Lachlan turned on his half boot and took afew large strides to the doors. He opened one of them enough togrowl out an order. “Wake the maidservants!” he barked at someone.“The lady has need of food and drink.”
“Oh that’s okay!” Veronica said quickly. Shedidn’t want to get off on a bad foot with anyone. She imaginedwaking someone from their sleep to prepare her a meal wasn’texactly an endearment. “I can wait until morning.”
He ignored her protests and closed the dooragain. “You will eat and drink,” he ordered as he strode backtoward the bed. Again, he hovered over her. “’Tis not a discussionwe will have.”
She frowned at his high-handed manner, butdidn’t gainsay him. The longer she was awake, the hungrier shegrew. “I just didn’t want to put anyone out.” When one of hiseyebrows rose inquisitively, she explained, “I don’t wish to be aninconvenience.”
He folded his arms across his expansivechest, hands under his armpits. Veronica could see all his musclesbulging. She instinctively wet her lips. “’Tis not aninconvenience. ‘Tis an honor for the maidservants to fuss aboottheir lady.”
Theirlady? She blinked. Her mouthworked up and down, but nothing came out.
“Do you wish a chemise to wear whilst youeat?” he asked. “My sister left you two chemises and a few bliautsof hers. Hopefully the shoes she gifted you will fit as well for‘twill take longer for new shoes to be cobbled than for yourwardrobe to be prepared. Leastways, it depends on how many bliautsyou have commissioned.”
She blinked again. She knew a chemise wassomething akin to a slip or a nightgown, but a bliaut? She searchedher ancient Gaelic vocabulary, but nothing came to her. “What’s abliaut?”
“The gown you wear o’er your chemise.”
Clothes that fit the time period. Right.Victor had warned her that nobody save the giant and two of his mennamed Finn and Ramsay knew of their origins. The laird had decidedtheir cover story was that Victor had been captured in a battleagainst the fictitious Banks clan and Veronica, his sister, hadsurrendered months later to save his life. Which begged thequestion, how in Lachlan’s cover story was she supposed to go frombeing his prisoner to his wife? She decided against asking for ananswer, at least for the time being, because it would force thediscussion she was least ready to have.
“Yes,” she said in a faint voice, returningto his original question. “A nightgown—I mean chemise—would benice.”
The laird unfolded his arms and strodetoward the hearth. He petted Hero before picking up a sheer, whitenightgown that left little to the imagination.
This was all a lot to take in. One minuteVeronica had been injecting herself with a time traveling serum inthe hopes of exiting a dying world and the next minute she was aso-called lady prisoner in a backwards, if thriving world. Victormight have taught her antiquated Gaelic, but he hadn’t taught herhow to live here. From being whatever a lady was to the ins andouts of daily life, she had no idea how to fit in.
“Where is my brother?” she asked as Lachlanpulled away the blankets and told her to raise her arms. She letout a short shriek. “Hey!”
He grunted, but said nothing as he dressedher in the flimsy nightgown. He took his time covering her breasts.His extended stare caused an unexpected pang of arousal to knot inher belly and harden her nipples. He grunted again, as if pleasedby her reaction to his gaze.
“I’d really like to see my brother,”Veronica said, desperately trying to change the subject from theelephant in the room. “Please. It’s been four years.”
Lachlan stilled. His stoic expression wasunfathomable. “Fine,” he snapped at last. “After you’ve eaten yoursupper and we’ve come to an understanding.”
She was afraid to ask. She looked him up anddown from the top of his cornrowed head to the tip of his boots.“An understanding?” she hesitantly inquired.
“Aye. An understanding.”
“And what understanding is that?”
“You are my wife, my new bride. You willbehave thusly in all matters, Lady Gunn.”
Her heart threatened to beat out of herchest. Her eyes widened. “I thought we were discussing that later?”Veronica breathed out. “Like after I’ve at least recovered.”
He shrugged. “’Tis naught to discuss. I wedwith you yestereve. ‘Tis only a matter of consummation now.”
“How could you have married a sleepingwoman?” she challenged. Her eyes rounded into saucers. “I couldn’texactly say yes or no!” She was losing the thread of theconversation and possibly her mind. She grabbed both sides of herhead. “That makes no sense!”
“Aye, in my world ‘tis truth.”
“How?” She jabbed a finger towards him. “Idon’t believe you can marry a sleeping woman for a second! I’m notthat damn gullible.”
Lachlan’s eyebrows snapped together. “Youdinna ken I can and did marry you with Victor in your stead?”
Her head developed a slight ache. “Youmarried my brother?” she weakly inquired.
His cheeks flushed as he frowned severely.“Nay, lady, I wed with you. Your brother gave the priest your ‘aye’for you.”
Veronica decided she hadn’t just timetraveled—she had fallen through the rabbit hole too. “That actuallyconstitutes a legal marriage here?”
