nodded and turned back to look at the view. “I feel most at ease here. I suppose you think that strange. How could a person enjoy being out on a dangerous wall, but I feel safe here. I often come out here. It’s where Robert …”
She was going to say something else, he was sure of it. “Where Robert what?”
“Where Robert died, my husband.”
“Ah, so you were married before? Trudy’s father?” Sean hadn’t needed to guess.
She nodded. “Uncle didn’t tell you?”
“Nay, he did not. I don’t deem there was time for him to do so.” Sean stood uneasily next to her. Why her being previously wedded bothered him, he didn’t know. He wasn’t possessive by nature, but the thought that she’d belonged to someone else unsettled him.
“I would’ve explained. If you wish to annul—”
Sean didn’t let her continue. “Frances, I understand. There’s no need to explain and we’ll not speak of an annulment. I suppose Lord William thought I would balk if I knew you were married before and had a child. It matters not to me. I mean to be … a good husband.” Sean felt insecure saying such, but he deemed it needed to be said, and she needed reassurance.
“I’m sure you will. Shall we go inside? There are preparations to see to and I should tell the clan the news.”
“I’ll tell the clan.” It was after all his duty now to see to the clan, and she had enough to worry about. She had a way about dismissing him. Sean kept hold of her hand. He wasn’t ready to depart and had questions, but he wasn’t sure this was the time or place to ask them. “How did your husband die?”
“He fell off this wall.”
He wasn’t expecting such a direct answer. Sean gave her a stunned look, and before he retorted, she drew in a gasp.
“Before you ask, nay, I did not push him.” Frances returned her gaze ahead, looking out at the darkened fields beyond the castle’s walls.
“I didn’t think you pushed him, but that is good to know.” Sean hoped to get her to at least smile or lighten the mood.
“Oh then what was that look for? I would hope you wouldn’t think me capable of such foulness.”
Sean moved closer. “I don’t know you well enough to think anything of you. Och I doubt you could be foul if you tried.”
“That is verily true, but I will not have you misjudging my character.”
He found a grin, happy to know she was prideful. It was a trait he respected because if one had pride they also were loyal. Loyalty was a quality he held above all else. “I won’t. How did your husband fall?”
Frances turned to look at him, and he saw the twinge of sadness reach her eyes. “It was unlike Robert to be senseless and I wondered if he’d been helped off the wall. There was never any proof so I couldn’t assume. We had a good marriage and I thought him happy. He wouldn’t have jumped or have been careless.”
Sean pulled her into his arms and held her. “I’m sorry he died and that you are still mourning him.”
“I shouldn’t be, should I? He’s been gone a long time, years. I was happy then.” She sniffled, what he suspected were tears she wasn’t allowing to fall.
“I vow you will be happy with me, Frances.” Sean liked holding her even though she stood rigidly in his arms. How would he be able to get her to let down her guard? He had a difficult task set before him.
Never had he encountered such a lady, and he wasn’t sure how to act around her. He pulled the tie from her hair and her locks came tumbling loose. The tresses reached her waist and looked like golden silk. The breeze played with the curled ends and tossed them around. Sean wanted to run his hands through the silky looking strands and feel it wrapped around his fingers.
He wanted to tug her forward and kiss her, and as her lips came closer to his, he hesitated. Her gaze lowered and he wanted to kick himself. This was not the time to test her sensuality. And yet, he sensed she wanted to be kissed, felt the passion in
She was going to say something else, he was sure of it. “Where Robert what?”
“Where Robert died, my husband.”
“Ah, so you were married before? Trudy’s father?” Sean hadn’t needed to guess.
She nodded. “Uncle didn’t tell you?”
“Nay, he did not. I don’t deem there was time for him to do so.” Sean stood uneasily next to her. Why her being previously wedded bothered him, he didn’t know. He wasn’t possessive by nature, but the thought that she’d belonged to someone else unsettled him.
“I would’ve explained. If you wish to annul—”
Sean didn’t let her continue. “Frances, I understand. There’s no need to explain and we’ll not speak of an annulment. I suppose Lord William thought I would balk if I knew you were married before and had a child. It matters not to me. I mean to be … a good husband.” Sean felt insecure saying such, but he deemed it needed to be said, and she needed reassurance.
“I’m sure you will. Shall we go inside? There are preparations to see to and I should tell the clan the news.”
“I’ll tell the clan.” It was after all his duty now to see to the clan, and she had enough to worry about. She had a way about dismissing him. Sean kept hold of her hand. He wasn’t ready to depart and had questions, but he wasn’t sure this was the time or place to ask them. “How did your husband die?”
“He fell off this wall.”
He wasn’t expecting such a direct answer. Sean gave her a stunned look, and before he retorted, she drew in a gasp.
“Before you ask, nay, I did not push him.” Frances returned her gaze ahead, looking out at the darkened fields beyond the castle’s walls.
“I didn’t think you pushed him, but that is good to know.” Sean hoped to get her to at least smile or lighten the mood.
“Oh then what was that look for? I would hope you wouldn’t think me capable of such foulness.”
Sean moved closer. “I don’t know you well enough to think anything of you. Och I doubt you could be foul if you tried.”
“That is verily true, but I will not have you misjudging my character.”
He found a grin, happy to know she was prideful. It was a trait he respected because if one had pride they also were loyal. Loyalty was a quality he held above all else. “I won’t. How did your husband fall?”
Frances turned to look at him, and he saw the twinge of sadness reach her eyes. “It was unlike Robert to be senseless and I wondered if he’d been helped off the wall. There was never any proof so I couldn’t assume. We had a good marriage and I thought him happy. He wouldn’t have jumped or have been careless.”
Sean pulled her into his arms and held her. “I’m sorry he died and that you are still mourning him.”
“I shouldn’t be, should I? He’s been gone a long time, years. I was happy then.” She sniffled, what he suspected were tears she wasn’t allowing to fall.
“I vow you will be happy with me, Frances.” Sean liked holding her even though she stood rigidly in his arms. How would he be able to get her to let down her guard? He had a difficult task set before him.
Never had he encountered such a lady, and he wasn’t sure how to act around her. He pulled the tie from her hair and her locks came tumbling loose. The tresses reached her waist and looked like golden silk. The breeze played with the curled ends and tossed them around. Sean wanted to run his hands through the silky looking strands and feel it wrapped around his fingers.
He wanted to tug her forward and kiss her, and as her lips came closer to his, he hesitated. Her gaze lowered and he wanted to kick himself. This was not the time to test her sensuality. And yet, he sensed she wanted to be kissed, felt the passion in
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