4
"Here," Aaron huffed as he lowered Izzy off his shoulder and onto Ryan's. "Make yerself useful."
"And here Ithought ye would be a gentlemen and bring yer new wife home like the proper Lady McNeil that she is," Chloe said, her tone snarky as she folded her arms over her chest. Aaron had seen disappointment etched into her face far too many times. He invoked her glare just by staring at her the wrong way.
"I tried,"Aaron argued as he trudged up the steps and pushed into the foyer with Ryan and Chloe on his heels.
"Ye should have tried a wee harder,"Chloe scolded as she moved to Ryan's side to check on the girl.
"How about yetell that to the bandits that decided to pay us a visit? Maybe in the midst of them tryin' to rob the carriage orpillagin' me wife to be, ye could discuss the timin' of matters and how this was all one big inconvenience for all parties involved."
Chloe rolledher eyes and swiftly turned her attention back to Izzy as they turned into the large study. Aaron pulled in a long deep breath, savoring the familiar scent of leather and burned oak. He let his shoulders drop as his home settled over him like a warm cloak.
"Ye daenae haveto be so crass," Chloe said, the irritation lashing her words.
"That's nae crass."
"And I daenaeneed ye to show me otherwise. What I need to ken is where ye want me to put her? We could put her in the west wing and have her by Tomas," Chloe suggested as she kept glancing over at the unconscious girl in Ryan's arms.
"Aye,do that. She'll nae want to be anywhere near me when she wakes, that much I'm sure of," Aaron said as he raked his arm over his forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that formed while carrying her.
"If there were bandits,then does she need to see Anthony? I think he's still awake in that hole of his," Chloe suggested as an eagerness to help flashed across her features.
"Nay,I've already given her a once over. The lass is just overwhelmed. She fainted the second she saw me. Well, after I saved her, she called me a monster, and then she passed out."
"That doesnae implyshe thinks ye're a monster," Chloe argued. "She could have been talkin' about the man ye killed."
"Then why didshe pass out the second after?"
Chloe let out a heavy,frustrated sigh. "Can ye blame the lass? Have ye looked at yerself in the mirror? With yer scar zaggin' down yer face the way it does and how ye've got blood splattered every which way on ye. Aye, I think the lass gets a pass for spoutin' out names, daenae ye?"
Aaron rolledhis shoulders back as he stared into the fire. His sister's words seeped through him like a balm to his seared flesh. Glancing over his shoulder, he took one last peek at the woman he had carried five miles over his shoulder. The woman whom he would be calling wife in no time.
"Haveher put in the west side with me. I'll give her two nights before she's runnin' for the other side of the castle," Aaron decided as he turned his attention back to the roaring fire. Izzy's wide fearful eyes haunted him. He hated the fact that he had caused her such distress but even more so, how terrified she was of him.
"Chloe, go and stay with her still she wakes. She'll want a friendly face to wake up next to. Then ye can explain where sheis," Aaron said as he flexed his jaw. "I'll have nothin' to do with her until the weddin'."
"Surely ye daenaemean to be cruel to the lass," Chloe argued.
"Cruel? I thought I was doin'her a favor," Aaron protested and threw his hands up in frustration. "What would ye have me do? The lass has rubbed me the wrong way since the moment we met. If there was a way I could send her back, believe ye me, I would. But I cannae. We're stuck with this arrangement, and so, I'm goin' to do everythin' I can to make this work."
"That'snae the reason ye're really doin' this, but ye tell yerself whatever ye need to in order to sleep at night," Chloe said and patted Ryan on the shoulder. "We need to get her upstairs. The poor lass, I'm sure she has been through all she can handle for one day."
"Ryan, when ye're finished sortin'the lass in her room, I need ye to come back here," Aaron said as he moved around his desk and eased into the welcoming seat. It felt as if it had been forever since he was able to rest. Carrying the sassenach from the creek to the castle was no easy feat.
But as muchas he wanted to relax, the sharp knock on the door ruined his serenity. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Pulling in three long, deep breaths, Aaron shifted his body to fit the chair and cleared his throat.
"What?"
The doorcreaked open before the echo of his voice drifted away.
"Laird McNeil, we were so hopin'to find ye well," Barney groveled as he shuffled into the room. "And how was yer trip? Successful I hope?"
Aaron glaredat Barney before his attention shifted to Nathan. Arching an eyebrow, Aaron refused to let his eyes fall away from Nathan as he spoke.
"Aye,well, I wouldnae call it a success. That would imply there was somethin' to be gained and seein' as how I never wanted to marry, ye can understand me disappointment with the situation."
"Of course,but did ye marry the lass or nae? We need to ken so that certain stipends are moved around. She'll want an allowance of course. And once she bares an heir…" Barney continued as his smirk stretched like a snake across his lips. "Well, then the whole clan will be able to breathe a bit easier."
