“Subduing? And won’t that be the way of it?” She snorted. “Forcing me to obey yer every command.”
Her words shouldn’t surprise him since she showed the same willfulness with her family. And just like with his own clan’s teachings, she’d probably been told the only reason a man took a wife was to have his needs seen to: food, children, intimacy.
“Ye’ll be an obedient wife.” His tone was even, his words untroubled.
“I’ll fight ye at every turn.” Her voice cracked with indignation, her body rigid before him.
Her determination set something off inside of him. “Ye’ll lose.”
Her eyes widened, and she nearly succeeded in leaping from his horse, but he was able to halt her movements.
“Settle yerself.” He kept a tight hold round her while her legs flailed, until she stopped struggling against him. “Does yer father know of these midnight jaunts?”
Turning to give him that tolerant expression he knew so well, she said, “Of course he does. I always have his blessing.”
And she lied. Brighit enjoyed treating him as if he lacked any intelligence, as if she thought him incapable of understanding anything beyond battle tactics. Mayhap not even that.
Her condescension had sparked his temper at first, but only until he noticed how irritated she became when he didn’t attempt to defend himself. When he answered in a calm tone, his demeanor remaining relaxed, she would scowl. And when he didn’t answer at all, she appeared about ready to scream.
In truth, why should he defend himself with any of them? The bards andfilisang of his abilities as a warrior even now, not to mention his schooling in numbers and letters. He served as warrior, clerk, andbrithemto his ambitious father. If not for his sire’s expectations for him, Darragh would have been happy leading a quiet life, raising a family with a woman who loved and wanted him. Buthehad no intention of dishonoring his parents by breaking the betrothal, no matter how she behaved.
“Tsk. Tsk. Sneaking behind his back after he’s given ye more freedom than any other lass is not the best way to repay his generosity.”
Her eyes widened. “Andyeknow nothing about it.”
Darragh gave a shrug.
Her expression relaxed into clear gloating.
A sudden desire to keep her engaged pushed him to say more. “Explain it. Explain to me why ye’re off with the lads getting into mischief instead of safe in yer bed with the other maidens?”
“The other maidens.” She scoffed. “’Tis no concern of yers.”
“Ah, but it would give me great pleasure to know of ye.” He smiled at his own choice of words. “And soon I will be yer husband.”
In the flick of an eye, she was nose to nose with him, her chin jutting out. “Not. Of. My. Choosing.”
Facing front again, Brighit was stiff before him. Was there someone else she preferred to marry? She’d shown no partiality to anyone else that he’d witnessed. He’d watch more closely now. Not that it mattered overmuch. They were already as good as wed.
“Our betrothal is not up for debate.”
She remained unyielding.
“Mayhap ’twould be best for ye to remain with my clan.”
She glared at him.
“Getting to know the clan that will soon be yers will no doubt ease any concerns ye may have about our joining.”
“I’m not afraid of ye.”
“Brave words from a lass untried.”
Even in a loveless marriage, attraction went a long way to smooth the rough edges, and he definitely liked that flush of passion he saw in her when she verbally sparred with him. Passion was passion as far as he was concerned. Anger. Lust. Her willfulness, however, could put them both in a bad situation.
“We’ll see.” The declaration, delivered with her nose in the air, did not sit well with him.
“Take heed, Brighit. Yer father’s disapproval over yer behavior will not compare to my wrath if I find ye have dallied with another.”
