"What?"
He put his dagger away and folded his arms. "Some will die."
"But not MacGreagors."
"Aye, even MacGreagors. If we think the Fergusons are weak, which we do, some of us will make mistakes."
It was not something Rachel spent much time considering and she didn't want to consider it now. "What else do you have to think about?"
"Well, I think about having a wife someday; a loving wife who will smile when I come back from the hunt and she sees I am safe."
He wasn't grinning when he said it as though he meant to taunt her. He wasn't even smiling, but it was not her favorite subject so Rachel looked away.
Connor couldn't believe they were actually having a normal conversation. First, she let him get closer to her and now she was talking to him instead of glaring. "What do you think about?"
"If you must know, I have a thousand questions. I think about my questions."
"What sort of questions?"
"You would not understand."
"Oh, they are those questions."
"Nay, they are not those questions. I wonder about...I sometimes think about a dark place, but I do not know where it is. It is far away from here, of that I am certain." She wasn't sure she should mention it, but one particular question had plagued her for weeks. "If I ask you something, do you promise to be honest?"
"I give you my word; I will never lie to you."
"Do you remember when I first came here?"
Connor smiled. "I was young, but I remember my father being very happy. I believe we waited a long time for a mistress and everyone loved your sister."
"Oh." Rachel still looked greatly disturbed.
"What is it?"
"I thought perhaps I was the baby they found outside the wall."
"Nay, Rachel, you came to us later. I was the one who found the baby. Kevin sent inquiries to all the nearest clans, but none came to claim her. Emily and Dan took her in and named her Charlet."
Rachel looked stunned. "Charlet? I never knew that. Does she know?"
"Aye, she says she is happy here and loves Emily and Dan. Have you more questions or should I tell you what else I think about?"
She picked up a small stone and tossed it away. "What?"
"I think about having a wife to talk to at night."
"What sort of things would you talk about?"
"Oh, little things like what the children did that made her laugh or which man Charlet has turned her attention to next."
That made Rachel smile. "She wants you and will have no other."