“As you wish, milord,” Siena murmured, knowing at this very moment she couldn’t deny him anything. There was something about Roderick that pulled at her, and she liked these new feelings.
“Obedience. I like that,” Roderick chuckled.
* * *
Once they had mounted,Siena noticed that the road was just a small rut to the castle and it appeared to have iced again, so she rubbed the stones together and wished for an open road to the castle. When she opened her eyes, sure enough the road was clear with the ice pushed to the side, so the horses had a perfect path.
“I wonder how long it took Duncan to clear the road?” Roderick more or less said this to himself. “Must have taken all night.”
Siena smiled. “They did a good job. They must have been worried about you.”
“Aye.” Roderick nodded, but still shook his head because the road appeared to never have seen the first drop of ice.
As they entered through the gates the clan started to gather. Siena wondered if someone was going to throw a stone her way because they really didn’t look happy. She wondered if they all thought she’d seduced their laird. If they thought that, then they didn’t know him very well.
Once they stopped just outside the great hall, Roderick dismounted, then helped her down. He guided her to the steps before he turned to address the crowd. He kept his arm around her.
“I will be marrying Lady Siena in three days hence. Know ye this, she did us all a great favor when she killed our enemy, Fidach, so she avenged our loss. Now, Lady Siena is going to be a member of Clan Scott, and I expect everyone to welcome her.”
“She bewitched you, laird,” someone called out.
“Nay, she did not. I’m the same mon I was the day before. Put such thoughts from yer head.”
Siena watched everyone nod. She wished he’d said that he loved her and that was the reason for the wedding, instead it was as if he were repaying a debt, and nothing more. However, she wanted more and somehow, she would find a way to make Roderick love her.
They turned and stepped into the entrance that led into the great hall. “I bid ye good day, lass.” Roderick excused himself to attend to more important matters, leaving Siena to wonder if she was doing the right thing. Did they have to post bans in Scotland? She wasn’t sure.
She didn’t know … she didn’t know anything. Everything was happening much too fast. Her reaction to Roderick confused her. And then she thought what other choice did she have? She liked the safe feeling she had here with him, and though she didn’t want to admit it … she liked Roderick.
Siena climbed the stairs in a daze. Agatha waited at the top for her.
“Where have you been?” Agatha asked. At the moment, she reminded Siena of an angry cat with its hair standing up on its back. “I was worried sick about you, milady.”
“I’m sorry to have worried you, but it wasn’t my fault, so you can calm down.” Siena took a breath, then continued, “I went to the cave with Laird Scott.”
“Aye, I knew that.” Agatha threw her hands up in the air. “But you didn’t come back.”
Siena swept by Agatha and headed to her solar, but she said over her shoulder, “The weather changed and turned into sleet, so we couldn’t risk the horses falling and breaking a leg.”
Agatha was dead on Siena’s heels. “You spent the night with the laird?”
Siena felt like a child. Agatha had been the only one to ever discipline her, so Siena remembered all the lectures. She really couldn’t think of anything to say so she nodded as they entered her chamber.
“Oh, my Lord. I need to sit down,” Agatha held her chest as if she were in pain and stumbled over to a chair by the window to take a seat.
Siena poured a cup of cool water and handed it to Agatha. “Drink this and calm down. Don’t go getting out of sorts. Nothing happened,” Siena said as she sat on the bed and shoved her hair over her shoulders.
“I should hope not. I raised you better than that, but you know you shouldn’t be alone with a man without a chaperone.”
“Yes. I should be hung.” She smiled at her own joke. “I guess you didn’t hear the announcement that was made just now?”
“What announcement?” Agatha set her cup down. “I’ve been mending a couple of your dresses.”
“I’m getting married. Roderick just made the announcement.”
Agatha gasped again, and then a slow smile formed on her lips. “My baby girl is getting married.” She sighed. “Now that is good news.”
“But I don’t know how to be a wife. I don’t know how to run a home.”
