Daniel glanced at Melissa from across the table as they ate their breakfast in silence. Her silent and cool behavior puzzled him, they’d had a great time in the orchards the day before. He wondered if she was upset because of his almost abrupt departure. He’d wanted to stay with her for a while longer, but the business with the merchants had to be seen to. His need to protect her feelings and desire to not sire an heir still kept him back from sharing a bed with her at night, something that he desperately wanted to do at present.
The matter with Ewan was swiftly coming to an end as he pieced more pieces of the puzzle together. It did seem to him that his man at arms had been pocketing most of the money. Why? He did not know. Daniel had always paid him well and given him more advantages than anyone else in the castle.
Melissa suddenly coughed, drawing his attention back to the breakfast and the strange atmosphere that ensued between them.
“Did ye have a good night?” he asked her as she reached for a bannock.
“I did, thank you,” she said without taking her eyes off her plate.
He waited to see if she would ask him how his night had been but quickly realized that he was the unwelcome recipient of the dreaded silent treatment that married men often spoke of.
“I was very impressed by the way ye tossed me over yesterday,” Daniel tried again. “Are ye sure ye havenae had any training?” He kept his tone light as he attempted to tease her again.
“I am a lady,” Melissa said in a cool tone and reached for a piece of cheese before filling her cup with ale. “It should be pretty obvious that I have never had any battle training.”
Clearing his throat, he clenched his jaw and tried again. “I had the cook bring up some of her finest cherry jam, I ken how much ye like me cherries.” He attempted to wink at her but missed the opportunity entirely, as she kept her eyes on the table.
“I’ve had better,” she said dismissively. “A widow I helped with Beitris made me some as a thank-you gift.”
Giving up, he fell back into his chair and rubbed his temple with his forefinger. “Is something the matter, lass?”
“Why would there be?” She shrugged her shoulders and sipped her ale as she examined a particularly interesting piece of fruit in the bowl.
“Yesterday, ye were happy an’ talkative in the orchard. Now, ye find a bowl of fruit more interesting than me,” he grumbled as his head began to ache. He was quickly realizing that not siring an heir wasn’t the only reason he’d stayed a rake for so many years.
“Perhaps I’ve taken a keen interest in fruit since the last time you saw me in the orchards.” She finally looked up at him with a defiant look in her eyes. “Was it not you that said I am to live a life of my own while you do the same?”
Pushing back the laughter that threatened to bubble over once he realized that she was referring to the arrangement they had made on their wedding night, he sat up straight in his chair and reached for his ale. It was true that he hadn’t said anything more to her on the matter, but he hadn’t been with another woman since she had moved into his castle. How could he when she took up all of his time and thoughts?
Realizing with startling clarity that he had not been with another woman since they had been married, took a sip of his ale and stared at her. Melissa was quickly changing who he was, as well as the way he conducted his business. There was still no possibility that he’d ever sire an heir, yet he wanted a future with her where they laughed and played under the cherry trees. He felt utterly conflicted by his own feelings and what to do about them.
“Aye, I did say that, lass. Ye have a memory that most would envy,” he said with a sigh.
Melissa looked up at him and bit into a piece of bannock. “Not as envious as your ability to work on my nerves.” She kept her eyes on him.
Taking a deep breath, he resisted the urge to laugh at the cute way she turned up her nose and tried to pick a fight with him. She’d become far more endearing to him with her stubborn ways than he ever realized she would.
“What’s so funny?” she asked irritably when he failed to conceal his mirth.
“Naething,” he said, taking a sip of ale. “I was just thinking of how adorable ye are when yer mad, that’s all.”
A full bannock came flying through the air and hit him square on the jaw, knocking his ale into his face and sending the cup clattering to the ground.
“What in God’s name was that for?” He stood and glared at her, ale dripping from his face and shirt.
“I am not adorable when I am angry,” she said as her lips curled into a smile that she struggled to conceal. “I am very, very serious, and I expect to be treated as such.”
“An’ why are ye laughing now?” he asked as she bent over the table and laughed until she snorted.
“You look ridiculous with the ale dripping from your face.” Her words were barely audible as slammed her fist on the table. “You should see your face!”
“Oh, is this funny to ye, isn’t it?” he asked as he too began to laugh. “I’ll show ye what’s funny.” He reached for the jar of jam and made his way around the table.
“Don’t you dare,” she said as her eyes widened when she realized what he was doing.
“Fair is fair, an’ ye love cherries so much,” he drawled and twisted the lid off, letting it fall onto the table.
“Now, Daniel,” she tried to reason with him as she gripped the back of her chair and sidled away from him. “Let’s be reasonable about this. Neither of us are children here.”
