Chapter 17
Daniel glanced at Melissa from across the table as they ate their breakfast in silence.
Her silent and cool behavior puzzled him, they’d had a great time in the orchards the day before.
He wondered if she was upset because of his almost abrupt departure.
He’d wanted to stay with her for a while longer, but the business with the merchants had to be seen to.
His need to protect her feelings and desire to not sire an heir still kept him back from sharing a bed with her at night, something that he desperately wanted to do at present.
The matter with Ewan was swiftly coming to an end as he pieced more pieces of the puzzle together. It did seem to him that his man at arms had been pocketing most of the money. Why? He did not know. Daniel had always paid him well and given him more advantages than anyone else in the castle.
Melissa suddenly coughed, drawing his attention back to the breakfast and the strange atmosphere that ensued between them.
“Did ye have a good night?” he asked her as she reached for a bannock.
“I did, thank you,” she said without taking her eyes off her plate.
He waited to see if she would ask him how his night had been but quickly realized that he was the unwelcome recipient of the dreaded silent treatment that married men often spoke of.
“I was very impressed by the way ye tossed me over yesterday,” Daniel tried again. “Are ye sure ye havenae had any training?” He kept his tone light as he attempted to tease her again.
“I am a lady,” Melissa said in a cool tone and reached for a piece of cheese before filling her cup with ale. “It should be pretty obvious that I have never had any battle training.”
Clearing his throat, he clenched his jaw and tried again. “I had the cook bring up some of her finest cherry jam, I ken how much ye like me cherries.” He attempted to wink at her but missed the opportunity entirely, as she kept her eyes on the table.
“I’ve had better,” she said dismissively. “A widow I helped with Beitris made me some as a thank-you gift.”
Giving up, he fell back into his chair and rubbed his temple with his forefinger. “Is something the matter, lass?”
“Why would there be?” She shrugged her shoulders and sipped her ale as she examined a particularly interesting piece of fruit in the bowl.
“Yesterday, ye were happy an’ talkative in the orchard. Now, ye find a bowl of fruit more interesting than me,” he grumbled as his head began to ache. He was quickly realizing that not siring an heir wasn’t the only reason he’d stayed a rake for so many years.
“Perhaps I’ve taken a keen interest in fruit since the last time you saw me in the orchards.” She finally looked up at him with a defiant look in her eyes. “Was it not you that said I am to live a life of my own while you do the same?”
Pushing back the laughter that threatened to bubble over once he realized that she was referring to the arrangement they had made on their wedding night, he sat up straight in his chair and reached for his ale.
It was true that he hadn’t said anything more to her on the matter, but he hadn’t been with another woman since she had moved into his castle.
How could he when she took up all of his time and thoughts?
Realizing with startling clarity that he had not been with another woman since they had been married, took a sip of his ale and stared at her.
Melissa was quickly changing who he was, as well as the way he conducted his business.
There was still no possibility that he’d ever sire an heir, yet he wanted a future with her where they laughed and played under the cherry trees.
He felt utterly conflicted by his own feelings and what to do about them.
“Aye, I did say that, lass. Ye have a memory that most would envy,” he said with a sigh.
Melissa looked up at him and bit into a piece of bannock. “Not as envious as your ability to work on my nerves.” She kept her eyes on him.
Taking a deep breath, he resisted the urge to laugh at the cute way she turned up her nose and tried to pick a fight with him. She’d become far more endearing to him with her stubborn ways than he ever realized she would.
“What’s so funny?” she asked irritably when he failed to conceal his mirth.
“Naething,” he said, taking a sip of ale. “I was just thinking of how adorable ye are when yer mad, that’s all.”
A full bannock came flying through the air and hit him square on the jaw, knocking his ale into his face and sending the cup clattering to the ground.
“What in God’s name was that for?” He stood and glared at her, ale dripping from his face and shirt.
“I am not adorable when I am angry,” she said as her lips curled into a smile that she struggled to conceal. “I am very, very serious, and I expect to be treated as such.”
“An’ why are ye laughing now?” he asked as she bent over the table and laughed until she snorted.
“You look ridiculous with the ale dripping from your face.” Her words were barely audible as slammed her fist on the table. “You should see your face!”
“Oh, is this funny to ye, isn’t it?” he asked as he too began to laugh. “I’ll show ye what’s funny.” He reached for the jar of jam and made his way around the table.
“Don’t you dare,” she said as her eyes widened when she realized what he was doing.
“Fair is fair, an’ ye love cherries so much,” he drawled and twisted the lid off, letting it fall onto the table.
“Now, Daniel,” she tried to reason with him as she gripped the back of her chair and sidled away from him. “Let’s be reasonable about this. Neither of us are children here.”
“An’ throwing a bannock across the table into someone’s face is reasonable?” he asked as he lifted the full jar of jam and threatened to tip it over her head.
“It is.” She winced and held up her hand in self-defense.
“How so?” He stopped for a second with the jar in mid-air and gave her a puzzled look.
“Well, you deserved to get a glass of ale in the face for calling me adorable,” she argued, her chin tilted defiantly.
“What?” He felt even more confused at the way a woman’s mind worked.
“The point is.” She laughed again. “You should not be pouring a perfectly fine jar of jam on our wife, it’s bad form.” She returned to her old, witty self once again.
“I thought ye’ve had better,” he said with a triumphant smirk.
“I have, that wasn’t a lie, I just don’t think your cook would be very happy with you if you wasted her sub-par jam,” she said with a giggle.
“Sub-par jam?” He felt mildly insulted as he laughed at her quip. “I’ll show ye sub-par jam!” He advanced on her and dipped his finger in the jar before holding it out to her face.
“Daniel…” She eyed his finger cautiously as she tried to get away.
“Aye?” He couldn’t help but fall in love with her when he noticed the way her eyes sparkled in the morning light as they teased one another.
“Don’t!” she squealed and tried to run away from him.
“Dinnae what?” he asked as he placed the jar on the table and gave chase. “Dinnae get revenge?” He caught up to her on the other side of the table and held her arm as he smeared the jam across her cheek.
Laughing hysterically, she fell into his arms and leaned against his chest as she tried to catch her breath.
“That will teach ye to throw good food at me,” he said as he held her upright by her arms.
“I guess that will.” Her laughter ebbed away as she looked into his eyes and said in a kinder voice, “I’m sorry if I got any in your eyes or ruined your shirt.” She licked over her lips and straightened her spine but made no move to leave his arms.
“The shirt can be replaced,” he said as his own mirth died down. Now, a warm and easy atmosphere lingered between them.
“Hopefully, so can your bannock,” she teased, yet her eyes took on a different look as she drew slightly closer to his lips.
“What in the name of everything that is good and holy is going on in here?” Darragh asked as he stepped into the room and gave them both a quizzical look. His eyes fell to the bannock and mug on the floor and then back up to Daniel’s sodden shirt and Melissa’s jam-stained cheek.
“We were just…” Melissa began as she jumped away from Daniel and tried to defend herself.
“We were just minding our own business, as ye should be doing,” Daniel said as he fixed his shirt and greeted his friend. “The question is, why are ye here so early in the morning an’ nae at yer own castle?”
Shaking his head as if he had decided that it was better not to get involved, Darragh stepped forward and handed Daniel a note. “I take it that ye havenae received yer letter, then. This was waiting for me when I woke up this morning.”
Accepting the note, Daniel scanned the note with a frown. “It says here that I am to receive a note of me own.” He turned the page over in his hand as if the suggested letter could have been attached to the back of Darragh’s.
“I ken what it says, Daniel. What I need to ken is if yer interested in the deal?” Darragh said in his gruff manner that made Daniel wonder how he had ever convinced someone as kind as Avery to love him.
“What is it?” Melissa asked curiously as she retrieved a cloth from the table to wipe her cheek.
“Darragh an’ I have both been invited by one of our neighboring lairds to talk over a business matter,” Daniel explained. “This could be very lucrative for both our castles.”
“Aye,” Darragh agreed with a nod. “It’s why I decided to come straight here when I received me letter. I think we should go.”
“I wonder what’s happened to mine if ye have already received yers,” Daniel murmured as he turned the note over once again.
“I beg yer pardon, Me Laird,” Ewan said as he stood in the doorway to the dining hall.
Daniel instantly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as the man came into the room. Knowing what he knew about his man at arms at present, he felt like knocking him clean across the room but knew that he had to keep his cool and wait for the right time.
“What is it?” He lifted his chin in the air, looking down his nose at Ewan.
“This came for ye early this morning, Me Laird. I had to see to a few things before I could bring it in,” Ewan said apologetically after handing the note to Daniel and backing away.
“It isnae usually yer job to deliver the mail.” Daniel became increasingly suspicious of the man.
“All of the maids are busy this morning, Me Laird,” Ewan hurried to explain. “I thought I would lend a hand by doing a small task that would otherwise only take up their valuable time.”
Staring the man down for a second, Daniel decided to let things be for the time being. “Laird Ramsay an’ I have some business to go an’ attend to. Send for a carriage, since yer so eager to do yer part,” he said and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
“Aye, Me Laird.” Ewan scurried from the room as fast as he could.
“What was that all about?” Darragh looked over his shoulder with a frown. “Ye were always on good terms with yer man at arms ‘afore, were ye nae? He’s even been coming around me castle lately an’ lending a hand where it’s needed.”
“How long has this been going on?” Daniel gave him a concerned look.
“A few months,” Darragh replied with a shrug. “I thought ye sent him.”
“Ye may want to ensure that all of yer books an’ business dealings are in order,” Daniel warned his friend.
Darragh raised his eyebrows but didn’t ask any further questions as Daniel turned his full attention back to the note.
“Aye, mine says exactly the same as yers does,” Daniel added as he scanned the contents of the letter again. “Laird Hamish McTavish requests our presence as soon as possible to discuss the merging of our borders an’ allow the profitable overlap of crops wherever necessary.”
“I’ve already discussed the matter with Avery an’ come prepared to leave.” Darragh glanced over Daniel’s shoulder at Melissa. “That is if yer prepared an’ dinnae have any other plans,” he said to Daniel. “Ye seem to be a bit preoccupied this morning.”
“Nae, we can leave at once. I dinnae think we should let this opportunity slip through our fingers. McTavish has some of the best lands in Scotland.”
“Aye, I agree. I’ll be downstairs waiting for ye when yer ready.” Darragh gave Melissa a nod and left the room.
“I guess you will be headed out, then,” she said as Daniel turned around. Her arms were folded across her waist as she pursed her lips to hide her disappointed smile.
“I’m sorry, lass, if it were any other matter, I would stay. But this deal could mean a lot to the castle.”
“It’s fine, really, you need to go,” she said as she hugged her waist even tighter. “I’ll visit Beitris and help her with collecting herbs or go for a walk in the orchards.”
It warmed Daniel’s heart to see that Melissa struggled with the idea of him leaving her all alone in the castle.
He was almost tempted to tell her that he’d never so much as even looked at another woman since they’d gotten married, but he couldn’t quite reassure her with his feelings just yet when he knew that he couldn’t give her the family that she more than likely desired.
“I promise that I’ll be back soon,” he said in an attempt to lift her spirits. “We can continue our self-defense lessons out in the orchards once I’m back.”
Her perfect lips tilted into a smile that couldn’t overshadow the sadness and uncertainty in her eyes.
“Ye dinnae have to worry about me getting into any trouble as well. Darragh willnae so much as allow me to sneeze without telling ye about it when we get back.”
“I guess that’s true,” she said with a more genuine smile.
“The man is worse than a watchdog when it comes to the people he loves.” Daniel came closer and used his thumb to wipe a small drop of cherry jam from her cheek. “Ye missed a spot.”
“Daniel!” Darragh’s voice carried up the window as Daniel shut his eyes and shook his head. “We dinnae have all day, ye great bampot!”
“Worse than a watchdog, I tell ye,” Daniel muttered and watched as Melissa laughed. “Ye can come an’ see me off if that will set yer mind more at ease.”