Aaron's eyes widened.He stood straighter as a playful smirk tugged at his lips. Clearing his throat, he turned to face the crowd.
"Me bride is tired.We are to retire," Aaron announced unabashedly. Heat coursed through Izzy as the flush of embarrassment kissed her cheeks.
"Didyou have to make it so obvious?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice low enough for only Aaron's ears.
"It wasnecessary in order to follow the King's orders."
"You don't understand;I have no intentions of letting you touch me tonight," Izzy said, trying to keep her voice steady. Although she wasn't ready to give her body over to the man, she was ready to see him as a friend. He had, after all, proven to be at least that much.
"Is that so?"he chuckled, and before Izzy could protest, she was scooped up into his arms.
"What are you doing?Put me down. This is not necessary," she complained as she wiggled about. Aaron's chuckle only grew heartier as he made his way through the crowd and out of the grand oak doors of the great hall.
"Aye, but it is Me Lady."
"The King orderedyou to carry me up the stairs?"
"Nae exactly,but I figured if ye do somethin' best give it yer all. Nay reason to do anythin' if yer whole heart isnae in it."
"Areyou saying your heart is in the arranged marriage?"
"Aye,"he answered with such conviction that it startled her. "Nae sayin' I love ye or any of that nonsense, but I will give this marriage all that I can. Despite what ye might think of me, I'm nae a horrible man."
"I don't thinkI ever said you were," Izzy objected as they reached the top of the steps. The hallway to Aaron's chamber was well lit by the torches lining the walls. Garlands of heather had been spread out as if to guide them to their rooms.
"Ye calledme a monster if I recall correctly."
"What do you expect?You were covered in blood," Izzy said, her body trembling uncontrollably as the memory skipped through her mind. "And you scared me. Do you have any idea how intimidating you can be?"
"And what ofour adventure yesterday in the village? Did ye nae think of me a brute then too?"
She flinchedas she gave a small shrug. "You are a brute. But you're my brute and my hero. If it weren't for you saving me from those men… well…"
"Well, we're nae goin'to think about that," he said as he kicked open the door to his chambers. "Only good thoughts tonight, aye? It is after all our weddin' night."
Aaron moved swiftlyto the bed and without any warning let his arms drop. Izzy plummeted. She let out a little squeal of fear as she hit the mattress.
"If you thinkthat this will somehow make me change my mind, you're sorely mistaken, sir," Izzy objected as she scrambled off the bed. Running her hands down her dress to smooth the wrinkles, she tried to hide her smile. Yet, the spark of excitement and the thrill of the fall had unnerved her.
"Well then,I suppose it's a good thing that I had nay intentions of touchin' ye," he answered as the click of the door snapped a nerve within Izzy. She was trapped now; her only escape had been sealed off. It was a moment of truth for her. Did she trust her husband to keep his word? "But if anytime throughoutthe night ye might change yer mind, well, I think I could be persuaded to change mine."
"If you have no intentions,then why your chambers? You could have just as easily brought me to my room," she said as Aaron moved to the fireplace. She watched as he tossed the log on the dying embers. A plume of red sparks swirled up into the chimney as the dried log fueled the flames. Little by little, orange tongues lapped the bark until the fire grew to a roar.
Aaron glanced over his shoulder,flashing her an all-knowing glare. Confusion flickered through Izzy as she tried to piece together what she was missing. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he stalked her with his eyes.
"Well then,how are we to get rumors started?" he asked as he nudged his head to the corner. Izzy followed his gaze to the small table with a canter of whiskey, two glasses, and food. Her stomach grumbled at the sight of the warm bread and roasted meat. "The more open we are about the things we do, the faster word spreads. Soon the King will think ye've given birth to a herd of Scots and thus fulfilled our duty to him even though we may nae have any."
Izzy didn't knowhow to feel about the news. A small part of her knew at some point she'd be a mother; she never thought it would be taken from her.
"Do you not want any children?"she asked as she started for the table of food.
"Now there'sa question if there ever was one."
"I would have thoughta laird would want to pass on the title and land to kin."
"In me case,"Aaron said as he pulled a wooden box from the shelf and sat it on the bed, "it is a bit complicated to answer. If I have children, then me life is forfeit. If I restrain, then me family's legacy dies with me."
Izzy shook her head.Never in her whole life had she heard something so heartbreaking. She wished she could take the sadness from him.
