"If ye say so."
But as Ewanreturned his attention to his reports, he couldn't quite shake the image of Maia's flushed cheeks, her defiant eyes, the way she'd defended Kian without a thought for her own situation.
Or the wayhis chest had tightened when she'd said she was his betrothed, even knowing it was a lie.
14
"And then the rabbit jumped right over the fence! It was the biggest jump I've ever seen!"
Kian'senthusiastic voice filled the great hall as Maia listened with genuine amusement, watching the young boy gesture wildly with his spoon, nearly sending porridge flying across the table.
"That does sound impressive,"Maia said, reaching over to gently lower his spoon hand before he caused a disaster. "Though perhaps ye should finish yer breakfast before ye tell me the rest? The porridge is gettin' cold."
"But it's so excitin'!"Kian protested, though he obediently took another bite. "And I wanted to tell ye before me faither gets here, 'cause he always says I talk too much at breakfast."
"Yedotalk toomuch at breakfast."
Ewan's voicecame from behind them, and Maia felt her spine straighten automatically. She hadn't seen him since yesterday, when she'd stormed out of his study in a huff after he'd told her to solve the problem she'd created herself.
She was still annoyedabout that.
"Faither!"Kian bounced in his seat as Ewan took his place at the head of the table, right next to Maia, she noted with a flutter of something she refused to examine. "I was just tellin' Maia about the rabbit!"
"I heard."Ewan's lips twitched as he reached for the bread. "I think everyone in the castle heard."
"I was nae that loud,"Kian grumbled, but his dark eyes were sparkling with happiness.
Maia had spentmost of yesterday with the boy, letting him show her around the castle, listening to his endless stories about his pony and his lessons and his faither, who was the best fighter in all of Scotland and could probably defeat a whole army by himself if he wanted to.
It had been...nice. Easy. Kian reminded her of what she might have been like as a child, before her parents died and her uncle locked her away. Full of enthusiasm and wonder and unguarded joy.
She'd also spentmost of yesterday trying very hard not to think about the fact that she was supposed to be pretending to be this child's future stepmother, and that eventually, she'd have to tell him the truth.
The thought madeher chest ache.
"Did ye sleep well, lass?"
Ewan's questionpulled her from her thoughts. She glanced at him, found him watching her with those dark, unreadable eyes.
"Aye. Thank ye."She looked away quickly, focusing on her own porridge. "The bed is very comfortable."
"Good."
Silence fell between them,not quite comfortable, not quite awkward. Just... charged with something Maia couldn't name.
Kian,bless him, had no such hesitation. "When are ye goin' to get married? Leon says it should be soon, but Aisla says ye should wait until spring because winter weddings are too cold."
"Kian,"Ewan interrupted gently. "Eat yer breakfast."
"But—"
"Breakfast first. Questions later."
Kian pouted but obeyed,and Maia felt a surge of gratitude toward Ewan for the interruption. She had no idea how to answer questions about a wedding that was never going to happen.
She was just startingto relax, just beginning to think that maybe breakfast wouldn't be too terrible, when the hall doors opened and a familiar figure swept in.
Laura Nicolson.
