She smiled, but shook her head.
He halted only a breath away. Their clothes didn’ttouch, but he could almost feel the heat emanating from her body.He reached out and looped a finger around dancing tendrils of herhair. Tess’s face was lifted up to his.
“Why did you come back?” she pressed.
“I couldn’t go, Tess. Not without you.”
Fresh tears dropped onto her cheeks, and a world ofhope shone in the dark jewels of her eyes.
Colin glanced quickly toward the animals. “That wasthe most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed. How you helped her! Ifelt such…I don’t know how to say it! Nothing has ever made me feelthe way I did watching you. Watching them.”
Her cheeks were flushed prettily. “I didn’t do much.‘Twas Makyn’s doing. ‘Twas only nature at work.”
They both looked at the lambs, who were now nursing.Everything seemed so perfectly normal.
“Well, those wee beasties are contented enough. You,on the other hand, lass, are the one who needs some tending.” Colinbegan leading her toward the house. Stopping at the well, he drew alarge bucket of water.
“You should have gone with those fishermen. You’veonly made it more difficult for both of us by staying,” she saidsoftly as they entered the house. “You belong out there. Among realpeople. Yourownpeople. And I belong here.”
“I don’t believe you belong here, Tess. The peoplewho cared for you are dead. The churchmen that own this island willthink of you only as a nuisance.”
This time she didn’t argue. He put the water nearthe hearth and built up the fire until the room started losing someof its chill.
She finished washing her hands and face and reachedfor the dress hanging on a peg—the same one she had been wearingthat first night. “Turn around.”
“Let me help you, Tess.”
“I’d do better to dress myself.”
“I was talking about helping you with yourpast.”
“Oh!”
“Andthe dress.” Hecouldn’t help himself.
She put her hands on his shoulders and physicallyturned him. He suppressed his smile and walked to the window. Inthe distance, Colin could see the white caps on the sea.
There had been more than the birthing of a pair oflambs that he’d witnessed outside. Watching her, he had seen herself-reliance and her readiness to act, but he’d also seen herfrustration, her fears, and her unhappiness when she’d looked offin the direction that he’d gone. For an old hermit—or even ahusband and wife—to choose this lonely life was one thing. It wasnot right for someone Tess’s age—it was not right for Tess—to beall alone.
“Are we friends, Tess?” He had to ask.
“I…have never had a friend before you. So I supposewe are.”
“Then do you trust me?” he asked without turningaround. “Do you believe me when I say I genuinely care about yoursafety…about you as a …a friend?”
“I do.”
Her immediate answer gave Colin the confidence heneeded. “Then why don’t you tell me how you came to be living onIsle of May? And why is it that you are so determined to stayhere?”
There was a long pause before she spoke. “I amneeded here.”
“Tess, this island doesnotneed you.” Therewas no sound of movement behind him, so Colin turned around. Shehad changed her dress and was standing beside the hearth, quietlybraiding her hair. “I don’t mean to belittle the feat youaccomplished today or anything else that you do here. But forcenturies these buildings have stood—such as they are—and forcenturies more they will stand, too. What you cannot ignore,though, is the very real risk that you take living on this islandalone.”
She would not look up at him. Colin let hisfrustration show in his voice. “There are hundreds of ships thatsail past here every year…more of them all the time. And there aremany men who are…well, not so honorable as I am. Tess, you cannoteven guess how low some of these men are, or how unspeakably theymight behave if they were to find you here alone.”
She turned her back to him.
Colin closed the distance between them and turnedher around. “Give up this stubbornness. I plead with you as afriend to talk to me. To let me help you.”
