Lilliana sneezed, as she usually did when she was angry.
“Dia leat,” Kayden said, smiling boyishly. “Are ye sure ye arenae ill yerself?”
She did not care to know what exactly that meant. She growled with frustration. “Never mind that. I always—never mind.”
“Very well,” he said, the tiresome lilt lacing his voice.
“As we are finished speaking, Laird McGill, you may leave my chambers,” she said sharply, pointing fiercely at the door behind his massive frame.
It was not lost on her the way his gaze shifted to her breasts, which were barely covered by the nightgown she wore, before flitting back to hers.
His inhale was louder than he probably intended it to be, and in that moment, all she knew was that she had to get as far away from him as possible before she did somethingveryunladylike. He was just as good at stirring her ire as he was at setting her entire body on fire.
Kayden smirked slightly and said, “I will see ye downstairs for dinner,” before he turned and left her rooms, closing the door behind him with slow, delicate precision.
He knew it was childish, but if it stoked the flames of her ire, he would do it again, and again.
The softthudof a pillow hitting the other side of the door felt like a triumph as he turned down the corridor.
He could well sympathize with her. When Major Ashcombe told him that he had a daughter in need of a husband, he had expected someone older, perhaps on the shelf. A mature woman, not this soft, innocent girl with doe eyes still shining with zeal and idealism, barely past the legal age.
What could I possibly do with such a lassie?
He had forgotten how to be affectionate with people long ago. Losing his sister Sorcha to the bastard redcoats two years ago had been the final straw. After her death, his heart had been closed and encased in icy stone.
“I daenae have time for this,” he spat in annoyance as he turned down another corridor and another and another until he walked off the spiraling thoughts and the scent of dinner replaced them.
He had a feeling she would give him a lot of trouble. She had already disrupted his equilibrium in ways he had not expected. Were it not for the fact that he needed her, he would have put her in the first coach back to her father.
He arrived at the dining hall and immediately looked around for his bride-to-be, and was not surprised to find her nowhere in sight. He took his seat, with Jacob to his right and old Fergus to his left.
Jacob immediately leaned towards him. “Where is the lass?” he asked irreverently.
Kayden frowned at him. “How would I ken?”
“Lost her already?” Jacob grinned.
Kayden narrowed his eyes at him in annoyance. He loved his cousin, but sometimes Jacob was a pain in the neck.
Just then, Lilliana and her maid walked into the hall, the cat they’d arrived with held securely in the maid’s arms. Kayden cursed under his breath before rising to his feet and walking to meet her.
“Welcome. I trust ye are well?”
Lilliana narrowed her eyes at him and did not reply.
He bowed elegantly and gestured for them to follow him, seating them at his table but on the opposite side.
Watching her as she ate, he noted that she played with her food but did not really eat anything. It was as if nothing pleased her. The maid ate everything put in front of her and fed the cat as well, so Kayden could only conclude that the lassie was being stubborn again.
Suit yerself, little princess. I am nae the one who will sleep hungry.
Still, he could not help but cast dissatisfied glances in her direction. There was something about her not eating enough that irked him. He could not quite place his finger on it; he just knew it was taking more willpower than it should for him not to lean over and ask her if she needed something else to eat.
When the serving girls brought in strawberry tarts for dessert along with bottles of whisky, Kayden rose to his feet. Immediately, the hall quietened down.
“Friends, today is indeed a happy day. We havenae had much to celebrate lately…” He paused, his mind on Sorcha as he took a sip of whisky, before continuing. “But tonight, we finally have some good news. The esteemed Lilliana Ashcombe has travelled far to be me bride, and tomorrow we will be wed.” He raised his glass, his eyes on Lilliana. “Let us drink to a happy marriage and many bairns to come.Sláinte!”
His cheer was echoed loudly around the hall, with many embellishing with bawdy remarks. He made to sit, but then saw that Lilliana rose to her feet—red-cheeked and so beautiful—so he remained standing as well, prepared for anything.
