Kayden did not answer at once. His eyes swept over the land below them. The fields that his father had walked, walls behind them that his brother had helped repair.
“I intend to keep me word,” he said finally. “I intend to keep me clan safe. Beyond that, I intend to do nothing that hasnae already been agreed upon.”
Jacob folded his arms. “So ye will treat her as what, exactly? A wife in name only? A warning sign to the English?”
Kayden’s jaw set. “I willnae mistreat her.”
“That wasnae the question.”
Kayden’s gaze flicked back to him. “Nor is it one that requires an answer just yet.”
Jacob sighed softly. “She didnae come here kennin’ the full truth.”
“Nay,” Kayden agreed. “And that is his doing, nae mine.”
Jacob tilted his head. “And what will ye do, now that she is yer wife?”
Kayden’s face shuttered. “I will see that she is protected. That she wants for nothing. That she doesnae become a weakness that me enemies can use.”
“Aye,” Jacob said quietly. “And what if she refuses to be managed?”
Something brushed Kayden’s leg. Rua had appeared at his side, silent as ever. Kayden reached down and ran a hand through the hound’s fur.
“Then,” he said evenly, “she will learn what it means to live under me name.”
Jacob watched him for a long moment, saying nothing. Then he gave a short nod. “Well,” he said dryly, “that sounds like a marriage already!”
Kayden snorted. “God help us both.”
Rua pressed closer, tail thumping once against Kayden’s boot.
“And ye,” Kayden muttered, glancing down at the dog, “had better remember where yer loyalties lie.”
Jacob smiled faintly, but said nothing.
Breakfast was brought to her chambers, and Lilliana was relieved not to have to go out and face the masses. Betsy was already casting sidelong glances at her. It was clear that she was bursting to ask what had happened during the night.
Lilliana was embarrassed that there was nothing to tell.
Even the Scotsman did not want me.
After she finished her food and Betsy was busy procuring additional garments from the castle’s seamstress, she shot to her feet, ready to go and confront Kayden about it. She needed to know what her duties were now that they were married.
She might have fought to get away from Kayden before the wedding, but now that they were married, she expected to be treated like a wife and not thrown to the side as if she did not matter.
Lilliana straightened her spine as Bramble rubbed against her skirts, meowing for attention.
Running a hand down the cat’s fur, she smiled. “I will come back soon, Bram. Just give me a moment.”
With one more rub, she headed for the door, hurrying to close it behind her so that Bramble did not escape. She turned backand almost knocked into the wall that had suddenly appeared in front of her. She flailed to stop her fall, when she was pulled upright, a familiar pair of hands around her waist.
She froze as Kayden steadied her, while Rua barked an apology for tripping her. Even though she had set out to look for Kayden, she found that her throat had gone dry now that she was in front of him.
“Are ye well, lass?” he asked, leaning in to look into her eyes.
Her gaze flitted to his, and she stopped breathing, feeling as if she were falling into unfamiliar icy depths.
“I-I am fine,” she whispered, letting out a whoosh of breath.
