hating it,” she said. “All sensible people hate war, as I hope you were about to say. A man who refuses to defend what he loves must be a coward, though. Sakes, I’d think the same of any woman who did not at least try to protect her own.”
“Sometimes, though, people say or do things hastily without knowing why.”
“Sakes, people often behave so, all of us. It is called acting without thinking first and is generally not to be encouraged.”
“Sometimes one has no time to think.”
“One always has time to think,” she said. “Sometimes one just has to think faster than other times.”
“But if a person thinks too fast, his thinking gets muddled or he neglects to consider all the likely consequences of his actions or his words.”
She had reached the top of the hill where the path widened, and as she moved aside to make way so they could walk abreast, she gave him a shrewd look. “This is an interesting subject for discussion, sir. But I’m beginning to wonder if it might have aught to do with why you came here.”
Fin searched his thoughts for a reply that would be true without revealing more than he yet wanted to share with her.
Into that silence, she said, “Did some such thing happen to you, something that troubles you now?”
Fin’s silence told Catriona much about his thoughts. Doubtless, he thought his face was inscrutable, a warrior’s face. But her brothers, father, and grandfather were all warriors, and she had learned from childhood to read certain signs.
She could tell when they had secrets, when they were preparing for war, when they were angry, and when they simply did not want to talk.
He seemed to show consternation now, as if he had not realized that she might draw such a conclusion from his comments.
Casually, she said, “If you go to Lochaber from here, remind me to tell you where to find that splendid waterfall along the way.”
“I don’t recall suggesting that I might go to Lochaber.”
“Perhaps not, but it was your childhood home, so I assumed you must have family there and would visit them whilst you are in the Highlands. And we did talk of waterfalls yesterday,” she reminded him. “Sithee, I just thought, from your reaction to my question, that you might prefer a change of subject.”
“Sakes, lass, we were just making conversation,” he said. “I like to discuss matters on which people have differing views and was but seeking to learn some of yours. I cannot think why you might think me troubled. I just wanted to know if you agree that certain events might occur so fast that one does not have time to consider all that one should before acting… or speaking.”
“I see.”
“Then what would you say?”
“Without a specific event to consider, it is hard to imagine how one could lack time to consider at least the likely consequences of any act.”
“Aye, well, you live a more peaceful life than most men do,” he said. “I can tell you that in the pitch of battle, a man has no time to think. Merely to survive, he must act quickly, relying only on instinct and his training.”
“Is one’s training not what creates those instincts?”
“Not always. In troth, sometimes one’s training, even one’s loyalties and sense of duty, can obstruct rational thought. For example, men often obey blindly, without thinking, when a superior gives an order. Or one agrees to something simply because one respects and trusts the one demanding agreement.”
He reached to cup her left elbow as the trail plunged into a declivity. The warmth of his touch through the thin camlet sleeve sent a tremor up her arm and a warmer sensation through her body that reached places never touched so before.
She turned to him. “Did you fear that I might trip over my feet?”
He did not answer but continued to support her elbow as he put his left hand gently on her right shoulder and continued to hold her gaze. The sensations roaring through her body now were disturbing, and so was the look in his eyes.
She knew exactly what he would do next.
Fool! The word exploded in Fin’s mind but had no effect on his body’s response to her. She was too close to him, too desirable, and too enticing. Moreover, she was too quick to read the truths in his words and much too easy for him to talk to.
She had said that she tended to speak her thoughts aloud. The idea that such