“I’ll cry if I want to. You will cease orderingme about!”He raised an eyebrow. “You dare to issueme orders?”She flushed, but at least she wasn’t cryingany longer.“Now tell me about this brand on yourthigh. Your father’s crest. I’d like to see it.”176/756She went crimson and she backed up astep until her back met with the ledge of thewindow. “I will not do something so indecentas to show you my leg!”“When we’re married, I’ll see more thanthat,” he said mildly.“Married? Married? I’m not marrying you,Laird. I’m not marrying anyone. Not yetanyway.”

“What are the two of you whisperingabout?” Alaric demanded irritably.She glanced over to see the warrior watching her, his eyes narrow with suspicion.“If I wanted you to know, I’d have spoken louder,” she said calmly.He turned away muttering what she wassure were more blasphemies about annoyingfemales.“You must make the priest weary with thelength of your confessions,” she said.He raised one eyebrow. “Who says I confess anything?”

“If I have to bar the door, I will. I can be avery accommodating man, lass, but you’vesorely tried my will. I’ve given you until tomorrowto trust me with whatever you’rehiding. After that, I can promise you won’tlike my hospitality any longer.”“I don’t like it now,” she said crossly. Shewaved her hand in his direction. “You canleave. I’ll only be going to bed now.”

“His gaze narrowed and she could see hishands twitching again like he’d love nothing more than to throttle her. She was beginning to think it was an affliction of his. Did he go around wanting to choke the life out of everyone or was she special in that regard?“I’m afraid ’tis an urge that is entirely original to you,” the laird barked.She clamped her mouth shut and closedher eyes. Mother Serenity had vowed one day Mairin would regret her propensity to blurt out her least little thought. Today just might be that day.”

“I'm going to make it very hard. I love you and I'm tired of being told what I should want and what I should do. You and I got married and I can stomp my foot and scream and rail at you because of the deal you made with my father, but the truth is I wouldn't have married you if I didn't want to". She took a deep breath. "And I don't think anyone. including my father, could have forced you to marry me. So, Mr. Megalos, consider yourself stuck with me.”

“Alaric grunted. “Someone should tell herthat. I’m telling you, Ewan, she said nothing.She stared at me like I was some kind oftoad. Worse, she had Crispen acting like Iwas the enemy. The two whispered like104/756conspirators and glared at me when I daredintervene.”

“She sat down on the bed next to Crispen,and he snuggled into the crook of her arm.“I’m getting you dirty,” he whispered.“I don’t care.”“What are we going to do, Mairin?”