Page 28 of A Bride for the Kilted Beast

She looked up at him, snapping the book shut, and to his surprise, she smiled at him. Though it brought the same warm glow to his heart as seeing her playing with the children had, it also made him instantly suspicious.

“Och, there ye are,” she said, getting up and going to the table. “Nae doubt ye’ve had a busy day. Let me pour ye some ale.” Diarmaid followed her with his eyes, noticing the jugs of ale and bottles of wine on the table that had not been there before. They made him even more suspicious.

What’s she up tae?

He decided to play along. “Aye. It has been rather busy.” He kept his eyes on her as he unbuckled his sword belt and laid it aside before going to sit before the hearth. She had her back to him as she poured the ale, and he was briefly distracted by her shimmering hair, slim waist, and rounded hips in the blue dress. But he warned himself to stay alert.

She brought over a tankard of ale and handed it to him, smiling again as she sat back down opposite him.

“Will ye nae have a drink yersel’?” he asked, heeling off his boots as he smiled back, his mind whirring, certain she was planning something. He furtively looked her up and down, wondering if she had a blade concealed somewhere about her person.

“Och, nay. I’ll wait until dinner. I hear we’re tae dine here tonight,” she said pleasantly.

“Aye, I thought it best tae keep up the lie.” He relaxed in his chair, doing his best imitation of a hardworking husband being ministered to by his wife at the end of the day. All the time, he watched her closely, noting every nuance of her expression, knowing she was watching him too. He could feel tension already building in the air.

“So, have ye settled in?” he asked, glancing around the room.

“As much as I can with nae clothes tae me name.”

He nodded. “I’ll get someone tae see about gettin’ some new ones made fer ye, but ye’ll have tae go shopping fer other things.”

“I’ll need money fer that.”

“And ye shall have it, whatever ye need. I gave instructions fer ye tae have the use of me sister’s things until then.”

“I’ve already done that with Penny. I put the things in that wardrobe there.” She pointed. Diarmaid nodded in acknowledgement.

“So, ye have been busy then,” he remarked with a nod.

She did not respond to that but only asked, “How’s yer ale?”

“Fine.”

“Would ye like some more?”

Immediately suspicious of what might be in his tankard, he did not have time to answer her question as there was a tap on the door just then.

“Come in,” he called. “That’ll be dinner,” he told Lillie. He was correct. Two footmen came in bearing the meal on two large trays. Immediately, savory flavors filled the air, making Diarmaid’s mouth water. He had not realized just how hungry he was. “Put it down over there will ye, on the table, next tae the ale?” The footmen followed his instructions.

“Anything else, melaird?” asked one, but Diarmaid could think of nothing, so he shook his head and dismissed them. The men left, closing the door quietly behind them.

“It certainly smells good,” Lillie remarked, getting up and going over to inspect the meal. “Roasted chicken, mashed turnip, potatoes, and kale,” she said, lifting the lids from the dishes and naming the contents. “Och, and some sort o’ fruit sponge with a sauce for pudding.” She looked around at him and gave him a warm smile that made the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. He almost wanted to laugh, for she had no idea her niceness was making him more suspicious of her by the minute.

“Shall I dish up?” she asked.

“Go ahead. I’d best have a wee wash before we sit down, but I’ll only be a few minutes,” he told her. He rose to his feet and crossed to the washroom, where he poured some water into the washing bowl before creeping back to the door and peering around the corner.

He watched silently as Lillie took something from her pocket, a small package of some sort, and sprinkled the contents into one of the dishes. She stirred it in with a spoon. He guessed at once what she was doing, noting which dish it was.

So that’s her game is it? She intends tae put me tae sleep, the little witch!

He finished washing and rejoined Lillie in the main chamber. In his absence, she had laid out the dinner things and dished up two plates of food. They sat down opposite each other at the table to eat.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Och, I forget me ale. Would ye get it fer me?” Diarmaid asked, doing his best to make it sound like an innocent request.

“Of course.” She got up, and as soon as her back was turned, he swapped the plates. He waited for her to return before they began eating.