That was a tough question. Ernest helped her because he wished to spend more time with her. He was aware of how cowardly his act was. His father would berate him for not speaking up like a man and showing his feelings openly.
Ernest did not share his father's belief that ladies were born to kneel before men. While the Castellan thought that a lady's worth and honor came from the marriage proposal coming their way, Ernest didn't think that way.
He dreamed of having a marriage based on love, and to fulfill that, he needed to tread carefully so as not to scare or push Lady Runa away. He was certain that Lady Runa would not accept love at first sight as an excuse to help her.
Ernest contemplated what to say for a moment before finally saying, "I figure that's the only way to keep seeing you. I want to know more about you. You're… interesting."
He regretted choosing that word, but it was already spoken, and retracting it would be even stranger.
