Remembrance

“I love you,” he said again and this time it was easier.

Callie blushed. “I am glad,” she said softly. “We will talk of this later. Now you had better leave. There are people waiting for you.” She nodded toward the women behind him, then started to leave with Allen.

“No!” Talis said, making Callie look back at him. “I don’t want you to go with him. I want you with me.”

One of the women stepped forward and put her hand on Talis’s arm. She was Lady Frances, a cousin to the Hadley family and quite beautiful. Lady Alida had secretly promised her marriage to this delicious young man, so she could not allow him to continue talking like this. “You must come with me, Talis,” she said firmly.

“Yes, you must go with her,” Callie said, starting to turn away.

For just an instant, Talis hesitated and Callie saw that hesitation. And in that flash Talis knew what it would mean to lose Callie. What did he care if these people heard what he felt in his heart? Heard that he loved her? What was anyone or anything without Callie?

“Callie,” Talis said. “My love, my only love, the love of my life. I love you. Do you not care at least a little for me?”

Callie was sure that even the soles of her feet were blushing. She’d wanted Talis to tell her that he loved her, wanted him to let those spiteful women know that he cared for her, but she did not want to be embarrassed in front of the whole village. “Please, Talis,” she said, turning back toward him.

But he wasn’t there. It was a second before she realized that he was walking on his knees toward her, his hands clasped to his heart. When she looked at him, he put his hands out beseechingly to her. She was so stunned she couldn’t speak.

“Callie, my own true love, tell me you love me too or I shall die here and now.”

“Really, Talis!” said Lady Frances, who, unknown to Talis, thought she was his bride-to-be. “You are making a fool of yourself.”

“If to be in love is to be a fool then I am the most foolish of men. I will die a fool. Callie, please, you must tell me you love me.”

Callie wanted the earth to swallow her up. To say they had gained an audience was an understatement. People were deserting the paid performers to watch this gorgeous young man make an ass of himself.

“Yes, yes, I love you,” Callie said quickly and quietly. “Now get up from there and behave yourself.”

Actually, now that Talis had started this masquerade, he was finding that he rather liked it. Every man near them—and there were more by the second—had a look that said, I’ve been where you are. And the women were looking at him as though he really were the slayer of the dragon.

Talis grabbed the muddy hem of Callie’s skirt and raised it to his lips. “My beautiful Callasandra, I am not worthy to kiss this sacred garment.”

“Then don’t!” Callie said, snatching her skirt out of his hands.

“Talis!” Lady Frances snapped. “This is not proper behavior for a young knight.”

“How can I act any other way if my heart is bursting with love? I can feel nothing but this pain in my heart because my lady love has not said she will forgive me. I fear, dear, ah, onlookers, that I have neglected her sorely. I have, oh please, will you forgive me, I have been enticed away from her by the radiant beauty of other women.”

“Can’t blame him there,” a man muttered, then yelped as his wife twisted his ear.

“Talis, please,” Callie hissed at him. “Get up from there.”

“Not until you say that you forgive me.”

“Yes, of course I’ll forgive you,” she said hastily. “Just get up!”

“I must have your love and your forgiveness. I must—” At that he slammed his clasped hands into his chest and the poor monkey, who had been gratefully sleeping, let out a squeal and tried to claw his way out of Talis’s shirt. Too bad he tried to dig through the skin side instead of the fabric side.

With a yelp of pain, Talis drew the angry little fellow out and offered him to Callie. He made this offer with great show, bowing his head, holding the monkey in his hands, Talis still on his kne

es.

At the sight of the little animal, Callie gave a bit of a smile.

“Go on,” a man urged. “Take it.”

It was Lady Frances’s voice that scared the animal. “Talis, I have had enough of this! I am not feeling well and you must take me home! And get rid of that nasty thing.” She only meant to push the monkey out of Talis’s hands, but the poor animal had had enough mistreatment for one day. With a quick lash, he turned toward Lady Frances and bit her finger, drawing blood instantly. And when she screamed as though she’d been pierced with a lance, the frightened animal leaped from Talis’s hands, jumped onto Allen’s shoulder, grabbed a handful of his hair, then, when Allen swatted at him, the monkey vaulted onto a rain barrel, where he sat blinking at the crowd.

“Oh, Tally,” Callie said, tears in her voice. “You can’t let him get away.”