The crease of her brow hardened. “Why not?”
“Because it’s male business.”
“Says who?”
He tied his hair at the base of his neck. “The males. You’ll stay here with Gracie and my mother. I believe they’ve made some new dresses for you.”
She sat up, holding the quilt to her front and scowling at him. “What if I want to leave the house?”
“I’d prefer it if you stayed indoors today.”
“Prefer it or command it?”
Sitting in the chair, he pulled on his boots. “Why are you being difficult this morning, ainsicht? Yesterday was trying for all of us. I’m only asking for a few hours of obedience and then when I return, we can go for a walk together. I’ll show you around the farm.”
Her eyes flared wide and he suspected she didn’t care for his counteroffer.
“A few hours of obedience? You’ll walk me around? What am I, a fucking dog?”
“Annalise! Swearing is forbidden.”
“Tough shit! Those are your rules, not mine.” She flung the quilt onto the bed, not bothering to make it. “And you can’t ground me to the house all day.”
“Ground you?”
“Tell me I’m not allowed outside.”
He handed her a dress so could cover herself. Luckily the curtains were still draped. “I only make these rules for your safety.”
She fisted the gown at her hip and scowled at him, not bothering to cover her body as God and all of heaven could see her. “Make the rules?” Her breasts heaved with a deep breath and her outrage pelted him from across the room.
He marched over to her and took the dress. “It’s broad daylight and you’re parading about as naked as the day you were born.”
She yanked the dress out of his hands and threw it on the floor. “Do you even hear what I’m saying?”
He caught her shoulders and gave her a firm shake. “I hear every word, yet you refuse to listen to me. These rules are for your protection. My brother is still out there licking his wounds, which makes it unsafe.”
“My life was safe, before you showed up!”
His jaw clenched and he shook her again. “Do you think I don’t blame myself for this? I know it was my carelessness that put you in harm’s way yesterday, which is exactly why I intend to petition the Elders and see that nothing like this ever happens again. I swore I would keep you safe, Annalise. This is me keeping my word. Now, put on your dress and let me do my duty so we can get on with our day.”
When he released her arms, she staggered back a step. The air shifted and her outrage siphoned out of the room, overpowered by a new emotion he’d never felt from her before.
He stilled, disliking the soggy pressure expanding in his chest and immediately regretted venting his short temper on her. He’d emotionally wounded her, perhaps even humiliated her, which was never his intention.
“I do not mean to injure your pride, ainsicht.”
“Get away from me.” She took a step back, snatching the dress off the floor and covering herself.
He sighed. “You were acting hysterical and uncompromising.” He’d only tried to shake some sense into her.
Her lips pursed in a tight knot as she yanked the dress over her head. She wouldn’t look at him.
“Anna, please...”
Her hands trembled as she pulled on her apron. A straight pin pinged to the floor, disappearing into a crack between the wood planks.
“I can find you more pins.”
“Whatever.” She sniffed, turning her back to him as she fumbled to twist her hair up with a strand of leather. It was too short of a strand, but her determination to make it work almost made him believe she could.
He approached her slowly and as he rested his hands on her shoulders, she flinched and stiffened. “I’m sorry.”
She sniffed again. “It’s my fault. I thought last night might have changed something.”
He frowned. “Last night did change something.” It changed everything. He pulled her shoulders until she turned to face him. He hadn’t expected to find tears glazing her eyes. “Tell me where I went wrong.”
She swallowed, her gaze skittering to the floor. “You want to domesticate me.”
“No, I only want to keep you safe.”
“But you think men are superior to women. I can’t tolerate such small mindedness. It’s dated and disgusting and—”
“I never said men were superior to women, Annalise. I said females were not permitted into Council meetings. I cannot alter all our traditions to suit your modern views, only the practices within my control.”
“Why can’t women do everything the men do here? Why does it have to be so segregated?”
His lips pursed. “That’s just the way we’ve always done it. But neither male nor female is more superior to its counterpart. It’s a balance. The females nurture us, feed us, birth our young, and rush to our aid in times of crisis. It is the male’s duty to keep her safe and strong so that they may bless us with family and a loving home. It is us who serves them, not the other way around.”