Chapter Twenty
He wanted herlove? What man talked about love except in the most derisive terms? Or as lies to tempt her.
Such had been the case with her first and only teenage indiscretion. The boy had spoken in such glowing terms about love and adoration. He’d read her poetry and drawn her likeness with a moderately talented hand. But he had been a fortune hunter—bribed to leave her alone—and she had survived her broken heart by burying herself in her books.
Liam already had her fortune, so what use for him to speak of love? None, of course, except the need to own every part of her. She’d given him everything else. She would not surrender such a thing to him.
And yet, perverse creature that she was, she gloried at the idea that he wanted it. She was secretly pleased that he required her to sleep beside him. And as she curled against his heat, she smiled that he still needed something from her. How awful to have him take her dowry and be done with her. Instead, he had given her a challenge that interested her and begged her to love him.
That gave her a sense of power, not over him, but over herself. As if what she did and who she loved mattered. She liked that. She liked that a lot.
She snuggled tight against him and smiled when she felt his arm curl possessively around her middle. And she slept while listening to his rumbling snore.
She woke when he did, timed with the sun. According to Deirdre, most would want the bread they’d made yesterday for their morning sustenance before starting their day. But the castle workers would expect dinner tonight, and that had to be more than the stew she’d provided last night. Since she had no idea how to run a kitchen, she had to get the cooks back. And the best way to do that was to bribe them with higher pay.
“How long until I get my dowry coin?” she asked.
Liam glanced over at her from his place at the washbasin. He was shaving, and she enjoyed watching him run the razor over his stubble. It was a distinctly masculine thing to do, and she had lately come to appreciate manly things. Or at least one man and the things he did.
“A week or more.”
She winced. “Then I need to get the coin from Mairi. Do you know where she is?”
“Yes. And I thought we could go together.” He glanced out the window. “She’s always up before dawn and is probably bored to tears without the castle to run.”
Clara bit her lip. “Should I ask her back? I cannot do what she—”
“Absolutely not. You must establish yourself now.” And at her panicked looked, he crossed to her side. He still had cream on half his face, but he looked rugged as he touched her arm. “We do this together.”
“My way?”
He frowned. “You just said you don’t know how to run a castle. What way do you think—”
“I have a plan. But it needs coin.”
He nodded, but she saw doubt in his eyes. It didn’t matter because as soon as they finished their morning ablutions, he tugged her out the back way toward the glass factory. It felt cowardly not to stop by the kitchens and face the lack of activity there, but Liam was adamant.
“You need keys and coin to be mistress here. Mairi should have given them over to you yesterday, but since she hasn’t, I mean to wring them out of her. She’ll respect you or feel my wrath.”
That was a statement filled with rancor, and she slowed her steps as they crossed through the bailey. “There’s history between you—”
“Naturally—”
“And I don’t want to know about it.”
He stopped and turned to her. “I didn’t marry her. I married you. You’ve no cause—”
She held up hand. “I said I don’t want to know.” She took a breath. “And I don’t want to stand like an errant child while the two of you bicker. It’s awkward and embarrassing.”
He frowned. “There will be no bickering. I will—”
“Say something forceful, and she’ll fight back. And then you’ll snipe at her and—”
“I’ll be very diplomatic.”
She doubted it. Though she’d seen him measure his words, she doubted he’d do it with his childhood friend. “Let me go by myself.” The idea terrified her, but if she was to have any respect here, then he couldn’t spend all his time standing beside her.
“No. I will speak to her—”
