked. It was foolish of me, but it did one thing – any emotion I felt for him was quickly gone until humiliation was the only thing left.”
Fraser’s gaze lingered on her a moment. “You were not the fool,” he said quietly. “He was.”
“That I sweet of you to say so.”
“It is the truth,” Fraser said, lowering his gaze again and taking a deep breath. “I must be further honest, my lady. We spoke briefly on my family last night, but I did not tell you all of it. My family is not wealthy. In fact, I serve de Featherstone because he pays well and I must earn my way in life, so if your father is thinking to marry you to a prestigious knight from a great family, I am afraid that is not me. But I am honorable, loyal, and have worked hard to accumulate what money I have earned. Upon the passing of my father, I will inherit Welton Castle and the title of Lord Faldingworth, and I intend to return my family’s estate to the powerful bastion it used to be, but for now… now, I must serve de Featherstone.”