In turn, Ceana acted like she couldn’t hear her. Instead, she walked out, trying her best to remember her sister’s advice.
When their mother had informed Ceana that she would be spending the morning with Scott or she could begin packing her bags, Alina had slipped into her room.
“Ignore him,” she had advised. “Do nae say a word to him and let him ken ye do nae want him. If he is an honorable man, he should ne’er come back. If he is nae, he deserves yer attitude.”
She stepped out of her home, wishing that, indeed, he would be an honorable man. She hadn’t had good luck so far, but she prayed for luck this time.
Scott was just wrong. It was the first thought that crossed her mind when she had seen him. He was the wrong height, the wrong look, the wrong everything.
Torcall would stand a good head above him. He had no muscles, and Ceana knew that one of Torcall’s would best two of his. His hair was blond instead of black, and the hair looked slicked back with oils rather than naturally like Torcall’s. Even without being close to him, she could guess that his eyes weren’t blue, and she was right. They were brown like hers.
“Hello,” he said to her. “I am Scott.”
“Ceana,” she said curtly.
He ignored her curt tone. “I told yer ma I would walk ye on the open path where we could be seen clearly. Shall we?”
The walk began, and Scott filled it happily with chatter. He seemed to enjoy talking about himself. “Me Faither’s farms got the attentions of the clans around,” he was saying.
Ceana allowed herself to get lost in her world of thoughts where he didn’t exist.
“Ceana!” he tapped her. There was an annoyed look on his face like a petulant child, she decided. “Ye were nae listenin’,” he accused.
“Now listen,” she said to him, having run out of patience. “I do nae have any interest in marryin’ ye. I have nae interest in following through. It would be best of ye to go yer way. I do nae wish ye any evil. I am simply nae interested in marrying ye.”
If she had expected his face to fall or if she had expected anger, she would have been wrong. Instead, his face melted into his smile and the façade he had put on was stripped away.
“That makes two of us, ye silly girl.”
“I beg yer pardon?” had he called hersilly?
“Me Faither wants me married before I can access any of his wealth. I have nae time for it, but I do need his money. Why have one woman when ye can have many more in yer bed?”
His voice was revolting, and she found herself wanting to gag.
“Then ye will call this ridiculousness off?”
“And why would I do that?”
“But ye said--”
“I ken what I said,” he snapped. “If I must have a wife, I would rather go for beauty. Ye are beautiful enough, and I can tell ye have got curves under that horrible dress,” he said, eyeing her.
His gaze made her feel as though the dress wasn’t protection enough against him.
“Ye will stay away from me,” she warned.
“Or what?”
“I shall tell me ma and da.”
Scott laughed. “And why would they believe ye?” he mocked. “Yer ma let me ken that ye do nae want to get married. Why is that?” he sneered.
“Why ye—”
“I suspect ye have lost yer maidenhead. Well, it is little matter,” he laughed. “ye will warm my bed as will other women. I need only an heir and a spare from ye. I care naught for your maidenhead. Besides,” he leaned in closer with a leery grin. “I bet ye are a screamer in the sack.”
Ceana raised her hands to slap him, but he was faster and pulled away from her before the slap could hit him.
