Annis set a glare on his back. She was wrong. She was not falling in love with the arrogant man. She could love no man who thought to tame her. And worse—if there could be anything worse than being tamed—he was going to discuss the building of the village when she had confided her thoughts of how she would love to do just that. So much for trust.
“What’s keeping you, Annis? I said we, meaning you and me. After all, you are the one with a vision for this village,” Brogan called out.
“Hurry,” Una urged, shooing at Annis. “He respects your talent. My dream is coming true. We will have a home again. Bless you and Lord Brogan.”
Annis had to shake herself before she hurried to catch up with Brogan. Maybe she was too hasty about not falling in love with him. Maybe she would give him another chance.
Annis sat on the ground staring at the hills, mist capping the tops. Another day lost in her search for the witch. After speaking with Brogan and Rudd, the day turned busy. The extra, strong hands had the stone storage shed finished in no time. Now trees were being cut for dwellings and warriors had returned with meat. Una, Maddie, and Luella and Odell, two other women out of the ten people left in the village, were busy cooking it. And with news of Clan Loudon possibly having to battle alongside Clan MacBridan, Annis worried for Elysia’s safety.
It was the first thing she asked when Brogan approached her. “Should I worry for my sister?”
“Walk with me, so we may talk,” he said, holding his hand out to her and yanking her to her feet when she took hold. He wanted time alone with her, something that was going to be difficult to get with his father’s warriors here. He walked them away from the village and into the woods. “The trouble is with Clan MacBridan and Clan MacFarden. Your clan—Loudon—will send warriors to help Clan MacBridan if necessary. It shouldn’t affect your sister,” Brogan explained.
Annis was not mollified. “It would affect her husband, if she wed. Saber would be called away to fight. She would be left on her own.” That Brogan did not respond immediately worried Annis. He either took the time to weigh his words or he believed her worry valid.
“Saber appears to be an honorable man and if he wed Elysia, he will see her kept safe. Though, Elysia is not as fragile as you or Bliss think.”
“She is trusting and far too kind,” Annis argued.
“Which is why others in your clan will protect her.”
Annis looked ready to return to the village. “I should go and bring her here.”
“Nay,” Brogan said and hurried to finish, seeing Annis ready to argue with him. “It is not safe to travel with unrest in the area and it will delay your quest to help Bliss. If we hear of things growing worse, I will go bring Elysia here to you. You have my word on it.”
She nodded, trusting his word. “Now tell me how you managed to change your father’s mind about putting me in the dungeon.”
Brogan chuckled. “I told him there wasn’t a guard in all the world that would be able to tolerate your willful nature.”
Annis jabbed him in the arm. “You said no such thing. Besides, your father would torture me and be done with it. And while I would like to think I would be strong enough to sustain whatever torture I suffered; I am wise enough to know otherwise. However, you do have me wondering why you will not give me a reasonable answer.”
Brogan halted his steps and squeezed her chin playfully. “I told my father I was thinking of taking you as my wife and I needed time with you to see if you would be a feasible choice.”
Annis thought he teased her and was about to jab him in the arm again when she saw he was serious. “Did you say that to appease him?”
“I have given it much thought since we last spoke about marriage and decided you might make a good wife for me after all.” He held up his hand to silence her again when she looked ready to debate it. “But if you say you have no interest in marrying me, I will not force you.”
This was where he had to pray hard, maybe even beg the heavens she would agree, since he would not force her. He did not have to, since she was already his wife. He preferred the choice be hers, but in the end would she understand that or accuse him of manipulating her?
That she did not immediately refuse him or worse laugh at him, gave him hope.
“I am not sure what to say to that,” she admitted. “That my first thought was not to refuse you gives me reason to pause before answering you. What that means I am not sure. I need time to think on it, but right now Bliss must come first.”