Ava sagged against the wall, exhaustion sinking into her bones. Though, if she must be honest, it was not because her day was so busy. But the fact that her husband was waiting for her, right now, it made something in her stomach flip. She could not decide if that was a good or a bad thing. But given the fact that she had felt the same flip when he was laughing with Nathan, it was definitely dangerous.
“What are ye doing?” Finlay asked as he rounded the corner.
“Ach! Ye frightened me, ye old coo!” She swatted his arm.
Finlay let out a light chuckle.
His eyes softened, and he began to wring his fingers. It was a nervous habit he had had since childhood.
“Can we go out for a walk tomorrow?” he asked, staring down at the floor.
“I’m not sure there’s anything more to discuss, Finlay. I daenae blame ye anymore, ye ken? I shouldnae have accepted yer proposal in the first place. It was selfish of me to expect ye to save me.” Before he got a chance to reply, she started walking away.
“Where are ye going?” Finlay called after her.
“To the man I actually married,” she called over her shoulder.
Quick footsteps sounded behind her. Finlay caught her hand, and she looked back at him.
“Please, Ava, I’d like a chance to properly explain,” he begged.
She pursed her lips and considered for a long moment.
“All right, but please daenae feel like ye have to. I understand.”
Finlay shook his head.
“Meet me at the front door after breakfast. I daenae want to deal with ye while ye’re sleepy and starving.” He grinned and turned to head toward his bedchambers. “Goodnight, me Lady.” He winked and slipped behind the door.
Ava sighed, her limbs heavy with fatigue once more. She was not ready to face her husband. She should just tell him that tonight might not be a good night to…. Well, if he would accept such an answer.
She rubbed at the pounding in her temples.
Ye can do it, Ava. It’s just yer husband. Yer very dangerous, very handsome husband. Ye can face him.
Encouraging herself only got her so far. She now had to act. She started walking. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the walls as she made her way back to the sitting room, where Caden was waiting for her.
The moment she stepped inside, the air grew thick and heavy with tension. The pounding in her temples grew worse. She winced.
“Are ye well?” Caden stood as she entered the room, his brow creased in concern.
“Yer nephew is very energetic,” she laughed. “I’m exhausted. He’s run me through to the bone.”
She took the seat across from him and closed her eyes.
“How?” Caden asked.
“How what? How am I tired? Looking after a toddler is nay easy task, me Laird. It is why ye brought me in, after all,” she quipped.
“Nae that.” He sighed through his nose. “How… how did ye get him to trust ye?”
Ava cracked open one eye to see the sincere look on her husband’s face.
Ach.
“Well, maybe because I play with him instead of setting rules for him, me Laird.” She flung an arm over her eyes, not caring that she was being rude.
“Ye had better nae speak about things ye ken nothing about, lass,” he warned.
