“Will I be able to arrange breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper properly now?”
“Ach, Mairi,” he sighed, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “’Tis yer castle now. Do as ye wish.”
“Will you have breakfast with me every morning?”
Lachlan grunted, and she giggled.
“I shall try,” he relented.
She folded her arms, pretending to think about it. “Ye can skip breakfast twice every fortnight,” she allowed, trying not to laugh. “But no more oats.”
Lachlan looked at her, his eyebrows shooting up in genuine concern. “Nay more oats?”
Marian rolled her eyes. “Seriously,” she said, lifting her head to look at him properly. “What is it with you and oats? You Highlanders find a way to add it to all meals.”
“What is wrong with oats?”
“Oats are boring,” Marian started. “And tasteless. And the texture is?—”
“The texture isnae the point,” Lachlan interrupted. “The point is that they’re fillin’, and ye can make them quickly?—”
“And they’re terrible,” Marian finished. “You cannot deny it. You only eat them because they are simple to make.”
“But ye like bannocks,” Lachlan pointed out. “I even remember ye chasin’ the cat all over the castle for it.”
Marian fell quiet, admitting partial defeat.
“Fine, you have a point,” she said, and his lips curved slightly. “Only oat porridge.”
His smile faltered, and he released an exasperated sigh.
Marian let out a small laugh, satisfied.
They fell into comfortable silence again. Her fingers traced lazy patterns on his skin, while his hand gently stroked her hair.
It was peaceful. Perfect. Everything she’d never known she wanted.
“Lachlan,” she said quietly.
“Aye?”
“Mo chridhe, what does it mean?”
He released a breath, his hand coming up to her side. “I cannae tell ye, Mairi,” he said solemnly, as though it were a real bother. “Ye’ll have to learn Gaelic properly.”
Marian huffed, exhaling loudly.
“Tha gaol agam ort,” he added.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, will you stop that already?”
“Mairi…” He drew out her name, but she was no longer listening.
“What did you say?” she demanded, almost sitting up now.
“I love ye.”
She blinked, the word catching her off guard. Her mouth went dry.
