Page 38 of Highland Flame

“Why would she?” asked Gillies.

“Shhh,” said Yvaine as they reached the church. “Cam, we must be quiet.”

“Right,” he said, entering the church after her, getting the distinct feeling he had been left out of some conversation, because he didn’t understand at all what was going on where Yvaine was concerned.

*

“Here we are,”said Yvaine, entering her temporary workshop later that day. They’d not only gone to prime at sunrise, but spent time with Avianca at the first meal, and afterwards took a walk down to the fish pond so the little girl could look for frogs. It had been Cam’s idea, which surprised Yvaine completely that he even suggested it. She had thought his only concern would be for himself and his personal needs. Men like him usually thought they were more important than anyone else. Mayhap she was wrong. There might be hope for the man, after all, since he was showing promise.

“I’m sorry we didna get an earlier start, but Avianca wanted me to go to church with her since she wasna with us this mornin’. I didna want to disappoint her,” said Cam. “Besides, I figured if I showed my face, I’d win some favors with yer brathair by attendin’ terrace.”

“Terce,” she corrected him with a giggle, speaking of the 9 a.m. prayers.

“I’ll never get the names right,” he said, running a hand through his beautiful, long blond hair. “Well, what do ye need me to do?” he asked, looking back out the door as Sister Edna took Avianca across the courtyard. “I suppose it’ll be easier to work since they’ve left.” The nun was even bossier than Avianca, and Cam was happy to be rid of her.

“That was nice of ye to spend some time with her,” she told him, opening up a box. “I think she really enjoyed it.”

“Ye do?” He shook his head. “Nay, I dinna agree. She kept givin’ me the evil eye, I swear. I’m sure she despises me as well as all Highlanders.”

“How can ye say that? She worships ye, even though ye canna see it.”

“Worships me?” he asked, making a face, looking out the door again.

“Aye, she does. Mayhap she didna at first, but her opinion of ye has changed since ye saved her life from the English.”

“What?” His head snapped around and his mouth fell open. His gaze darted out the door again and then back to her. Slowly, a grin spread across his face. “Ooooh, ye’re talkin’ about Avianca.”

“Yes, I am. Why? Who did ye think I meant?”

“I thought ye were talkin’ about Sister Edith.”

“Edna, no’ Edith,” she corrected him, getting a deep sigh from him in response.

“Edna. Sorry. I never was guid with names,” he said, sinking atop a chair, looking so forlorn.

“It’s no’ important.” Since it seemed to bother him so much, she tried to make light of the situation. “Ye’re doin’ fine,” she remarked, hoping to convince him, even though she’d never seen anyone before who could forget so many names or use the wrong words so often. Yvaine wondered if he was so self-absorbed that he didn’t listen when anyone talked to him. Still, since he seemed so bothered by his mistake, she supposed he truly was trying.

“Is Cam short for Cameron?” she asked, trying to strike up a conversation between them.

“Nay.” He got off the chair and started to open a box, but didn’t expound on his answer.

“So, yer mathair just named ye Cam, then. I see.”

Silence.

“What does Cam mean?” she asked. “Every name has a meanin’. For example, my name, Yvaine, means stardust.” Yvaine smiled as she unwrapped a few candle holders while she spoke, wondering why he had become so quiet all of a sudden.

“Crooked,” he said softly.

“Pardon me?” She looked up and smiled. “What is crooked? One of the candles, or a candle holder?”

“Nay. That is the meanin’ of my name.”

“Cam means crooked?” She found that odd. “Well, I’m sure yer mathair just liked the name, no matter what it meant.”

“When I was a child, she told me that she named me Cam because I had a crooked mouth when I was born.”

“Really? I didna notice. Let me see.” She walked over to him and lifted his chin in her hand, studying his mouth. Perusing him this close only made her want to kiss him, but she would never be so bold. “It doesna look at all crooked to me.”