Rather than answering, he stepped in closer. She could feel his breath on her temple, smelled the pine on his clothes, and the salt on his skin. A faint shudder ran down her spine.
“Ye should ken that I value the truth as well,” he said finally, his voice low. His tone made her feel like prey. “So I’m goin’ to tell ye now. Ye will have a comfortable life, Katherine. Ye will always be protected, and ye will never want for anythin’. But love isnae somethin’ ye should expect. Ever.”
Katherine’s entire body cooled as her heart sank. She supposed it had been silly of her to imagine a life where she would marry for love. Laird MacDougal had purchased her. They hadn’t met by chance and had a romance that consumed them.
It’s foolish to think we could grow to love one another.
“And me duties?” she pressed, refusing to let the depths of her childish disappointment show. If this were a business arrangement, she would treat it as one. “What kind of duties will ye have me perform, then?”
“Ye will ken those soon enough,” he promised. It sounded almost as if he were bothered that she would make such inquiries. It felt as though he were dismissing her existence entirely. “For now, the only thing I need from ye is silence.”
He stared down at her. It was obvious that he wasn’t the kind of man whose orders could be denied. Yet she nearly laughed at the absurdity. Had he not been present for the interrogation?
“If silence is what ye’re expectin’,” she said, bolstered by the anger she felt, “then ye bid on the wrong lass. Especially since ye willnae even tell me what I’m meant to be doin’ when we get to yer castle.”
Laird MacDougal scoffed at her, seeming to get bigger as he let the moment stretch between them. Just when the weight of him was about to break her, he said, “I will decide whether or nae I bid on the wrong lass, and ye will learn of yer duties when we arrive. It is nae a conversation we will be havin’ here.”
“It seems as if ye think ye can intimidate me into behavin’,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Ye bid on a woman that willnae make herself smaller. Nae even if ye break me.”
He kent it before he bid twice as much as anyone else had.
“I’m well aware of what I’ve done,” he continued when she said nothing else, “and I will tell ye what ye are… and I will see whether or nae ye break.”
As soon as she processed the words, her breath caught. She couldn’t manage the uncertainty coupled with a thinly veiled threat. Somehow, she kept herself from shaking. She was sure she’d be proud of herself for her strength later.
“As I told ye,” he said, finally stepping out of her space, “I need ye to keep quiet. Ye will be informed of yer duties when we arrive at me castle. Until then, ye will keep from drawin’ too much attention to yerself. Do ye understand?”
“Aye,” Katherine said after a long moment, reminding herself that she had survived living with her father. She would make it through whatever tests Laird MacDougal had in mind.
Her hands clenched into fists when he finally turned his back on her. She looked out the window again, frustration flowing through her. She couldn’t understand what had just happened. He said he was safe, yet he implied she might break. He saw how she behaved publicly, yet he thought he could force her into silence.
I suppose that if he wants to test me limits, I’m his, and he can do as he pleases with me, but I willnae break.
Chapter Four
“The bruises are on me hip, nae me arm,” Lady Agnes said to the maid helping her down the steps. “I’ll let ye ken if ye’re hurtin’ me.”
“Of course, Me Lady,” the maid blustered, adjusting her grip as they continued across the courtyard. It seemed as if she were trying to slow the older woman down to keep her from injuring herself for the sake of keeping up appearances.
Katherine followed closely behind the two of them, the slow pace giving her time to settle her thoughts. Laird MacDougal, whom Lady Agnes affectionately called Liam, was even more of a mystery to her now. His grandmother was nothing but welcoming, seeming happy to include her in the family.
How did a woman like her end up with a grandson who behaves like that?
“Ye should get into the carriage first,” Lady Agnes said when they came to a stop. “It will take me quite a bit to get settled.”
Even when admitting her own need for assistance, she was considerate of others. Lady Agnes, Katherine realized, was exactly the kind of matriarch she’d dreamed of having.
“Then that’s more of a reason for me to wait patiently,” Katherine replied, stepping away so two guards could come forward. As the smaller of the two took hold of the older woman’s hand, Katherine continued, “It’s nae a problem for me to stand out of the way. I can smell the roses on the wind here.”
Lady Agnes offered her a final, approving smile before the guards began to help her into the carriage. As she predicted, it took several long moments to settle the older woman comfortably. Katherine didn’t mind; the weather was exceptionally nice, and she wasn’t exactly eager to start her new life. Laird MacDougal’s words still echoed in her mind, and the open air seemed to soothe the raw worry his threats had stirred.
I feel as though I’m breathin’ easier now.
“Are ye sure ye cannae sit upright?” one of the guards asked after a few minutes. “We could gather some cushions to make ye more comfortable.”
“I daenae believe that me body can handle the pressure of sittin’ upright for the duration of the journey,” Lady Agnes said a beat later. “I do believe I will have to lie down as we travel.”
Nervously, Katherine glanced around the area. There wasn’t another carriage suitable for transporting a person. Her stomach swooped sharply as she realized that riding with someone else was a very real possibility.
