“What do ye mean?”
“Ye’re comin’ to stay with me.”
Her shoulders stiffened. He felt the objections gather behind her teeth, and he watched her measure them, and he saw her let most of them fall.
That surprised him more than it should have. She was not usually this reasonable.
“In yer castle,” she said.
“Aye.” He nodded once. “Ye can come with Ava if that is the only way ye will come.”
“What if I want to come with me maither instead? Will ye let her stay?” she asked.
“Aye. Why nae? For five days,” he said. “If it proves to ye I mean what I say.”
“And why should I come?”
“I will show ye the parts of me life that arenae rumors,” he replied. “Ye will see me council and me child. Ye will see how a castle runs when pride doesnae choke it. I willnae hide from ye. Ye may ask what ye like.”
“And ye expect I will say aye at the end.”
“I expect ye will ken what answer to give,” he countered. “If it is nay, I will take ye back to yer uncle, and I will take whatever follows. If it is aye, we will speak to a priest, and we will set a date.”
She looked at his mouth, as if the shape of the words might betray him. She looked into his eyes and searched them for the lie. He let her look. He had learned in war that some battles were won by standing still.
“Untouchable,” she repeated, quieter now.
“Aye.”
“And free,” she added.
“As far as a title can make ye,” he said. “The rest is yers to claim.”
She glanced toward Ava one more time. Her twin sister had found a step that pleased her and a partner who could keep it.
Emma lifted her face to Jack. “Five days,” she relented. “Nay longer.”
“Five,” he confirmed.
“And if ye press me,” she warned, “I will leave.”
“I willnae press ye,” he said. “I will persuade ye.”
“That is worse,” she huffed, but a small spark had kindled where caution had stood.
“Then we have a bargain?” he asked.
“We have a wager,” she responded, her voice clear. “The bargain comes after.”
A smile tugged at Jack’s lips. It might have taken him forever to get to this conclusion, but he was fine with it. She had given him five days to convince her, and that was what he intended to do.
In five days, she would be his. And he would be free from the council’s pestering.
CHAPTER 6
The wheelsof the old carriage hummed against the rough road. Emma kept her hands folded on her lap and watched the water bead and slide down the glass. Her mother, Olivia, sat beside her, clad in a white gown embroidered with beads.
Like Emma, her mother had the same expression on her face—fear and anticipation. Emma had stared at that face for the better part of the journey, but then decided to take a break. At least if her mother would let her.
