"In that case, I will take care it never happens again."
"Oh, it will happen again. You can hardly keep from doing it again now." Just as it looked like she was about to wrap her arms around his neck, he stepped back.
She laughed. "Why Connor, you are not as stupid as I thought."
"Nay, I am not." This time he was the one to turn around and walk away. "Forget about the dagger. I took it this morning while you slept." He didn't look back to see her shock, but he was mindful to notice if she started to attack. She didn't and he felt very smug indeed.
*
Charlet found Rachel sitting on a log in the vegetable garden. Rachel was not overly friendly, Charlet knew, but neither was she rude to any of the younger girls, so Charlet felt comfortable enough to sit down and fold her hands in her lap.
"Are you lost?"
"Nay, I was looking for Connor." She let out a very long sigh. "I love him so."
"Connor is in the high council with Kevin."
"Oh." She smoothed the side of her hair, separated part and began nervously twisting it. "Do you love Connor?"
"Are you daft? I would sooner love Angus."
Charlet looked immensely relieved. "Connor is a very handsome lad. I would not blame you for loving him, but I would rather you not."
Rachel put a sisterly arm around the young girl's shoulders. A plan was just beginning to form in her mind. "If you want him, you will have to be very clever."
"How so? I thought if you wanted a lad, he would...well, he would see and want you back. There are far more lads than lasses, you know."
"I am not practiced, but I doubt it is that easy. Athena said a lass must tempt a lad."
"Tempt him how?"
"Well, she did say one way is to wash your hair and then rub flower petals on it so it smells good."
"I see." Charlet remained deep in thought for a moment. "How do I get close enough for him to smell my hair?"
That made Rachel wrinkle her brow. It was a problem she had never considered before. "Well, perhaps you could..."
"What?"
"I am thinking."
"Oh."
"I have it. Pretend to fall and hurt your ankle. Perhaps he will carry you home and..."
"Smell my hair!" With sheer joy, Charlet jumped up and ran down the path toward her cottage.
"That should keep him busy for a while."
*
Connor wasn't really listening to the discussion from his seat at the table in the Great Hall. The men were talking about the different methods the Fergusons might choose to defeat them and his mind kept drifting. As he always seemed to be, he was thinking about Rachel. The memory of her being in danger and outside the wall without him was unbearable and he never wanted to feel like that again. At least it was over and she was safe. Now all he had to do was find a way to make her admit she loved him.