"Ye kent exactly what I needed," he said appreciatively as he broke off a piece of bread and bit into it. "Thank ye."
Anna hummed, saying, "You are quite welcome."
They ate in silence for a few moments. It wasn't as uncomfortable as Anna expected. Hugh's presence at this moment was undemanding. While there were still questions and doubts stirring in her mind, he seemed to accept her quiet.
Though finally, she couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked, "Why is it that you asked me to marry you?"
He chewed thoughtfully for a beat before saying, "Why is it that ye said yes?"
Anna huffed, smiling despite herself. "I didn't have a choice to say no, did I?"
"Ach, I suppose ye didnae," he agreed. "And I didnae have a choice, either."
"I'm not sure I know what you mean by that," she said, her brow furrowing. "Surely you had a choice. You could have simply ignored the letter. Instead, you rode all the way to England and proposed engagement."
"Aye," he said, the corner of his mouth quirking as he ate the last bit of cheese. "But I need yer dowry."
Anna froze, something akin to insult simmering beneath her skin. With a sniff, she said, "I see. I am simply a business venture for you, then."
He chuckled, stepping in slightly closer. "Perhaps, but I ken ye're usin' me too," he conceded. His voice dropped a bit, down into an octave that felt almost suggestive. "I consider the two of us business partners, would you nae? I'll give ye everythin' ye want so long as ye're married to me."
"I… That's… You…" she stuttered, starting her sentence over and over again as she tried to come up with a proper response. "I just don't know what to say to that."
"Ye daenae need to say anythin'," Hugh said, finding the milk stored on the cold slab before rifling through the cabinets in search of a glass. "I'm tellin' ye the truth. I'm nae tryin' to win yer favor."
He's well on his way, though his desire for my dowry still sits uncomfortably on my spirit.
After finding a cup, he poured himself a healthy serving, saying, "I've been meanin' to ask. How did ye expect to get out of yer little scheme had I not come to marry ye?"
"Well," she said, taking the bottle and capping it. "I had planned to inform my friends of your death. They'd ask no further questions had I done so, for fear of upsetting me."
Hugh laughed, a genuine sound that was so loud Anna feared he'd wake the household. But, as it tapered off, she couldn't help the smile that settled upon her lips. Nor could she help the strange sense of warmth that took hold in her chest.
"It's been a good while since somethin' made me laugh so," he said when he recovered. "Thank ye for that."
"I was being serious," she said, holding herself a little straighter and narrowing her eyes at Hugh. Then, the ghost of a smile settled upon her lips. "Though I suppose it is a bit funny now that I've met you."
"I ken the people of Scotland will like ye," he said thoughtfully. "Ye're funny without even tryin'."
She grinned as she said, "Do not tell me that I will be accompanying you just to become your jester."
"Nay, never," he said, the serious mask that he'd worn since arriving returning to his face. "Ye will have duties, but I willnae bore ye with them now."
"What will it be like in Scotland?"
There was warmth in Hugh's eyes as he contemplated his answer. She saw, without him even having to speak a word, that he thought highly of his country. His own pride in his homeland made her a little less afraid of the changes awaiting her.
"It is a lush land, more trees and flowers surround me castle than I've seen the entire time I've been in England," he said.
"Flowers?" she asked, her excitement getting the better of her. She imagined there would be types she'd never seen before. She'd press each of them, send duplicates home to her father. "I'm quite fond of flowers, all kinds."
"Aye?" Hugh asked, his eyebrow raising. "Then ye will be pleased with the grounds and gardens of Castle McDonald. Me gardeners take pride in their work. I will accompany ye on walks if ye'd allow it."
"I think I'd like that," she replied, blushing.
Is this what it feels like to be courted?
She hadn't ever gotten this kind of attention before. Once or twice, a man gave her a second glance, though their interest never lasted very long. Anna's complete lack of social currency meant that men were easily dissuaded from her. And, she suspected, girls like Charlotte weren't keen on keeping their opinions to themselves.
