Skye tightened her jaw against the intimate touch, ignoring the tingles that spread across her skin. It was just a touch, nothing more. And once their betrothal began, there would certainly be no touching.
But can I trust him? If he acts this strangely now, then perhaps he will get worse once I am in his keep. But I cannae turn back now, can I?
“Skye,” Laird Bryden said, choosing his words with deliberate care, “what day is today?”
She blinked.
Oh, he is mad.
“Ye cannae have forgotten,” she said with a short laugh. “Look around us. It’s the Leanan Festival.”
“Aye, I ken that. Why are we here?”
“Have ye been drinking?” she whispered, leaning forward and taking a tentative sniff. She had expected to smell whiskey or ale or some other liquor on his breath, but instead there was nothing.
“Just humor me, lass.”
At least he’d stopped calling herwife. That was one less insult, at least.
She let out a long breath. “Today is the day of the lass swap. I am to go back with ye to Keep Bryden, and whatever lass ye have selected will live with me cousin Creighton for a year. At the end of the betrothal year, we’ll likely go our separate ways. Nobody thinks that this wee experiment will end in marriage,” she added tightly.
For a moment, Laird Bryden remained perfectly still. His eyes closed briefly, as if in pain.
“Oh,” he whispered.
“Laird Bryden, let me go. I would like to return to me cousin.”
“Evander. Me name is Evander.”
“Evander, then,” she tried, offering a weak smile.I cannae go back with this man. He’s mad.“Let me go. We’ll find Creighton, and then we will talk.”
“Creighton isnae here.”
“What?” She gave a tense laugh. “Of course he is. This is the Leanan Festival, and?—”
“He chose nae to attend this year. Riders have been sent for him as soon as ye appeared. But he’s angry, angry at me. Skye, there is a reason why I call yewife.”
“I daenae understand,” she stammered.
At long last, she managed to pull her wrist free and drew her arm to her chest, holding her other hand protectively over it. He had left no marks, no bruises, but she could still feel where his fingers had rested on her skin.
Laird Bryden—Evander—gave an exhausted smile. “I call ye me wife because it is the truth. We have been married for a year, love.”
