‘Aye, and it seems you do not know your bride at all, Bryce. Have you wed a stranger in haste in a fit of lust and now have cause to regret it?’
‘Is that why Clara is here, to be dangled in front of me as an alternative? Did you dig deep enough to find a cause to end my marriage and foist me off on Clara? Is that why you seemed to welcome Maren and did not raise objections to our union? All the while, you were plotting against us, weren’t you?’
‘And why should I not, when you turn up with a hellion and present her as family – a lass we know nothing about, with no claim to connection or fortune?’ Jasper sighed and shook his head. ‘I grant you, she is comely enough to warm even my old bones, and I can see why her wildness stirs you, but Maren seems to have nothing to recommend her save her bonnie face and a pert figure, the likes of which have led you astray many a time and down a path to ruin and disgrace.’
Bryce fumed silently, trying to get a grip on his temper. His father was veering perilously close to the truth, and that is what stung him so badly. He did not know Maren, and maybe he never would. He might have begun to think of the lass as his, but she would not be held. The thought of her running back to Balloch and the captain of the Jezebel made his fists balls of iron.
‘For better or worse, I am wed to Maren, and that is that,’ said Bryce.
‘Yet I cannot find a priest for miles who says he has wed you two,’ said Jasper calmly.
‘What?’
‘At which kirk did you wed, son?’
‘It matters not where we wed. We did it south, in a little place near Balloch. Have you been spying on me?’
‘I have been safeguarding my family and my legacy and the interests of Clan Cullan, so do not upbraid me for wanting to know the truth of my son’s marriage.’
‘You are unspeakable.’
‘No, I am vigilant, and you are a blind fool. Go and dig a little deeper into Maren’s past and root out the truth.’
‘That is what I intend to do.’
‘Aye, well, until then, curb your temper. No matter the lass has faults, you will not bully her.’
‘Why not? Wouldn’t you like to see the back of her so that you can install Clara in her place?’
‘That is the opposite of what I want, and I will not have the lass roughly treated because I like Maren, alright. Besides, bullying does no good anyway. Women keep their secrets close, and we never really know them. As to Clara, you could be kinder, you know. She is a decent young woman and means well.’
Bryce frowned at his father. The man was always so full of contradictions. Yet his words inspired guilt. Maybe his father had been kinder to Maren than he had. But however he might have mishandled the situation, the lass had spurned and humiliated him and lied, and he would have it out with her.
He stormed away and ran upstairs to their chamber. The door was barred, which sparked his temper, and Bryce banged on it furiously with his fist, so hard, it shook.
‘Open the door, Maren, or I’ll take an axe and break it down,’ he snarled.
All was quiet for a moment, and then the bolt slid back, and she opened the door, quickly backing away into the chamber. He paused to gather his words. How defiant she looked, all wild-haired and rosy-cheeked from her ride back from God knows where. Or was that flush to her face from something else, something carnal? But wasn’t there always something sensual about Maren. It was as if when he was around her, she leeched all his good sense from his bones and replaced it with white-hot lust. Her spark of defiance and the fire in her eyes stoked passion and anger in equal measure. For a moment, he did not know whether to throw Maren over his knee and discipline her or make violent love to her.
‘So, I have questions, wife,’ he spat. ‘You need to account for your sudden disappearance.’
‘I am not your wife to question,’ she said defiantly.
‘Oh, you are for appearances, and we had a bargain that you would act as such,’ he shouted as the reins on his temper slipped through his fingers. ‘Were you abducted, dragged away against your will, kicking and screaming?’
‘No, I went of my own free will.’
At least Maren had the good sense to look guilty, her chest rising and falling rapidly, biting her full, pink bottom lip, hands fisted into her skirts.
‘How dare you ride off without a word, making my father look like the greatest fool and me along with him,’ said Bryce.
‘I did not do it to wound either of you.’
‘We have been frantic. My clansmen have been out looking for you, and Callum has too. My father is now suspicious, doubting our union.’
‘He doubted us before I went off. It is plain as day he does not trust you, Bryce.’
‘And now I cannot trust you.’
