"I will tell ye about it this eve if ye like after supper," she said, "I need ta be sittin' down ta tell about it." She gave a slight smile. "If ye'd like ta join me for supper, that is." She liked when he dined with her, it was nice. "I don't honestly remember if I told ye or not," she went on to say, obviously not offended that he may or may not have forgotten.

"And I, yers," she said softly. Her eyes shone as they peered at him, her mouth curling upward in a slow smile.

"That is what we do," she grinned conspiratorily, then did something she had never done before and gave a wink the way Lorn would. It was nice to know that the cook was in her back pocket when it came to allies. She would have to quietly thank the woman with some sort of gift as thanks.

She listened to him when he spoke of his daughter being adopted. She glanced over to him with no judgment in her eyes. "I think that's beautiful," she said softly, reaching over finally and settling a hand on his arm.

At the invitation and the opportunity to hear more about her nightmares, he nodded.  "I would like that very much."  He thought a moment thinking about the topic for a moment.  "How about I leave Heidi with the nanny so you can focus on what you want to tell me about and not worry about a three-year-old running around?"  He asked with a raised brow.

"Or you could have dinner at my place, and the twins could go into the nursery with Heidi after we eat?"  He added to give her the choice.  "There is nothing to letting Miss Cora know there will be another to join me."

When she winked, he found it adorable.  He grinned.  "Remind me not to let you spend too much time alone with Miss Cora."  He laughed.

After her initial reaction to what he had started telling her about, he was relieved, though he still felt shame knowing about Heidi's mother going through all of that alone.  He continued with the history he was so shameful of.

"I met a very special lady while I was in college and far from home. She helped me get through some childhood traumas, a bad argument I had with my parents, and she and I got close. I allowed myself to get too close and I caused her to be ruined,"  he paused looking down to the ground as they walked before continuing, " and more than just talking alone improperly."  Another pause, "She left, though we cared deeply for each other. I didn't know why she left until much later.  She felt she had to, as had her parents, to save her from the public ruin."

He paused then continued. "It was after I met and was about to marry Cressida that I found out about Heidi and that the mother died soon after giving birth to my daughter. The parents were really not able to raise her and I wouldn't have stayed out of her life anyway." He explained with a defined tone in the last part not wanting Karen to think he was a total rake.

"At first, finding out about Heidi, Cressida and I had a major split. Understandably, of course, I had a child out of wedlock with an innocent young woman. But our relationship eventually mended, and when we found out that the grandparents really couldn’t take care of the infant, Cressida and I decided to adopt her. My late wife agreed, in fact, was quite forceful about it,” he chuckled, “when I brought the idea to her. She knew I would not be able to bear if they put Heidi up for adoption to the general public.”

He gave Karen another work about telling the whole shameful story with obvious embarrassment and shame in his tones and body language. “I figured you should know of this. We don’t tell my part in it, just saying she is adopted. Eventually, when she is older, maybe married herself, letting her know I am not just her adopted father but her real father. I don’t know, maybe just let it be a secret to everyone. But I thought you should know.”

“Oh, a night off of cookin’? Woe is me,” she jested in a melodic voice. She chuckled then and shook her head. “Ye don’t have ta twist me arm,” said Karen with a smile. The smile died a little but not for any bad reason, merely that she was responding to him, “Aye, I will join ye.”

And then she was intent on listening to his story. Her smile died the rest of the way but there was still no judgment in those eyes of hers. So… he had a scandal in his past too. She said, “I am the last person ta judge ye fer a mistake ye made… Ye’re doin’ the right thing by raisin’ her.” Oh, how she wanted to kiss the man and reassure him that he should not be ashamed of himself as much as he seemed to be.

“I was with Harold out of wedlock,” she said in a low voice. “Aye, we married, but… I was still with him. And I… had me moment of weakness wit’ the man I almost married.” She paused and looked down at her belly, glad that she’d not become pregnant. “The point is…” she cleared her throat, “Mistakes happen and we learn from them. Thank ye for trustin’ me enough ta tell me that.”

When she agreed, his enjoyment was clear in his expression.  He made a mental note to let Miss Cora know about the addition to the evening meal, and who it would be.  He figured the cook would find that news a celebration.  Maybe she would stop hinting to him, he chuckled inwardly.

At her admissions, Lorn gave her a look of understanding.  "The ladies involved take more of the issues from society, and we men get let go in many cases.  Heidi's mother would not tell her parents who the father was until she knew she was dying.  Otherwise, she would have carried that guilt all on her own shoulders, not allowing me to be there with her.  I would have married her right away."  He assures Karen.  No doubts at all on that fact.  He had loved the woman so yes, it would have been the proper thing, but it was not the only reason she would have.

They had gotten to where they could see the main road a ways away now.  He turned to look at her.  "I try to be an honorable man and to be a good example to Heidi.  I just thought you should know that I have not always behaved in such a way.  Now, though I am more mature and in control of my actions."  He promised.

She smiled at the enjoyment she witnessed coming across his face. Her expression soon matched his, but then grew serious again as the talk continued. When he was done speaking, she reached out a hand and touched his arm, halting the horse before she could drag Karen away. "I know ye are an honorable man," she said softly. Her eyes met his and gazed for a long moment before she spoke again, "Lorn, ye have been nothin' but honorable since the day I met ye... it's why I like ye so much and want ta see more of ye."

Her fingers soon lowered to his hand and curled around it gently. "I trust ye," she said ever so softly. She gave another smile, though not one of joy but one of reassurance. "Heidi has a good da," she went on to say.

Karen's words reassured Lorn of himself and what he had found growing inside his heart and mind when it came to Karen.  That she trusted him even knowing the truth of his daughter's beginnings meant a lot to him.  He felt her hand on his and he let his large fingers mingle with hers.

"Thank you.  I won't act in a way for you to regret that trust."  He assured her.  His eyes met hers and there were a few moments of silent communication from his direction to hers.  That his feelings were growing and real was there.  About then Dora nudged into Karen's back with a bit of a push toward Lorn.  Lorn reached with her other hand to stabilize the young woman as she was urged closer by their equine friend.

She did not smile as they peered into each others' eyes. It was a moment that felt like she was magnetized toward the handsome horse breeder. She was about to open her mouth to say something, and instead, let out a startled laugh when Dora nudged her closer to Lorn. He steadied her with his other hand but the momentum pushed her closer to him and she found herself tilting her head back to look at him.

"Lorn," she said softly, "I think Dora is tryin' ta match make too." She didn't laugh, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. It was hard to breathe when he was near and her heart hammered in her chest. She wanted very much for him to kiss her, silently willing him to do so with her mind whilst holding a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Lorn chuckled as well, once he was sure she was not going to fall.  He gave Dora a look and shook his head.  "Thanks girl."  He commented, not totally unhappy with her action.  Then his hands moved up Karen's upper arm on either side of her body.  She was so small.  He found himself lost in her eyes.

Then as if without really thinking about doing it, more like it was supposed to happen, he leaned down and his lips pressed into hers.  Then he pulled back.  "Sorry, that should not happen.  We are only just getting to know each other in a way, not just employee/employer."  He couldn't seem to pull away any further though.  "I told you I am an honorable man, but I don't seem to be acting that way right now."

She wasn't exactly unhappy with the horse at the moment either. But the kiss was so brief... She let out that breath she was holding... "And what if I wanted ye to do that?" she asked ever so softly, her eyes gazing deep into his. "What if I told ye I've been thinkin' a long time about ye kissin' me?" It wasn't said to be bold, it was said because she knew what it was like to leave words unsaid and then regret not saying them later on.

Karen couldn't help but get a little emotional, "I cannot leave things unsaid anymore. Not again... Not when I know what it is like ta have lost someone with things left unsaid. I've thought of ye often in the last months, always wonderin' what ye were doin' or how ye were... Over time, I agonized less about me feelin's. I wanted ta make sure it wasn't me just bein' lonely before I told ye how I felt... But I feel strongly that I was meant ta meet ye on that train. And I strongly believe that ye kissin' me ain't breaking' me trust if I want ye to do it. And I do."

Lorn gave her a fraction of a second pause after she finished talking, then his lips were back on hers.  His right hand went from her upper arm up to cup the back of her neck and his finger wiggled up under the edge of her hair to curl around the back of her skull.  His left hand moved from that side's arm down to the middle of her back between her shoulders and then slowly down to the middle of her lower back drawing her more toward him securely.

His warm lips pressed into hers with a firm but not painful manner. He had thought of that as well.  He might be able to figure out when that image started, but he was busy at the moment with other thoughts...or no thought at all other than kissing this lovely woman.  Finally, he pulled back after a good long while, to breathe and let her breathe.    He just stood there a few moments in silence looking at her and focusing on her face. 

"We best get our minds on why we are out here, or Dora might wander off."  He chuckled with a light laugh.