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“Aye,” Conner answered. “Although, I believe it’s gotten a bit worse now that he is older. There is nay one around to keep him in check. Sometimes he daes say things that he shouldnae. Nae sayin’ what comes out of Damon’s mouth is lies, ye ken. But sometimes he daes cross a line.”
“Have ye ever reprimanded him for it? Ever sent him to the stocks? Or the cell?”
“Aye, there was this one time,” Conner said as Olivia closed her eyes and exhaled. “But I think perhaps I’ll tell ye in the mornin’. Right now it seems as if ye need sleep.”
“Please,” Olivia begged. “I just need to hear yer voice. I daenae care if ye want to talk about Damon or the color of the sky today. But I need to fill the silence wit’ somethin’ and seein’ how I like the sound of yer voice, I thought maybe ye’d talk to me.”
“Is that what ye need right now?”
Olivia nodded as she curled her arms around Conner’s and gave him a tight squeeze. “Aye. It is. Listenin’ to ye makes everythin’ else fade away.”
“Then I’ll tell ye the time I sent him to the stocks,” Conner said and shifted on the bed. The mattress sank under their weight as Conner got comfortable. With one arm draped over her shoulders, he whispered ever so delicately in her ear.
“It was several years ago,” Conner started. “Damon had been caught wit’ the farmer’s daughter. Of course he tried to deny it, but there was far too much proof of what he did. Then again, if it werenae for the lass confessin’ her love for him, he would have gotten away wit’ beddin’ her without any issues. But the moment the girl blurted out her feelings, well her faither ken what Damon had done.”
“I’m surprised the faither didnae ask for him to be flogged and then marry the girl,” Olivia said.
“Aye, well, the thin’ was, Damon told the lass he loved her too,” Conner said. “Damon promised to marry the girl and keep her. So, instead of bein’ flogged, he was thrown in the stock wit’ a sign informin’ all the ladies that he was taken. But that is where the story starts to get funny.”
“How so?” Olivia asked as a smile slipped across her lips at the thought of Damon’s head popping through the wooden planks in the town square.
“Turned out Damon had a few admirers. There were several lassies that came forward proclaimin’ Damon belonged to them.”
“That must have made the farmer’s daughter a bit jealous, or even mad.”
“That it did. So much so, that she rallied and got the other women to toss tomatoes at him. By the time they were done wit’ him, he swore off all female relations. Needless to say there was nay weddin’.”
“Oh, I can just imagine,” Olivia giggled. “What I wouldnae have given to see that.”
“Aye, well, it was a funny thin’ to witness for certain. When he was finally released after a few days, he’d come to me covered head to toe in the juices. Chunks of tomato were caked in his hair. It was the funniest thin’ I have ever seen. Took him days to get the smell off him.”
“So did he keep his word?” Olivia asked as she looked up to catch a glimpse of Conner. Through the veil of night she noticed the smile on Conner’s lips. It was something she hadn’t seen in what seemed like forever. Then again, after everything that happened, two days felt like a lifetime ago.
“About?”
“Stayin’ away from the lassies?” she asked.
“What dae ye think? Damon could never keep such a promise. Although, he is a bit smarter about it all. I havenae had to chide him for it since then. He seems to keep that sort of thin’ under the rug.”
“I daenae blame him one bit. I think if my reputation was ruined in such a way, I’d want to shrivel up and die.”
“Well then, I suppose it is a good thin’ yer married to me then, is it nae?” Conner asked as he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers.
“Aye, I believe it is.”
“Now, my love, it is late. And ye should get some sleep. Would ye like me to get ye somethin’ to drink or anythin’?”
“Nay,” Olivia answered as she found herself tightening her grip around his arm. Suddenly she didn’t want him to go anywhere. With his arm locked around her body she felt comfort and peaceful. She couldn’t imagine being alone and the mere thought of him running down to get her water scared her. For a moment she wondered if she would ever let him go.
“I ken how ye must be feelin’,” Conner whispered. “But I’m goin’ to go nowhere. I promised I’d stay wit’ ye tonight, and that is what I intend to dae.”
“It’s just,” Olivia started before smashing her mouth shut again. The last thing she wanted was to reopen a wound that Conner was trying to heal.
“I ken,” he mumbled. “But rest assured. Ye are the most valuable thin’ I have. To lose ye to anythin’ would devastate me. I truly daenae think ye understand how important ye are to me. I’ve tried so hard to ignore these feelings inside of me, but it’s become too exhaustin’. Besides, it’s easier this way.”
“And what is that?” Olivia asked, inching further between the blankets as a frosty wind ripped through the room.
“To love ye and trust ye. Now, rest. Close those pretty little eyes of yers and get some sleep.”
