“Is it?” she sneered. “And what am I supposed to have done with him?”
“’Tis what I want to know, Kristen.”
“Then you had best ask him, for I am too furious with you to tell you aught!”
He closed the space between them in a few angry strides. Kristen joined her fists and raised them, daring him to take the last step. He stopped, glowering at her.
“Tell me you have no interest in the man.”
“The devil take you!”
“Tell me!”
“I have no interest in him!”
“Then what were you doing outside with him?”
Kristen lowered her fists, her eyes widening. Incredulously, she asked, “Are you jealous, Saxon? Is that why you struck him?”
He glanced at the window, realizing how she would know that. But she could not have understood what he told the Celt. He looked back at her, frowning still.
“What I am is possessive, Kristen. No other man will touch you while you belong to me.”
“And when you wed and I am gone from here, I will belong to you no more.”
He grabbed her arms and gave her a rough shaking. “You will not leave me, vixen, ever. Now tell me what you were doing with the Celt!”
The anger had gone out of her with the realization that he really was jealous. Jealous of her. What an extraordinary concept that was.
She launched into a few white lies she hoped would appease him. “I did naught, Royce. I could not sleep, so I went for a walk and waited to watch the sunrise. When I noticed I was not alone in the yard, I came back inside. The man followed behind me. He said a few words to me at the door, but I did not understand him. I do not know what he was doing outside. You will have to ask him that. ’Twas probably no more than he was seeking fresh air, as I was.”
Less harshly, more as a grumble, he ordered, “I do not want you outside at night, Kristen.”
“You had not forbidden it, milord.”
“I do now.”
“Then the next time I cannot sleep, I will be sure to walk only in the hall so that I wake everyone,” she replied sarcastically.
He smiled at last. “You can wake me instead, and I will see you have something to do other than walking.”
She would have given him a wicked reply if a timid knock had not sounded on the door just then. Meghan peeked around the door after Royce’s terse command to enter.
“Alden said I should tell you anger breeds anger, and violence breeds misery. What does he mean by that, Royce?”
Kristen burst into laughter, seeing Royce’s look of surprise. “Oh, clever, that cousin of yours, milord. Did he think you meant to beat me, or that I would have clobbered you?” She laughed even harder when his green eyes stabbed her. “And he sends your sister…aye, he is very clever. Come in, sweetling. Your cousin Alden was just playing a silly prank to send you up here, but you are welcome.”
Meghan moved to Kristen’s side, whispering, “I thought Royce was angry.”
“And you came anyway to deliver your message? How brave you really are.”
Royce made a snarling noise deep in his throat as he looked away from them. Meghan’s eyes rounded alarmingly. Kristen could have kicked him for frightening the child.
“Pay no attention to him, Meghan. He growls like most men growl. It means naught.”
“Kristen…” Royce began warningly, glancing sharply back at her.
“Shush,” she retorted. “I am giving your sister a valuable lesson. You see, sweetling, you do not have to be afraid of men when they are angry. What are they but a little bigger than you?” Meghan’s eyes traveled up the length of Royce, and Kristen grinned. “Well, there are a few exceptions. But you take your brother here for an example. He was angry, and so was I. He shouted at me. I shouted back at him. And we both feel better for it now.”
