He reached up and planted a light kiss on her lips, just to fluster her, and grinned when he succeeded.
She swatted him on the chest and then lay down on it with a contented sigh. “You know, my life would be absolutely perfect right now if I could see my sisters.”
He covered her hand with his, caressing it gently. “Tell me more about them.”
She smiled. “Well, as I said before, there’s Cecily,” she said enthusiastically. “She’s my older sister. You’d like her.”
Kayden smiled. “I’m sure she’s wonderful.”
“She is. Cici and I are so close. We support each other, and she’s so kind. She’s forever scolding me for angering our father because she’s much better than me… always wanting to please him.” She sighed.
“While ye’re headstrong and opinionated,” Kayden teased as he stroked her hair.
“I am. That’s why Father sent me here, I suppose.”
“And I, for one, am very glad that he did.”
Lilliana’s smile widened. “Even though Cici is probably much lovelier than I? Withverywomanly curves?”
He squinted down at her. “I likeyercurves. They are very… comely and inviting.” His arm tightened around her waist as she settled contentedly against him. “Ye miss them,” he said.
“Yes, I do. Both Cici and Jane. Jane is my younger sister.”
“Mmm. Tell me more.”
“Well, Cici and I support each other, but Jane is my little sweetheart, so sweet and kind. She’s always talking excitedly about being a bride and getting married and all that. Wants to start her own family as soon as possible.”
Kayden grinned, rubbing his chin against her hair. “And I wager ye cannae wait to be an aunt.”
Lilliana shrugged. “She makes me excited about it, I won’t lie.” She peered up at him. “I also want them to be aunties tomychildren.”
“And they will. Ye can invite them to visit if ye like now that the danger’s passed.”
“I would like that.” She sat up so she could look him in the eye. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Why would I mind? I, too, want to meet me new sisters.”
Lilliana’s mouth turned down.
“But now is the time to look to the future and not the past,” Kayden added.
She nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is. I’ve been thinking about that.”
He smirked at her. “Oh? Ye have?”
“Yes. I was thinking that I’d like to build a permanent structure at the village—an apothecary, if you will—where villagers can come and get whatever herbs they need and where I can see patients maybe once or twice a week.”
He inclined his head, thinking, and then nodded. “That is an excellent idea.”
Her face lit up. “You think so?”
“Of course. I should have thought of it before.”
She jumped up and down on the bed in excitement. “Oh, that’s so wonderful. In the same vein, I would like to recruit a couple of maids who will dedicate their time to tending the herbal garden so we can have supplies all year round. I want to build a hothouse. Now I know that it is expensive, so I was thinking of using my dowry for that.”
“Daenae be ridiculous. Yer dowry is yers to do with as ye please. I’ll have yer hothouse built.”
She blinked at him. “Are you sure? I truly don’t mind.”
