Long enough for her to mourn properly and start to move on. She'd fought the grieving process. She'd fought Guy's offers of comfort and run off with Robin to the forest to try and live freely, as she'd always wanted. But sooner or later she'd had to breakdown and miss her father and regret that he'd died trying to prove himself to her. And when Robin mentioned it, she felt her breath catch all over again. "Not so long. He escaped the Sheriff's dungeons to prove to me he wasn't weak." He'd died defending Robin. Something else she had no urge to tell him. That stupid Pact and its stupid ability to turn all their lives upside down.
Yes, she could take care of herself. But he also had loved her despite of and maybe even because of that independence. He'd gotten a 'yes' out of her. And that? That she'd allow to slip. Maybe it would be enough. And maybe it would help her along, give her an idea of where they stood. Of how much he could take when she finally did have no choice but to tell him the truth.
She smiled as his hand worked its way to her hair and she said in nearly a whisper, "You proposed to me, actually. Before I went back. We left as some clandestine romance but I returned as your betrothed." Automatically, her hand reached for his before it could drop. She linked their fingers together and smiled warmly. "Still clandestine," she admitted with a little laugh. "But all yours."