“Me braither is nae good at listenin’ to reason,” she added at last, with a finality in her voice. “He thinks that he is, but the only advice Ryder listens to is the advice he gives himself. He listens to Ewan sometimes, but that’s all. And for what it’s worth, Ewan agrees with me being locked up.”
“Well, ye are in danger,” Megan pointed out.
That was the wrong thing to say. Alaina’s eyes flared, and color rushed across her cheeks.
“And how would ye ken? I bet I am safer than Ryder makes out. Besides, the Keepissafe. A couple of useless guards at me doorwillnae save me if somebody does come to carry me away. Even ye two managed to sneak up on them, I’ll wager.”
This was, unfortunately, a very valid point. Megan filed the point away in her head to discuss with Ryder later. For now, she had a teenage girl to charm into friendship. Alaina had made no move to invite them into her room, and instead stood in the doorway, arms folded, squinting at Megan with obvious suspicion.
“Did I hear right?” she said at last. “Are yebetrothedto Ryder?”
Megan offered a faint smile. “Aye, I am.”
Alaina gave an amazed huff. “I daenae ken what surprises me more, the fact that Ryder lowered himself towed, or the fact that somebody accepted him. I have nae met ye before, so I daenae imagine this is a great love match.”
Megan wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. She supposed that it would be clear to everybody that their match was one of convenience. It was too sudden, and there was no known relationship between her and Ryder.
Anyone who looked deeper into Megan’s past would discover her mother and father, infamous and terrible, along with her sisters and their influential husbands. It would appear that Ryder was making a smart match by aligning himself with a powerful family.
Nobody would think twice about it. Judging by the curl of Alaina’s lip, however, she was not pleased to think that her brother was entering into a marriage of convenience.
Lying about it, however, would only push the girl further away.
“I am fond of yer braither,” Megan said at last. “We have a great deal of respect for each other, and we want to be happy. We think that we’re just as likely to be happy with a partner we have chosen so carefully for ourselves, rather than just choosin’ the first person our heart fixes upon.”
Alaina sniffed. “That’s nae very romantic.”
“I’m nae a romantic person, more’s the pity.”
The younger girl’s expression softened a little at this.
“Ye wish ye were romantic, then?” Alaina asked somewhat uncertainly. “Ryder always laughs at me and says that romance is silly. Of course, he means thatIam silly.”
“I’m sure he doesnae mean that,” Megan responded cautiously. “Ye daenae much like being laughed at, do ye?”
Alaina pursed her lips. “Nay, of course nae. Nobody does.”
“That’s fair. Well, I am nae laughin’.”
Alaina eyed her curiously. “Perhaps nae, but ye did agree to marry me braither, so I am nae sure how goodyeradvice might be.”
Megan let out a snort of laughter at that. “I cannae argue with ye there.”
Sophie, clearly annoyed at being ignored for so long, approached Alaina quietly and wrapped her arm around her waist. Alaina casually placed her hand on Sophie’s head, running her fingers gently through her hair. It was a tender gesture, and Megan immediately thought that if Alaina could show such kindness to her sister, there must be some good beneath her tough teenage exterior.
“Well, I am marryin’ yer braither, which will make us sisters,” Megan said, offering a wry smile.
Alaina did not smile back. “Sisters-in-law.”
“Aye, same thing.”
“Nae quite. Ye have yer own sisters, do ye?”
“Aye, I do.”
Alaina nodded. “Then ye ken that it is nae the same thing. Sophie, will ye stop squeezin’ me? It feels as though ye are pinchin’ me in two.”
Sophie pouted, but reluctantly released her sister. “Sorry,” she mumbled, not sounding sorry at all.
