“You left out something important,” Jed said to his sister.
“Oh?” she replied. Spur patted the baby’s back and Lane was making funny faces at her.
“Eve is wondering why those two are taking such liberties with our baby sister.”
How did he know such a thing? I blushed, for while I did want to know the answer, I’d never say so.
Piper looked to me, nonplussed. “My brothers didn’t tell you of the new law in Slate Springs,” she said.
I slowly shook my head, trying to keep up with the sibling banter that indicated a closeness I’d never had with Marina and Tara.
Shifting to stand directly in front of the two men, she continued, “Spur and Lane are my husbands.”
My mouth fell open again. I couldn’t help it. Husbands? I glanced at Spur, then Lane, then Piper, then back to Jed and Knox.
I spun on my heel and began to walk quickly down the street, chin up. I tried not to clench my hands into fists, to hide my anger, but it was impossible.
“Wait!” Jed shouted. Or was it Knox? I didn’t know, I didn’t care. I just kept moving. My dress and coat tangled about my legs and for some reason, I was out of breath.
Jed jogged past me, stopped in front of me to block my path.
“Leave me alone,” I said, glancing past him to the houses further down the block. My breath came quickly and I wanted to bend at the waist, put my hands on my thighs and take a moment, but I couldn’t. Not now. Not with Jed before me.
“You are upset.”
Upset? They were poking fun of me. Of course, I was upset. But instead of telling him that, I pursed my lips, pushed my glasses up and then lifted my head to meet his pale eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Dare, for your kind escort to Slate Springs, but I do not like being made a fool.”
He put his hands on his hips. I heard footsteps behind me, felt Knox join us.
“Made a fool? What have we done?” He looked truly perplexed.
“I was ridiculed and taunted at home in Clancy. My sisters enjoyed poking fun at my expense. I don’t need that here, too. While it came from your sister, clearly you were all in on it.”
Knox came around from behind me, stood next to his brother.
“You think Piper is joking about Spur and Lane.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but refused to lower myself to a tantrum. Instead, I straightened my spine and pushed my glasses up again.
“While I may have had the shortest marriage possible, I am well aware of the custom. While I might just be a plain, plump schoolteacher, I am not an idiot.”
The look on Jed’s face shifted from confusion to anger. “I do not like to hear you speak of yourself in such a way.”
“You are neither plain nor plump,” Knox added.
I narrowed my eyes. “Out of everything I said, that is what you comment about?”
“I will not have you disparaging yourself.”
“I find you quite pretty and delightfully curvy,” Knox added.
I didn’t know how to respond to that. I’d never been complimented in such a fashion before. So I scoffed. “Please, I’m a bluestocking and I wear glasses. I know the truth.”
“The truth is you’ll be over my knee soon if you keep it up.”
Jed’s words were low and full of promise. A promise to spank me. I remembered the way Lane had spanked Piper’s bottom in broad daylight, which brought my thoughts back to the real reason I was angry.
“Let me pass.”