"A what?"
"A wind chamber. 'Tis like a flute. The roof must have a hole in it and when the wind blows in, it escapes through the narrow windows and makes that sound."
"Well I dinna like it here. Come away, Stefan."
"But I will see the rest o' it." He expected her to let go when he started for the stairs, but she was not about to be left alone and held on. Carefully, he tested each of the stone stairs, taking them one at a time and then testing the next to make sure it would hold his weight. They seemed just as strong as the day they were first laid and soon the two were at the top staring into a room still filled with a bed and the belongings of the last occupants.
"Seems they left in a hurry."
"As should we," Kannak whispered.
But Stefan would not be persuaded and started up the second flight of stairs. When they reached the top and opened the wooden door, the back half of the roof indeed had a hole in it just as he suspected. This room had water damage and there was little left of the previous owner's warped and ruined furniture. Still, there was a hand mirror that was not broken and a sewing basket caked with just as much dust as the furniture below.
He had not noticed water damage on the bottom two floors and wondered why. But then he realized the window slits were level with the floor and if the structure was tilted even a little bit, the water would have escaped through the slits and down the outside wall. "'Twas a clever builder. I should like to be a builder someday. I should like it very much."
"Are ye certain there be no ghost?"
"Aye, are ye frightened still?" She had not let go of his hand and he turned to see the look on her face.
"Not if I believe ye."
"And do ye believe me?"
She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "I will only believe ye if ye tell me what sort of spell a lass may cast to make her husband love her."
It was more than he could resist. "I will show ye." He moved too quickly for her to resist, took her in his arms and lightly kissed her lips. Just as quickly, he let go and walked to one of the higher vertical slits in the wall to look out.
Kannak was stunned and for a long moment she just stood there looking at the back of his head. Her heart would not be still and the fluttering did not stop. Was this what her father told her about? Had the man she would marry been beside her all these months? She hoped so. Suddenly she hoped so very much. "Some spell, a lad would have to be a simpleton to fall in love over one little kiss."