“Why would you say that?”
“Oh, come on Mitsy. Your face is all red just from talking about him. And Mits…everyone is capable of love. If he took the time to tell you that he wasn’t, he obviously likes you very much.”
“Well, that’s what I thought! But when I gave him the perfect opportunity to ’fess up, he was a total wuss.”
He didn’t know what that was, but was he really so transparent?
Quietly, he stepped away from the doorway but stopped at Bri’s next question. The question he wanted to know the answer to since soon after he met her.
“What are you going to do? Will you stay here?”
Mitsy stood close to him, leaning against the wall he supposed, for her voice when she spoke sounded right next to him. He could offer nothing, but he wished with every fiber that she would stay.
“I expect I’ll leave. I love you, Bri, but I couldn’t stay here with you and your family. It wouldn’t be right, and there’s not much for a woman on her own to do around here.”
He shouldn’t have expected her to stay, but his heart felt like lead in his chest at the thought of her being centuries ahead of him. If she wanted to leave, it would be wrong of him to stop her.
He moved away from the door and made haste down the hallway. The castle walls suddenly restrained him. He needed to get outside to clear his head, to remind himself that he’d only known the lass a few short days.
*
Bri waited until his footsteps disappeared before she looked at me knowingly. “How long did you know he was standing on the other side of that door?”
I laughed, pleased with myself. “I heard him walking down the hallway before he ever stopped. You did too, right? Why did he think no one would notice the sudden lack of movement?”
Bri stood and moved to put her arm around me grinning. “Yes, I noticed. So you really don’t have any intention of leaving, right? Please say you don’t.”
I reached up to pat her arm. “No, I’m not going to leave right away. I don’t know if I’ll stay forever, but if it’s alright, I’d like to stay for a while. I have this magic rock that Morna gave me so I can go back to our own time whenever I want, but the truth is I have little to go back to. You and your mother are the closest thing I have to family. Until I figure out what it is I really want, I’d like to stay.”
Bri squeezed me and stepped away so that she could point at the door. “Good! Now, go and find him and see how upset he is. If he has any sense, he’ll talk you out of leaving. I expect you’ll find him sitting out on the outer wall. He hung out there a lot when he was here caring for Blaire. I’ll show you the way.”
I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake by lying, but I wanted to see if he would be bothered at the thought of me leaving. I suspected by his sudden disappearance from the doorway that he was, but I supposed I would find out for sure soon enough. “Was it wrong for me to do that?”
Bri looked over her shoulder at me as we walked down the hallway. “Not at all, girl. It was very well played.”
Chapter 20
I found him where Bri expected, and it pleased me to see that he did look very upset about something. He glanced backward at me as I crawled out on the edge to sit beside him but said nothing.
“Thank you.” I leaned in to him, just barely nudging my shoulder with his to get his attention.
He didn’t turn to look at me, instead facing straight ahead as he spoke. “For what, lass?”
“For bringing me all the way here. You didn’t have to.”
His arms crossed and he appeared uncomfortable. “Aye, I did, lass. I couldna allow ye to travel alone.”
He wasn’t going to give me the answer I searched for, not without a little prying anyways. “And I suppose that’s the only reason you brought me? You just couldn’t stand the thought of me not being safe?”
“Aye. I did no less than any decent man would.”
I crossed my own arms as I turned my body to stare at the side of his head. My temper flared and, if he didn’t watch it, he would find himself on the receiving end of some serious ginger rage. It was unfair of him to be so cool toward me. “So, when you will return home?”
“At sunrise. I have responsibilities at home. I have been away for too long.”
I couldn’t believe that he planned on leaving so soon. I thought he would at least stay a few days. “Well,” I could hardly utter the lie. “I guess this is goodbye then. I’m planning on returning home tonight.”
“Aye? Well, safe journey to ye, lass.”
About to cry, I didn’t wish for him to see me do so. I spun myself around so that I could crawl off the ledge and re-enter the castle. He stared straight ahead, behaving as if my leaving was of no consequence to him.