"You are a lady," Finan repeated again, a frown forming on his lips. "And I am no lord." He pulled away from her again, brushing past her to occupy himself with looking at the well that was in the center of the courtyard.
"You do not need to be a l...
Eawynn looked up at Uhtred as she stepped into the stables, her teeth tugging her bottom lip into her mouth. She waited until she watched Aethelflaed start to walk away, but she would admit if he asked her if she had overheard their conversation.
Uhtred turned slightly and shook his head. "You are interrupting nothing, Lady Eawynn."
Biting her tongue to not speak up about what she overheard, Eawynn moved to take a seat on the closest wooden bench. "Are we staying the night?"
Uhtred nodded, "Yes, most likely." He replied, his eyes falling onto Eawynn. He could immediately see that she was nervous so he took the open spot beside her and let his hand rest gently over hers. "I take it you have not told Finan the plan?"
"No."
Eawynn sighed after a moment before she turned slightly to get a better look at Uhtred.
"Not yet, anyway. I will tell him tonight. I want him to hear it from me." Eawynn relished in the comfort Uhtred's touch brought her. She took in a deep breath as his warmth was removed the moment he got up and went back to tending to his horse.
"It will be good for him to hear it from you and you alone."
"Yes, well, it is my plan, anyway."
"It is our plan." Uhtred stopped what he was doing and looked back at Eawynn. "I do not trust my children with anyone. You and Hild are the only exceptions. I will take the blame when Finan gets angry at you."
"I guess I didn't think about that." Eawynn chewed at the inside of her cheek as she thought it over. "You would do that for me?"
"If you are willing to do this for me, yes." Uhtred smiled before he placed a finger onto his lips gesturing for her to be silent.
"Are ya havin' some big meeting without me?"
Finans Irish accent filtered through the air as he found his way into the stable, dark eyes drifting between the two.
"Of course not. We were just talking about something personal." Eawynn winced as the words left her lips. She knew that came out wrong just by the way Finan paused and looked at Uhtred in an accusatory way.
"And with that, I will take my leave."
Eawynn watched as Uhtred walked off, leaving her alone with Finan. She nervously played with the leather ties at the front of her dress before she spoke up, "Before I begin, I want you to know that I care about you deeply and this decision was not made lightly." She looked up as she watched the sun start to set behind Finan.
