With a mental shake, she redirected her thoughts away from how much she would love to kiss this man and feel his arms around her. “I hope you enjoy what I brought.” She indicated the platters on the blanket she had spread on the ground. “We tried to find someone who knew what you preferred to eat, but no one seemed to be able to suggest anything that wasn’t frightening.”
“Mmm… let me guess. I like to drink the blood of innocents, feast on the entrails of knights and eat the hearts of small children everywhere.”
“Aye, that was much the consensus.”
A strange light came into his midnight black eyes as he looked away from her. “Well, I hope you didn’t go to such trouble to feed me. I fear ‘tis off season for good blood, and knights can be rather testy when you disembowel them.”
It amazed her that he could joke about it. What she had learned this afternoon made her heart ache. Out of all the hundreds in this castle, no one knew anything about the man before her. Not even the king.
Henry couldn’t tell her what Sin enjoyed doing, what songs he preferred.
Not even Simon knew.
“I’m afraid to disappoint you,” she said with a wistful sigh as she continued to tease him, “but all we have is roasted pheasant, stewed apples and leeks with onion sauce and wine. But if you prefer the other...”
He smiled at her. “How is it you understand my humor when no one else does?”
“I have no idea except to say that my brother is a bit morbid as well. He rather revels in it at times.”
“You think I’m morbid?”
“Aren’t you? You dress in black and like to frighten people. Isn’t that the very definition of the word?”
“I suppose.”
Callie set him down upon the blanket and poured them wine. She glanced over his left shoulder to see Aelfa motioning to her that she would be on the other side of the wall should she need her. Nodding at the maid, she handed Lord Sin a cup. “So tell me, other than being frightening, what else do you prefer to do?”
Sin shrugged. “I ride a great deal.”
“And?”
“That’s it.”
Callie wrinkled her nose as she regarded him. “It’s a very short list.”
“Unlike yours. I’ll wager your list is long. Infinite probably.”
He was teasing her and she enjoyed it a great deal. For the first time, she realized he was a different man around her. He never teased anyone else and he seemed a bit more relaxed in her presence. The thought thrilled her. “As a matter of fact, my list is quite infinite.”
“You probably enjoy dancing and singing.”
“Aye. Do you?”
“I’ve never attempted either.”
“Not once?”
He shook his head.
“Why?”
He took a deep drink of wine and set the cup aside. “Never had time as a youth and as a man, I never had any inclination.”
“Oh. I don’t suppose you read?”
“Nay.”
“So, what is it you do when you’re home and not serving your king?”
