Chapter 27

Kenna shook her head in refusal. "Bash, I cannot go with you! At least not now."

"You want to stay here?" he asked confused. "Why?"

"First of all, Lola had given birth and I can't leave her alone and secondly, it's too dangerous out there. All areas are contaminated. And there are barriers everywhere."

Bash nodded. "That's right. Therefore, I avoided that. I came through the ravine on the edge of the village." he explained. "There are no barriers and no guards. I left my horse on the other side. We just cross the ravine, take the horse and ride back to the Castle."

Kenna saw the euphoria in his eyes and was torn between leaving or staying. How much she longed for returning to the Castle! But what about Lola and Aylee? She needed to take care of them, because Greer didn't have the time to do so. She had to take care of her girls and the sick customer.

"You probably don't know, but Lola's house was burnt down, because they were afraid of contagion. She has lost everything. And she hadn't heard a word from her husband, since the outbreak of the plague."

"I am awfully sorry for Lola! We should take her with us."

Kenna frowned. "I doubt that she is capable to climb through a ravine in her state. I'm not even sure if Daniel is able to do it."

"I know how. I'll lead you. Please Kenna!" he begged. "If you don't come with me, all the trouble was for nothing!"

"I have always admired your stubbornness." she said softly. "But in this case I won't relent. I'm sorry!"

Bash wanted to give a reply, when the door opened and Daniel appeared. He got bright eyes when he saw his father.

"Greer said Bash is here. She wasn't lying."

Bash bent down and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "No, she wasn't. I'm really here." he said smiling.

"We go riding now?"

Kenna suppressed a groan. How simple the world was for a two and a half year old. Outside, the plague caused havoc and Daniel just wanted that Bash delivered on his promise. Before she could give a reply, Bash cut in.

"If you like. And you also might like to climb a bit?"

Kenna looked at him dumbfounded. "Bash! That's not fair!"

But Daniel didn't hear what his mother said. He had only heard "riding" and "climbing" and nodded eagerly.

"This is too dangerous!" Kenna said dissaprovingly.

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a baby anymore!"

Kenna looked at Bash. „This is your fault!" she scolded him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "He has an adventures spirit. You can't blame him for that."

"No." Kenna shook her head. "I don't blame him, I blame you! It's not fair that you are trying to bribe him with promises, even though you know exactly how I feel about it!"

She was not prepared for it, when he suddenly pulled her closer to him. "Can't you understand, that I can't let you go, now that I have found you again?" He looked deeply into her eyes. "All the time, it made me crazy, not to know where you've been. After we had kissed, I wanted to tell you so much. But when I heard that you had left the Castle, I thought that I would never get the chance again."

"What... did you want... to tell me?" Kenna stammered faintly. His lips were only inches apart from hers.

He cupped her chin, forcing her to look deep into his green eyes. "I love you!"

Tears of joy welled in her eyes. "Oh Bash, how much I wished you would say these words to me!" She stood up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. „I love you, too!"

The kiss, that followed, started out tender but got more passionate with each passing minute. A kiss, that made the rest of the world fade away. They didn't even notice, that Daniel was staring at them, with his mouth agape.

"I'm coming with you." Kenna said with a faint smile, after they had broken the kiss. "I don't want to be apart from you again."

Bash caressed her cheek and looked at his son. "Did you hear what your mother said? She agrees, that we ride back to the Castle."

Daniel clapped his hands enthusiastically. "I tell Greer!"

And before Kenna was able to catch him, he had opened the door and ran away.

She smiled. "Sometimes it's not easy to keep up with his pace." She reached for Bash's hands. "I want to say goodbye to Lola and Greer. And I'll tell Bernadette that she should stay here until the plague is over."

Bash nodded. "Are there any infections?"

"Yes, one case so far."

"Then it's more important than ever that you and Daniel leave the house, as soon as possible."

Kenna leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I'm going. Wait for me in my chamber."

Kenna had tears in her eyes when she said goodbye to Lola. It was not easy for her, to leave her friend and the baby alone. But Lola encouraged her to go with Bash.

"As soon everything is over, I'm going to visit you at the Castle." Lola promised. „Perhaps Mary can help me to find a new home. Until then, I'm staying here." She looked at her sleeping daughter. "I believe we are safe."

Kenna nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Just a few weeks. Then we are reunited."

"Did you tell him?" Lola grinned mischievously. "And do not ask, what I'm talking about. You know it."

"He said it first." Kenna sighed. "I still cannot believe it. I feel as if I'm in a dream. Bash loves me!"

"Did you have doubts about that, after he had kissed you in the Castle?" Lola asked smiling.

Kenna shook her head. "I knew that he had feelings for me, but I thought they were just plain sentimental feelings, because he actually loved Mary."

"Yes, friendly feelings. It's very different from what the two of you feel for each other."

"Now I know." Kenna leaned forward and gave Lola a hug. "I have to go. Bash is waiting." She rolled her eyes. "And Daniel is looking forward to ride a real horse for the first time."

Lola laughed. "Like father, like son." She squeezed Kenna's hand. "I'm happy for you! You deserve it."

Kenna rose from the chair, and with a last look back, she left the room.