Page 51 of A Promise Through Time

“Good. I’ve got apples and pears, will they do?”

“They will.”

“Cooked oats?”

“Yes.”

“I knew I would find something ye’d eat,” Mary laughed as she hurried about the kitchen obviously thrilled about her new discovery. She filled the basket to the brim. “Ye’ll be needing enough to last ye the day.”

“Thank you, Mary. You’ve been so kind.”

“I’d thank ye no’ to say a word about it. I’d rather them think me mean,” she chuckled.

“I think they might be on to you,” Tina said. “They only say the nicest things about you.”

“Do they now?” She smiled as she went back to work. “Off with ye, I’ve things to do.”

Her interaction with Mary brought a warm smile to her face. Despite her protests, she was a very sweet lady and everyone knew it.

***

He’d never been so worried about anything or anyone in his whole life. This was his daughter. He was going to care for her and protect her from harm to the best of his ability or he’d die trying. The relief he felt knowing that Elena’s fever was gone was profound. Now that she was feeling better he could concentrate on trying to make things right with Tina.

He’d seen the hurt and disappointment in her eyes and heard it in her voice and he knew he’d done that to her. His guilt over lying and what a terrible man he had been was overwhelming him. He’d resigned himself to losing her once before but he didn’t want that now. He wasn’t the same man that had pursued those women. He knew, now, what it meant to find someone special and he didn’t want to find someone else. He wanted Tina and he would do whatever was necessary to keep her. Logan told him to use his words and that is what he would do. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say that might change her mind, but he would try.

The door opened and Tina entered. “I brought food. Mary thought you’d be hungry.”

“Mary is right, as always.” A crooked grin appeared on his lips. One he hoped would charm Tina. Donal had never cared enough about a woman to want to win her back, but Tina was different. When she walked through that door, his heart skipped a beat and his mind went to work. He had to find a way to let her know she was special to him. That he would do anything for her. “Are ye feeling better this morning? Ye were quite upset last night.” Much to his surprise she didn’t respond the way he’d hoped.

“I found out the man I thought I loved was a liar who steps on hearts without a second thought.” She took a deep breath before continuing, her anger obvious. “That you not only didn’t remember Sionaid’s name, but had tossed her aside so fast you were already making your way through the women of the village. How long did your relationship with Tess last?”

Donal didn’t say anything to that.

“Honestly, Donal, how long do you really think this,” she wagged a finger back and forth between them, “is going to last? Clearly you are not a man familiar with commitment. I am not looking to be someone’s throw away. I wanted…” she stopped and Donal didn’t breathe until she spoke again. “I wanted to find someone that would love me for me. Someone who would be my partner in life. Obviously that person doesn’t exist. Not in this time or in the future.”

“Tina, that’s not true. I…”

“What do you know about the truth, Donal?” That stopped him. He had lied or at least misled her about nearly everything from the moment he met her. But not about how he felt. For the first time in his life he had been completely honest about his feelings for a woman, but she didn’t trust him and he couldn’t blame her.

He’d merely asked a question. One he’d hoped showed his concern for her. Somehow he’d said the wrong thing and now she was angry. Or perhaps she was still angry. Despite all the women he’d known, he had no experience with this side of them.

“Forgive me. I didnae mean to rile ye, but it seems I cannae help myself.”

She grumbled something under her breath as she unpacked the basket. He stood and walked to the table where as he reached for an apple his hand grazed hers. She froze and he noted she closed her eyes. This was a woman at war with herself. She still had feelings for him and yet she was denying them. He wantedto touch her, to hold her, to promise her he’d never lie to her again. If he did, would she reject him? As the seconds ticked by he realized he had no idea what to say to her. Maybe if he could keep her in the room his brain would kick in and figure out what he was supposed to say to fix this. He grabbed an apple from the basket and rubbed it on his plaid to have something to do. “Ye should eat,” he said.

“I wish everyone would stop telling me to eat. I’ll eat when I’m hungry,” she snapped.

“As ye wish.”

“Youshould eat and then go about your day. I’ll stay here with Elena.” When she glanced at him there was a sadness in her eyes that he hadn’t seen before.

“Tina …”

She held up her hand to stop his approach and his words, “No, don’t say anything. I’m trying my best to get through this. I am here to help take care of Elena. When she’s feeling better, I’m going home. So, until then we are nothing more than two people who care about one little girl.”

What could he say to that? They were not to be. He grabbed some bread, cheese and the apple and left the room. He was angry with himself for the lies, his careless past, and his idjit brain that couldnae think of the right thing to say to her. She’d seemed touched by his plight and he’d shamelessly taken advantage of her kind heart. He truly was as awful as she thought him to be.

***