Chapter Ten #5
She looked at him a moment before finally shaking her head.
“Talk?” she said. “So you can tell me you want to court me and then badger me when I resist? I am tired of that, too, Titus. I think you have met a woman who isn’t willing to agree to everything you want, so the more I resist, the more you persist. I think it is becoming a game with you to see how much you can bully me until I surrender.
That shows an incredible lack of respect for me, or have you not realized that? ”
He was looking at her as if she had wounded him. Or as if she had pointed out something he hadn’t realized, something significant enough that made him reconsider his stance. After a moment, he shook his head and averted his gaze.
“I did not mean to bully you,” he said. “But you’re right—when I want something, I do not relent until I get it.”
“How on earth can you want me?” she said. “Up until a few days ago, you probably never even gave me a second thought. And now you want to court me? Your father would never permit you to court the daughter of a lesser baron with nothing to her name. I’m simply not suitable, and you know it.”
He looked at her then. “That is not true,” he said. “Katia, I’m about to tell you something that you can never repeat. Once I tell you, it must stay with you forever. Will you swear this to me?”
Katiana wasn’t sure what was coming, but she was both curious and wary. “I would never repeat anything you told me in confidence,” she said. “But I wish you would not.”
“It’s important,” he said. “It’s important you understand something.
I do not think you are giving my father the credit he deserves.
He is not the narrow-minded man you seem to think he is.
Of course, any parent wants a great marriage for their child, but I have three brothers, and two of them married women that weren’t perfect.
My eldest brother, Markus, married a woman with four children who was several years older than he was, and I have never seen two people happier.
Katiana came into the marriage with virtually nothing, and that didn’t matter to my father.
Of course, she has Aragon nobility in her blood, and she had some advantages, but she was well beyond what is considered reasonable marriageable age, especially for the heir to Berwick. ”
Katiana hadn’t known that. “I see,” she said. “Then I am glad your brother found happiness.”
Titus held up a hand to ask for patience.
“That’s not all,” he said. “This is what you must not repeat. My brother, Magnus, married a courtesan. I’m sure you know what that is, so I will not repeat it for your delicate ears.
But Violet—she goes by Violet—was forced into the situation.
She was taken at a young age by an immoral man who groomed her as his whore.
Sorry… I should not have said that word, but it is the truth.
Violet is a fine, sweet woman who quite literally had nothing when she married Magnus.
But he did not care because he married for love.
My father wanted him to be happy, so he has accepted Violet, and so has my mother.
They love her dearly. All this to say that my parents want me to be happy, so they will approve of whomever I choose.
Katia… I choose you. But not if you do not think of me as a viable marriage prospect.
If you only want to think of me as a friend, then in all seriousness, I will never bring up marriage again. You have my word.”
Katiana stood there in stunned silence. That wasn’t something she had expected to hear from him, and her resistance, her confusion, began to fade. As if someone had pulled the cork from a barrel, everything was draining out of her.
It was strange what a difference one impassioned plea could make.
“I truthfully never thought I would marry,” she finally said. “I’m so much older than what is desired for a bride. You do understand that, don’t you?”
Titus nodded. “I do,” he said. “But you’re ageless. You’re young and beautiful and ageless. And you’re still younger than I am, so it is of no matter to me. I told you before that I do not want a girl, Katia. I want a woman, and you are a woman.”
“But why me?”
He grinned. “Why not?” he said. “I do not know if I can explain this to you, but I’ve never had a woman make me feel as you do.
I do not want to leave you off at Callerton never to see you again.
I want to know you are mine and that you will be waiting for me, always.
No matter where I go or what I do, I want to know that you belong to me and I belong to you. I’ve never felt like that in my life.”
Katiana could see that. She could see the raw truth in his face, and she believed him implicitly. Perhaps he hadn’t been making a game out of wanting to court her. Perhaps he’d been serious the entire time and she’d simply been to blind to realize it.
Perhaps it was time for some truth of her own.
“The moment you took me out of that stable those years ago, after Ansel had pummeled me, was the moment I became yours,” she said softly.
“You were my champion then, and you are now. Mayhap I’ve not married yet because God knew I could belong to no one else but you.
Mayhap He made my horse run wild so that you could save me yet again.
It seems to me that it was something that was preordained a long time ago, Titus.
But the dream of you… it always seemed out of my reach. ”
Titus realized that she was finally coming around to his proposal. She was finally starting to agree, and he couldn’t contain the smile on his face.
“And mayhap I haven’t married yet because I always knew, deep down, that you were the one all along,” he said.
“I will admit I’ve not thought much of you over the years, but I think that is natural.
You went your way and I went mine. But seeing you again those few days ago…
I knew then, Katia. I knew that I was meant to be yours. ”
“And you are certain about this, Titus?”
“You are the easiest decision I have ever made.”
Katiana’s features seemed to take on a glow all their own. “Then if you are truly certain…” she said.
“I am.”
“And this is not something you will regret tomorrow.”
“Never.”
“Then I am agreeable if you would still like to court me.”
The smile on his lips nearly split his face in two. “I want to do more than court you, Katia,” he said. “I want to marry you. Tomorrow if I could.”
She giggled. “I’m not entirely sure that would be a good idea,” she said. “But I share your sentiment. I am looking forward to the rest of the journey back to Callerton. I think you can speak in front of the servants because I do not care if they report back to Aunt Ethyl.”
He snorted. “Nor do I, now,” he said. Then he closed the distance between them and reached out, taking her hand and kissing it sweetly. “I know I asked for a kiss from you, but mayhap you’ll let me do the honors until you’re comfortable returning the gesture.”
She looked at him rather coyly. “That might be sooner than you think, but not for all to see.”
He was greatly encouraged by that. Taking her hand, he placed it into the crook of his elbow, but his eyes never left her face.
“Then mayhap we should share a meal at the tavern and speak more about that very thing,” he said, jesting with her and watching her blush. “Or would you rather go back to the faire?”
“I would rather go back to the tavern.”
He smiled at her as he began to walk her back toward the tavern. “Mayhap they’ll have a harpsichord and you can play for me,” he said. “If they do not, then mayhap you can simply sing.”
“If that would make you happy.”
“You make me happy, Katia. I can hardly believe I’m saying it, but you do.”
She glanced up at him. “I think we make each other happy, Titus.”
“I hope we do. I truly do.”
“Would you mind if we do not summon the servants to join us for the meal?”
He patted her hand. “I was hoping you would say that,” he said. “That whole escort business is becoming tiresome.”
She chuckled. “As long as you promise to behave yourself and not demand kisses in public, I do not think we need them.”
“Can we leave them behind, then?”
She laughed. “How cruel,” she said. “You would leave them to fend for themselves?”
“If it means I can spend a few minutes alone with you, I’d do anything.”
Smiling, and blushing, Katiana didn’t reply. She didn’t have to. One coy look from her said everything he needed to know.
And he was absolutely thrilled.