“What about yer arrogance?” She rested her hands on her hips and tapped her foot.
The daft man actually looked confused. “What?”
She moved closer and poked him in the chest. “Ye have a way about ye that makes everything ye say sound like an order.”
“Aye. That’s because everything I say is an order.”
She threw up her hands and invoked the powers above to give her patience. “I will not be ordered about like a servant. I have managed my clan for years.”
Evan studied her for a minute. “Aye. I will not order ye about like a servant.” He took her hand in his. “Aye or nay, lass?”
Why would she say nay? Marrying Evan would be the perfect detriment to Richard pursuing his claim about their so-called betrothal. She knew in her heart that Evan would protect Gavin and be a wonderful father-figure for him.
When he wasn’t blustering about, Evan was a kind, considerate, man. He was intelligent, verra nice looking, and if last night was an example of what she could expect from the marriage bed, well, that would be just fine.
Although she still had her doubts, she said, “Aye.”
“’Twill be an interesting marriage we will have.” He pulled her back down to the bed and placed his knuckle under her chin. Her eyes slid closed as he touched his warm lips to hers.
Another knock on the door made them spring apart. Katie scooted off the bed and shook her skirts out. “Ye need to leave,” she whispered. “’Twill be a disgrace if yer found in my bedchamber.”
Before Evan swung his legs over the side of the mattress, the door opened and Gavin stuck his head in. “Where were you?” He rushed to Katie’s side, either ignoring or not seeing Evan, who stood and made a quick exit while the lad was busy hugging her.
“I’m sorry if ye were frightened. The laird and I made some calls yesterday to find cottages for all the families who have arrived.” She knelt down to look into his face. “We were forced to spend the night in one of the cottages because of the terrible storm that struck last night. Did you hear it?”
“Aye, I did.” Gavin reached out and touched Katie’s hair. “I ken ye are afraid of the storms. Did Laird MacNeil keep ye from being scared?”
Katie smiled. “Aye. He was verra distracting.” No need to tell the boy how Evan had kept her distracted. She stood and drew him forward. They both sat on the bed. “There is something I need to tell ye.”
“What?” He looked up at her with his childish innocence, convincing her even more how right it was that she marry Evan. He would take them far away, and Richard would never get his hands on her beloved brother.
“Laird MacNeil and I are to be married.”
…
Evan spent almost the entire morning convincing the local minister to marry them the next day. The man had met them both when they had attended services since their arrival but didn’t know them very well. The minister attempted to persuade Evan to have the banns called for three weeks rather than a rushed wedding the next day.
Reverend MacDuff argued that since Evan and Katie had known each other such a short time, perhaps they would be better served by having a month or so to think it over. His reluctance had abruptly ended when Evan hinted that they had already anticipated the vows.
The rest of the day was taken up with making inquiries on a replacement for Katie as land steward when they left. It was his intention to hire someone quickly, get the rest of Katie’s clan settled, and then he, Katie, Gavin, and Alasdair would be on their way to Argyll. Winter loomed on the horizon, and he did not want to be in Fife—or on the way home—when it hit.
He interviewed two men who seemed bright enough to handle the job, and one of them was married, so Evan decided to hire Ian MacDuff. His wife could deal with the castle while he tended to the estate. Evan was confident they would do well. They had lived on the lands since birth and were kin to just about everyone for miles around.
It was nearing the supper hour when the couple he had hired departed the library, chatting excitedly about the job and their opportunity to reside in the castle. Evan tidied up the desk, quite pleased with his day’s work. So far, things were moving along reasonably well.
Until Katie knocked on the library door.
He was halfway across the room to find his brother so they could go over a few details about their departure while they ate their supper. He reached the door and opened it to find a surprised Katie on the other side, her fist still raised. “Oh.”
Her plump lips formed a perfect circle, bringing to mind what she could do with that lovely mouth of hers. He immediately considered pulling her into the library and locking the door so he could have his way with her. He grinned to himself. He would indulge one appetite before assuaging another.
He pulled her to him and was quite surprised when she placed her wee hands on his chest and pushed him away. Not that she could move him—he was much too large—but he let her go anyway. “What is it, lass?”
Katie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smoothed the front of her skirts, and looked up at him, her eyes snapping, her wee chin raised in the air. “I would have a word with ye, my laird.”
Evan didn’t know whether to groan or laugh. Deciding it would be in his best interest to do neither, he merely smiled. “And what would those words be?”
She swept past him like the queen and walked to the large wooden desk in the center of the room. She turned and regarded him with her arms crossed under her breasts. When she noticed his grin at where his eyes had landed, she huffed and dropped her arms to her side. “I just came from the kitchen.”