Braden took the basket from her hands and set it on the ground. Taking her hand, he led her to the door.
“What are you doing? Braden, I?—”
“Shh,” he said, cutting her off. “I need to speak with you, alone.”
She looked about the empty stable. “Are we not alone?”
Braden glanced to the loft. He didn’t want to chance Connor overhearing whatever reaction Maggie might have to him.
“I would feel better if we were outside.”
“Very well.”
Braden led her just outside the door, to stand beside a large oak. “Maggie, I...” His voice trailed off.
For the first time in his life, he didn’t know how to talk to her.
Should he just blurt out, ‘Maggie I want to marry you and while you’re considering that, let me tell you about my illegitimate son?’
Nay, that wouldn’t work.
‘Maggie, I love you. Would you mind taking care of my...’
No wonder his father had withheld the news from his mother. This was a lot harder than he thought.
Maggie knew he’d never been a saint, but thinking him a lewdster and being presented with the evidence of his indiscretions were two entirely different things.
He just didn’t want to lose her.
“Maggie,” he began, speaking her name slowly. “I have some things I need to tell you, and I’m rather sure I’m going to make a mess of this. But could you please give me time to stumble through it?”
She nodded.
Braden took a deep breath. He didn’t know an easy way to say what was in his heart, so he just blurted it out. “I love you and I want to marry you.”
The shock on her face was almost comical. Her hands began trembling almost as soon as the words were out.
“Braden, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say, ‘Aye, Braden, I’d love to marry you.’”
She frowned at him. “Braden, I would love to marry you, but it’s not that simple.”
His chest drew tight. “Why not?”
Her gaze went from him to the stable, then back to him. “I....I...”
“You?”
“I—”
The door to the stable burst open before she could finish her sentence.
Connor came bounding up to them.
Silently, Braden cursed the lad’s timing and took a step back before Maggie had a chance to knee him where it would hurt most.
“Are those my sweet biscuits and jam?” Connor asked Maggie. “I hope they are because they smell delicious.”
