"I went to Eco straight away, after the night in Cathy's garden," he said, "and told her that I must marry you."
My tears were flowing again; but they were now happy tears. It seemed impossible, a miracle, but Robbie had declared his love for me. Robbie had wanted to marry me before he learned of the child. What Eco had told was the truth. I looked into his eyes, and he wiped my cheeks with his thumbs. "Do not weep anymore, lass," he said. "You have shed enough tears. It is time that I made you happy."
"Then take me now, Robbie, my love," I said, smiling up at him.
He dropped his hands from my face. "I promised that I will not touch you," he said.
I laughed softly. "I made a vow, too," I said. "But perhaps now that we are to live as man and wife, God will release us from our foolish promises."
"What vow?" he said.
"I told God that if only he would let you live, I would ask for nothing else," I said.
"That even if you divorced me and I never saw you again, I would not complain."
His eyes filled with wonder now. He leaned back his head and laughed. "What fools we are, to believe that we can make bargains with God!" he said.
I smiled up at him again, and said, "I am yours, Robbie. I have always been yours."
"Yes, lass, yes," he said, and his voice was fervent. "You are mine-and I am yours."
He kissed me gently and when I would have drawn closer to him, he held me away, searching my face.
"I shall not have you again until we can lie in a bed together," he said. "I shall treat you as if you were a queen-for you are the queen to me!"
"I don't believe there is an unoccupied bed anywhere on Brianag," I said.
He groaned. "Then we shall wait a while longer," he said.
"There is the attic," I said, and laughed.
"Much too hot at this time of year," he said, and again placed my hand in his arm, leading me back down the path. "In any case, it is time we dressed for the ball."
I felt weak with emotion, and trembled as we crossed the lawn. At the bottom of the stairs, he placed his hand on the back of my neck and drew me to him, kissing me gently. "I shall not allow anyone else to dance with you tonight," he said. "You are to keep every dance for me. If any man touches you, I shall call him out."