I stepped back out of his arms.
“Och nae, what are ye...?”
I said, “I think, Lochie, that we need to slow down?—”
“Slow down? Nae, ye canna — what dost ye mean, ‘slow down’?”
“I mean we ought to?—”
His handsome chiseled face drew down in a pout. “Are ye wantin’ tae leave yer Lochie, och nae — are ye tired, Ash? Ye hae had a long day, ye need tae be fed. I will wait by the fire, give ye time tae rest. I winna bother ye or touch ye, I promise.”
“Lochie, you ought to let me finish a sentence, it’s not as dire as all of —”
“Tis! Daena say it! Ye are the sun shinin’ on me, the smile that lights m’heart, ye canna tell me terrible things?—”
I huffed. “Lochie, I just want what is best for you.”
His frown deepened. “Och, I think ye are goin’ tae be cruel.”
“I am not. I just have something I need to say.”
He slumped down into the chair. “Tis fine, ye can say it.”
He looked despondent, kicked back, depressed, then he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his feet jiggling. Then he stood up. “Tis just, Ash, ye ought not say anything hurtful, I want ye tae go back tae when ye said ye loved me.”
I said, “Will you please sit down, Lochie, and let me speak?”
He slumped back down in the chair. “I daena understand what ye mean, ‘slow down.’”
He exhaled with a huff.
I said, “You don’t even understand, but here you are carrying on, well, my love, this is proving to me that what I’m about to say,mustbe said. It’s important, you need to listen to me.”
He nodded quietly.
I said, “You need to marry me, Lochie.”
He looked into my eyes. His brow drew down. “But I did, I?—”
I shook my head. “That doesn’t count. I mean,” I put my hand on my heart, “it counts here. But where it matters, in front of God and family, we aren’t married?—”
“I think God watched us make the thumb oath.”
“If God watched us make the thumb oath then he likely saw the other stuff, that’s disconcerting.”
“Tis how it works. God sees all. He kens we made an oath.”
I sighed, “That’s not really the point, Lochie, but forget about God, we haven’t married in front of your family, this is... weneedto.”
“Ye daena believe I married ye in m’heart?”
“I believe you did.”
“What did they say tae ye — did Lady Lizbeth tell ye that I dinna mean it? She has never thought much of me. She saw me brawlin’ when I first came, and I daena think she has ever forgiven me.”
“It is not like that, Lochie, Lizbeth did speak to me, Beaty and Sophie agreed and?—”
“Och, they hae ganged up on me, dost they think I hae taken advantage of ye?” His eyes went wide. “Dost they think me a scoundrel?”
