“I’ve three questions that will tell ye if she’s the woman ye should bid on. If she answers, ye must bid on her,” Lady Agnes said,her voice a bit tight, waiting for Liam to nod before continuing. “What would she do with a child who refuses to listen?”
Liam looked over at Katherine, expecting her to respond. She was watching both of them, her head tilted slightly to the side. He was sure she had heard the question, but she didn’t speak, almost as if she was waiting for him to answer it.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Well?”
“I didnae hear ye,” Katherine said though she was smiling in a way that was almost playful.
Liam’s jaw tightened. She didn’t even know him, and she was already teasing and pushing. Finally, he repeated, “What would ye do with a child that refuses to listen?”
“A child isnae refusin’ to listen,” Katherine replied. “They always listen. They just daenae ken how to express themselves as we do. I would try to learn how to speak their language.”
The certainty with which she responded hit him like a battering ram, breaking through his hesitation. Next to him, his grandmother made a pleased sound. It was practical, contradicting the image of her he had built from her lively behavior.
“Now,” his grandmother said in his ear, seemingly satisfied with Katherine’s response. “Ask which she values most, beauty or truth?”
Again, it seemed as if Katherine was waiting for him to ask, amusement dancing in her eyes. Resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, he repeated, “Which do ye value more? Beauty or truth?”
“Truth always,” Katherine said with a solemn nod. She seemed to be taking this just as seriously as his grandmother, and it was infuriating. “There’s beauty in truth, even if it’s painful.”
“Smart lass,” his grandmother said into his ear. “We have one more question, so I would like to ken what she expects from a marriage.”
He stared at her for a beat, almost disbelieving that she’d have him ask. Then, his voice strained, he asked, “What do ye expect from a marriage?”
Katherine paused briefly. He noticed her hesitation, as if she was weighing whether to tell the truth. At last, truth seemingly winning out, she said, “Love.”
The space in his chest tightened around his heart. That was the one thing he could not give her. He could fulfill all the other obligations, but love was something he simply could not offer.
But his grandmother and Cillian were staring at him expectantly while Katherine answered with surprising earnestness. The uncomfortable truth was admirable, even if it was something he couldn’t give.
And this woman did save me grandmother. I could repay her for her kindness. Keep her comfortable.
“I think that’s enough,” Liam said, putting a hand on his grandmother’s elbow and steering them away from the throng once more.
“Ye’ll be biddin’ on her, then?” Lady Agnes said, sounding much too proud of herself.
“Aye,” he confirmed as he crossed his arms over his chest. “She answered yer questions. A man doesnae go back on his word.”
And so, a short while later, after Laird Bickerson returned, the bidding began. When Katherine’s turn arrived, Liam outbid the others interested in the gorgeous, fiery woman. After an hour of paperwork, financial arrangements, and finally convincing his grandmother to visit the healer with Cillian as her chaperone, Liam was left alone with Katherine.
The room was comfortably furnished with several chairs and a roaring hearth. Katherine had gone to the window as soon as the servant led them here. Liam chose to stand near the door, observing the girl’s behavior.
Her posture gave nothing away. Despite the fact that her gown wasn’t as fine as the other women’s, her pedigree was clear. There was a quiet dignity surrounding her.
“How do ye ken the Song of Amergin?” he asked when he could no longer take the silence. “That’s what ye were singin’. Those were tales from long before yer age.”
“They’re before yer age as well. If ye want to call me young, certainly there are better ways to point it out,” Katherine replied, turning toward him slowly. “The maid who raised me used to tell me those stories. She taught me to sing.”
Liam grunted, crossing the room slowly. He assessed the way she reacted, the way her breath hitched, and her fingers twitched as he inched closer. She was trying to be brave, attempting to hide the fact that he intimidated her. It was admirable, the way she’d been nothing but honest.
But that’s just another sign she’s goin’ to be trouble.
He didn’t stop until he was close enough to her to catch the scent of her hair. Rosewater and a hint of wild thyme wafted through the air. Even though he had her cornered, she didn’t move.
Ye should stay far away from me.
* * *
“What is expected of me?” Katherine asked, forcing her voice to remain steady despite the intensity of Laird MacDougal’s presence. Though he wasn’t touching her, she could feel him on every inch of her skin. “Ye purchased me to be yer wife, aye? What will I be doin’?”
