“Fine, but ye’ll do it without questionin’ me methods or me choices. The next time ye overstep again, there will be consequences.”
“What kind of consequences?”
Elijah smiled, and it wasn’t pleasant. “The kind that will remind ye exactly what yer position in this marriage really is.”
She stared at him for a long moment, and finally, she nodded once, sharp and decisive.
“Understood.” She turned toward the door, then paused. “But Elijah?”
“What?”
“That boy is goin’ to love me whether ye like it or nae, and when he does, when he’s happy and secure and everythin’ ye apparently cannae give him, remember that ye chose this. Ye chose to hand him over to a stranger rather than be his faither yerself.”
Iris turned away, closing the door closed behind her with a quiet click.
CHAPTER NINE
“Chess.”
Elijah looked up from his ledgers again, one dark eyebrow raised. Iris stood in the doorway of his solar, her chin lifted in that stubborn way that had likely gotten her in trouble her entire life.
When had she come back inside?
“I beg yer pardon?”
He wasn’t in the right frame of mind for another exchange of words with Iris, so he turned back to his parchments, pretending to be engrossed.
But even with his head down, he could sense her studying him, probably deciding what to do next.
“I challenge ye to a game of chess,” she said, stepping into the room. “If I win, ye spend an entire afternoon with yer son—talkin’, playin’, whatever he wants to do.”
He lifted his head slowly, taking his time giving her a response. “And if ye lose?”
“Then I’ll do whatever ye ask me to.” The words came out before she could second-guess them.
A slow smile spread across his face. How he would use this opportunity to his advantage, he was yet to determine.
“Whatever I ask?”
He saw uncertainty flash across her features.
Too late to back down now, lass. Ye should think more instead of lettin’ yer emotions run away with ye.
He watched with satisfaction as she swallowed before she whispered, “Aye.”
He leaned back in his chair, rolling his quill between his fingers, studying her. “I warned ye nae to challenge me, wife.”
Her eyes flashed with fire. “Are ye afraid ye’ll lose?”
Elijah laughed, rich and genuine. “Oh, lass, ye have nay idea what ye’re gettin’ yerself into.”
Twenty minutes later, the chessboard was set between them on a small table near the window. He watched Iris stare down at the carved wooden pieces, seeing the way her confidence continued to spike downward.
“What’s the matter, wife? Suddenly realized ye daenae ken how to play as well ye imagined?”
He watched that stubborn tilt of her chin again. “I leaned to play with me faither’s steward. I havenae played in some summers, but how hard can it be?”
Elijah had to force himself not to burst out laughing. He moved a pawn.
