“This is beautiful little spot though, we could relax and?—”
He shook his head. “We must continue on so we arrive in Glenesk afore the rain.”
“Oh, rain? That’s not good.”
“Aye,” he patted the side of the horse.
I took that to mean, climb on. I didn’t question or argue, because the only thing that could make this worse than it already was would be riding through the rain.
17
LEXI
1558 - TO GLENESK
We rode in silence for a while, the horses picking their way carefully down the rocky slope.
Then I asked, “If you didn’t call me Princess, because I was such a pain in the arse?—”
He chuckled. “Och, Princess, I call yePrincesswhen yearea pain in the arse, and Princess when ye are nae. There is a subtle difference.”
I laughed. “Very funny. But if you didn’t call me that, what would you call me?”
“I am nae allowed tae call ye anything else. Tis yer title.”
“What if I gave you permission?”
“I daena think ye can give me permission.”
“Why not? I’m the princess. I could command you to stop, though you haven’t stopped, even though I have told you not to, but... just wondering.”
He looked up at the sky, nonchalantly and teased, “Ye hae a verra high opinion of yer powers, Princess, but ye are nae so high that ye can give me permission tae call ye something else.”
“But… that doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does. What if ye gave me permission tae call ye by yer given name and I called ye ‘Lexi’ — what if someoneoverheardme? What if Max overheard it? Och, he would think me a scoundrel. He would believe I hae taken liberties with ye tae speak of ye so familiarly.”
“But you call him Max!”
“Aye, he has given me permission.”
I joked, “This is infuriating.”
He said, “A man, such as m’self, canna call ye by yer familiar name, Princess. Twould be disrespectful, unless we were husband and wife.”
“If you were my husband what would you call me?”
“If I were yer husband…? Then I would call ye whatever ye asked, or I might make up a nickname for ye?—”
“Something sweet and romantic?”
“Och aye, like… off the top of m’head, òinseach.”
“What does oy-shuch mean?”
“It means ye are a foolish woman for havin’ married me.”
I laughed.
