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“Then change his mind,” said Adeline wisely. “Did Imanie teach you nothing?”
“But that’s not right. I shouldn’t try to sway a person’s mind where matters of the heart are concerned.”
“Ah, so I see you did learn something after all. However, don’t forget that you can change your actions and your habits and Sir Conrad will change his mind on his own.”
“Thank you,” said Willow.
The woman nodded and disappeared into the cottage.
“Willow, I can’t find Hazel.” Conrad rushed up to her, out of breath.
“Hazel is here. She is in the house with a friend of mine, Sister Adeline.”
“She’s with a nun?” Conrad’s head snapped up and he perused the house. “I’d better go to her. She will be frantic.”
“Nay, she’ll be fine. Sister Adeline has a way with . . . words. And people.”
“Willow, I know you are upset since I didn’t choose you as my bride.”
“Conrad, I’m not the same person I was when you first arrived at Castle Rothbury. I need you to know that.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“So then, you really don’t want me?”
“It’s not that,” he apologized. “It’s a complicated situation. Perhaps we can discuss this further, but later on.”
Willow was so upset that she could no longer be with him. “Leave me alone.”
“Nay. I don’t want it to end this way. I need you to understand why I said I couldn’t marry you.”
“Well, I don’t understand. And I’m sure nothing you say will make me accept your decision.”
“I couldn’t choose you as my bride because I vowed to protect you from men like me. I would have to make the betrothal through your father if I were going to marry you anyway.”
“Men like you?” That made her wonder what he meant.
“Aye.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I have to admit, I have been hard on you, but perhaps it is because I am so disappointed in myself. You see, I am no different than the barons or even Bedivere. I lust after you just as they do. That makes me question if my attraction to you is only physical or if it is deeper than that. I need to know this answer before I can make you my bride.”
“Y-you do?” He almost sounded as if he might still consider marrying her after all. Perhaps, this was all a big misunderstanding. “So, you need more time,” she said, trying to get him to open up and tell her more of what he was feeling.
“I guess so. It doesn’t make any sense since most men marry for alliances and don’t even know their betrothed until the wedding day. But I feel as if I need to find some answers first, even if those answers are only within me.”
“That’s what makes you different, Conrad.”
“What do you mean?”
“You care.” She rested her hand on his arm. “You care more than any man I’ve ever met.”
“I thought you said I only thought of myself and that I didn’t care enough about Hazel.”
“I am starting to believe you do care about her after all. At first, I didn’t understand, but now I think I do. You are worried about your sister.”
“There is something about Hazel that I didn’t tell you, Willow.”
“I don’t need to know.”
“I think you do. One of the reasons I wanted to find someone to watch over her and mentor her was because she has more problems than just acting odd at times.”
