As he helpedSophie down from the horse, Kenneth fixed her with a stern look. His large hands spanned her waist easily, and he tried to ignore the way she felt so small and fragile beneath his touch.
Kenneth's eyes narrowed dangerously,his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. "Now listen here, ye wee hellcat. From this moment on, ye'll obey me every command without so much as a whisper of protest. I'll not have ye endangerin' yerself or me clan with yer foolish whims. Ye'll do as I say, or by God, ye'll wish ye were back in that tower. Am I clear?"
Sophie's chin lifted,her eyes blazing with a fire that would have cowed lesser men. The timid lass from the tower was gone,replaced by a woman forged in the crucible of her imprisonment. "I think nae, ye great brute," she spat, matching his intensity. "I've had me fill of men who fancy themselves kings, thinkin' they can order me about like a trained dog. I'll use me own judgment, and if ye daenae like it, ye can drag me back to that godforsaken keep yerself!"
Kenneth felta muscle twitch in his jaw. He was used to instant obedience from his clan, and this slip of a girl dared to challenge him? "This isnae up for debate, Sophie. Me word is law here."
"Then perhaps yer law needs amendin',"she shot back, a sweet smile belying the steel in her voice. "I've spent the last year trapped by one man's dictates. I willnae trade one prison for another."
Before Kenneth could retort,Lachlan approached, eyeing Sophie with undisguised curiosity. "Everythin' alright, me laird?" His tone was casual, but Kenneth could see the way his eyes darkened with mistrust as he studied the woman.
Kenneth waved him off,his eyes never leaving Sophie's. "Fine. Let's get movin'. We've a long journey ahead." He helped Sophie into the carriage, trying to ignore the way her hand felt in his, small but surprisingly strong.
The rideto MacAdams Keep passed in a blur of terse silence and Sophie's occasional attempts at conversation. Kenneth found himself torn between wanting to engage with her quick wit and needing time to sort through his own tumultuous thoughts. Bythe time they arrived, the sun was high in the sky, and Kenneth's mood had soured considerably.
He ledSophie to the great hall, where a meal had been laid out. The scent of roasted meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, reminding Kenneth that he hadn't eaten since the previous day. As they sat, he found his mind whirling with the events of the past day and the unexpected complication seated across from him.
Sophie,however, seemed determined to draw him out. "Come now, Laird MacAdams. Surely ye have somethin' to say? Or has the cat got yer tongue?" Her tone was light, teasing, but Kenneth could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
Kenneth fixedher with a hard stare, trying to ignore the way the sunlight caught in her hair, turning it to spun gold. Desire, hot and unwelcome, surged through him once more. He clamped down on the feeling, burying it beneath layers of duty and honor. "I was simply enjoyin' me meal, Sophie. Perhaps ye should do the same."
Before Sophie could respond,a whirlwind of energy burst into the room. Arabella, Kenneth's sister, swept in with a bright smile. Her dark hair was tied back in a simple braid, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in their guest. "Oh! Ye must be Sophie! I'm Arabella, Ken's sister. It's so wonderful to meet ye!"
Sophie's face lit up,her earlier tension melting away. "Arabella! I'm so pleased to meet ye as well. Yer brother's told me... well, practically nothin' about ye, truth be told."
Arabella laughed,a warm, infectious sound. "Aye, that sounds like our Ken. He's about as talkative as a stone wall most days. But never ye mind, we'll make up for lost time."
"I'd like that very much,"Sophie replied, her smile genuine. "I must admit, I've been starved for good conversation."
"Well,ye've come to the right place," Arabella said, linking her arm through Sophie's. "Now, tell me everythin'. How are ye findin' our wee keep? Has me brother been behavin' himself?"
Sophie's eyes twinkled mischievously."Oh, he's been a perfect gentleman. If by 'gentleman' ye mean a growlin' bear with a thorn in his paw."
Arabella burst out laughing."Och, I like ye already, Sophie. I think ye'll fit in just fine here."
And with that,the two women were off, chattering away like old friends, leaving Kenneth to wonder what sort of storm he'd just invited into his home.
Kenneth watched,bemused, as they discovered a shared love of literature. It was strange to see Sophie interacting with someone else, to be reminded that she was more than just the woman he'drescued. She was a person in her own right, with interests and passions he knew nothing about.
"...andhave ye read 'In Search of Aether'?" Arabella asked excitedly. "It's by an unknown author, but it's absolutely fantastic! The way they describe the ethereal realm, it's like ye can almost touch it."
Sophie shook her head,her eyes bright with interest. "I havenae, but it sounds intriguin'. Perhaps ye could lend it to me? I've missed havin' new books to read this past year."
Their conversation was interruptedby Lachlan's arrival. The burly warrior looked almost comical as he tried to move quietly, not wanting to disturb the women's chat.
"Me laird,"Lachlan interjected, his voice cutting through the women's chatter. He cast a wary glance at Sophie before continuing, "I've news that might interest ye. The two gentlemen ye've been correspondin' with—" he paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "—the ones ye deemed worthy of Lady Sophie's hand, they'll be gracin' us with their presence on the morrow."
Kenneth's eyessnapped to Sophie's face, catching the brief flicker of emotion that passed over her delicate features. Was that a shadow of disappointment darkening her emerald gaze? Or merely a trick of the fading light? He filed the observation away for later contemplation.
"Very well,"Kenneth replied, his voice gruff. "See to it that chambers are prepared. We wouldnae want our... guests... to find us lackin' in hospitality." The word 'guests' rolled off his tongue with all the warmth of a midwinter frost.
As the sundipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of fire and blood, Kenneth felt the weight of the day settling upon his shoulders. The lack of sleep, the emotional whirlwind, the constant dance of words with Sophie—it all conspired to drain him of his last reserves.
"The hour grows late,"he announced, pushing himself to his feet with a barely suppressed groan. "Sophie, I'll have the servants ready a chamber for ye. One befitting a lady of yer station."
But Sophie,it seemed, had other ideas. Her eyes, which had been soft with fatigue mere moments ago, now blazed with a fire that both enticed and alarmed Kenneth.
"I think nae, me laird,"she declared, her chin lifting in that now-familiar gesture of defiance. "If it pleases ye, I'll choose me own quarters. I've had me fill of being tucked away in rooms not of me own choosin'."
