Chapter 5
It was a typical cold and damp Scottish morning as Ava woke to the sound of rain outside her window. Not that she had slept much.
“I willnae claim ye until ye stop feeling hurt by other men’s actions, lassie.”
She kept repeating her husband’s words over and over in her mind. Why would she care? If anything, she should be happy that he did not pressure her. That’s what she had wanted in the first place.
And yet, the way he whispered that phrase, as if he already owned her…
Actually, he does.
Well, she would not let him to use it against it then.
She walked to the window, leaving the large four-poster bed that was draped with curtains behind her. The sun had been whisked away by the clouds and the moisture clung desperately to the land.
A normal person wouldn’t want to leave the wool and fur blankets that had kept her warm at night, but the misty morning fog called to her.
She was desperate to take her dapple-grey horse, Gowan, for a ride across the sprawling green grounds. Nearby there was a loch that looked like utter joy to ride around. She longed to feel the wind in her hair.
She made a mental note to ask Caden where the stables were. She was determined to keep as much of her freedom as possible. No man could tell her who and what she was. And certainly no man could keep her locked up in a cage.
The bustle of the servants preparing for the day echoed down the hall, when a knock sounded at the door.
“Me Lady, I’ve come to stoke the fire and help ye get dressed.”
Ava’s jaw clenched.
Nay one needs to help me do anything, especially nae gettin’ dressed.
She went to the door, intending to tell them off. But when she found a maid around her age waiting for her, she paused.
“Is everything all right, me Lady?” the maid asked, a bucket of logs dangling from her fingers.
“Aye, it’s quite all right. I’ve already dressed and stoked the fire,” Ava lied.
The maid looked down at the large robe covering Ava’s body. Then, she pointedly looked at the fireplace, which was definitely not in use.
She raised an eyebrow, as if Ava were crazy. “All right, me Lady. Do let us ken if ye need any assistance.”
“Thank ye. Pray, what is yer name?”
The young girl was short and pudgy, with an adorable nose and kind blue eyes. Ava instantly liked her, and that was not easy for her to say.
“I’m Mary, me Lady. Welcome to MacCabe Castle. I’ll be yer maid, if it pleases ye.” The maid bowed her dark brown head.
“I’m sure we’ll get along just fine, Mary. Please, could ye tell the Laird that I’d like to speak with him at breakfast?”
The maid’s eyes went wide with apprehension and fear.
“What is it?”
Ava’s heart sank. Was the maid really so afraid of her?
“It’s just… Well, I daenae really speak to the Laird, me Lady.” The maid swallowed loudly, the bucket trembling in her hand.
“What? Why nae?”
Ava could not fathom what would inspire such fear in the girl. What did Caden do that made her react this way?
Her anger toward him grew.
“Well, none of us speaks with him, except Master Nathan’s nursemaid. That is to say, the Laird doesnae like to be disturbed, me Lady.” Mary clenched her hands, as if to stop them from shaking.
Ava remembered her father always telling her to befriend the staff. He had always said that the servants should never be treated as less than family. They were all crucial to ensuring the smooth running of the castle, the grounds, and the village. Everyone had their part to play.
She would make sure to carry on that tradition at MacCabe Castle, if it was the last thing she did.
“Mary, I want ye to listen to me, and listen well. I’m yer mistress now, and ye arenae to be afraid of the Laird or me. If he gives ye any trouble, ye tell him it was me who sent ye, understood?” She made sure to look the maid in the eye.
“Aye, me Lady.” Mary gave her a small smile. “Is there anything else I can do for ye?”
“Nay, that will be all, thank ye, Mary.” Ava flashed her brightest smile.
Mary nodded her head once before scurrying away.
Something needs to be done about that blasted man.
Why is she nae looking at me?
Caden was grumpy about the previous day’s revelry. It had nothing to do with the fact that his wife was ignoring him and talking to his brother. Nothing at all. He was definitely just hungover. That was it.
She hasnae even said good morning to me. She was so angry at him yesterday, and now they’re back to being best friends? This woman is giving me a headache.
They were sitting in the dining room with large windows overlooking the misty grounds. A fire crackled in the great stone hearth next to the large table. There were eggs, sausages, beans, and tomatoes on each plate. Caden’s plate was untouched.
Ava had sat at the head of the table, which set his teeth on edge. He should be sitting at the head of the table, but he would not speak to her until she spoke to him first.
Finlay sat on her right, teasing and laughing with her as if he had not betrayed her the day before. Caden sat on her left, sulking like a child, but he could not help it.
Her maid had knocked on his door and told him that his wife wished to speak with him at breakfast, so why was she nae speaking to him now? He wanted to smack that happy, smug smile off Finlay’s stupid face.
“I’m so happy ye’re in a better mood today. I must say… Ye should have seen the look on yer face when ye saw Caden instead of me, Ava!” Finlay laughed. “It was iconic!”
Caden crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat, watching them. He had also balled his fists, just in case.
“Iconic?” Ava punched Finlay in the arm. “Ye abandoned me, ye oaf!”
Caden followed the movement with his eyes.
“Come on, now, let’s be serious. We would have killed each other!”
“I’ll kill ye now!” Ava punched Finlay again, both laughing jovially.
The door creaked open, and all three turned their heads to see the little boy and his nursemaid step inside.
“Ay, Nathan, me boy!” Finlay stood and scooped his nephew into a bear hug. “Did ye sleep well, lad?”
The boy nodded and look around. When he spotted Ava, he smiled shyly, before burying his face in his uncle’s neck.
Ava smiled back at him.
“Ye ken, I would love to go out for a ride, but it’s far too cold!” Ava eyed Finlay conspiratorially.
What is she talking about?
“Aye, Ava, ye’re right!” Finlay winked at her. “It might even snow!”
He glanced down at the boy for a reaction. Nathan tilted his little head up, intrigued.
“Oh, I love the snow!” Ava gushed as she got up to approach them. “I always chased me sisters when we were little. I loved throwing snowballs at them, sledding, and making snowmen!”
Nathan giggled and hid his face in his uncle’s neck again.
Caden watched them silently.
“Say, Nathan, would ye like to play with me when it snows?” Ava asked.
Nathan’s deep blue eyes went wide. He turned to Caden, silently asking for permission.
“Of course, the Laird will join us too, if that’s all right with ye!” Ava smiled widely, acknowledging Caden for the first time that day.
He froze.
Nathan nodded his head with the tiniest bit of enthusiasm.
“What fun we’ll have!” Finlay tossed him into the air and gave him another big hug.
The boy’s little giggle caused Ava to smile more widely. It was radiant. It took all of Caden’s power not to get up and pull her towards him, ask her to smile like that for him, demand that she talks to him. Maybe kiss her to show her that she drove him mad.
Instead of all that, he simply gave them a nod.
“Excellent! Now, ye boys run along and take Miss Nancy with ye. Make sure ye treat her real nice, but nae too nice, Finlay!” Ava wagged her finger at Finlay teasingly.
“Och! I wouldnae dare!” He winked roguishly at the nursemaid, who blushed a deep red.
“Now, go! I need to speak to me husband.” Ava planted a fist on her hip and waved Finlay and Nathan away. A small smile and big eyes peeked over Finlay’s shoulder, waving back at her.
The dining hall fell quiet.
“What was all that about?” Caden ground out.
“Please be specific, me Laird. There are several things ye could have grievances about.” Ava smirked and sat in her seat. A politician ready for war.
Two can play this game.
“Why do ye nae tell me, lass?” He slouched in his chair.
Ava rolled her eyes. “First, ye treat everyone around ye as if they’re scum on the bottom of yer shoe. Ye wonder why Nathan willnae speak? He doesnae trust ye. How can he, when ye willnae even acknowledge him?”
Caden chewed on his cheek, saying nothing.
Her nostrils flared. “Second, ye willnae scare the servants again. They arenae yer slaves, Caden. They are living, breathing people.”
“I daenae treat them poorly,” he scoffed.
“Then why are they afraid of ye?” She leaned forward on her elbows, eyeing him narrowly.
“Poor Mary almost fainted when I asked her to speak with ye.”
“Everyone is afraid of me, lass,” he huffed, pointing a finger at the mask on his face.
Her eyes widened with curiosity, but to her credit she did not ask anything.
“They daenae have to be,” she said instead, not unkindly.
He just stared at her. Her full lips matched the flush on her cheeks. A direct contrast to her green eyes.
“Third, Nathan needs to learn to trust us together. If I’m to be his… maither…” she trailed off, turning to stare into the fire. “He needs to ken that ye trust me. How can he do that if we daenae ken each other well?”
“I can see yer point, wife,” he huffed.
“Thus, I’m adding another rule.” She sat up straighter, a regal air about her.
She was breathtaking, and he hated that he noticed. Eventually, her words registered.
“Ye cannae tell the Laird what to do!” He hated that he sounded like a whiny child.
“I am the lady of this castle, Caden Hunt, and ye will listen to what I have to say.” She shot him an icy glare.
He could have sworn her hair turned redder when she was mad. He braced himself, sure she would demand that he leave, that he give her time and space.
“Go on, then, Lady MacCabe,” he baited her just to see her eyes flush again. How he wanted to tame her. He knew many ways to make her surrender. Perhaps he could start rising her dress--.
“Every day, we will spend at least an hour doing something together as a family.” She looked him in the eyes, interrupting his thoughts. He could see she was challenging him to protest.
He could also see there was no point in arguing with her, because she did have a point, but he could not just let her get away with disobedience. Also, a tiny –really tiny—part of him just to hear her speak again.
“What about me rule, lass? What about nae botherin’ me?” He looked at her straight in the eye. She did not avert her gaze.
“Too bad. Ye married a woman who likes to break the rules and make her own every once in a while, me Laird.”
He opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off.
“The way I see it, it’s more important that I help Nathan to speak and be his maither than obey yer rule. So, if ye want to be involved in raising yer own nephew, ye can stand to be ‘bothered’ every once in a while.”
The gall of this woman!
“We’ll see about that.”
“Aye, we will,” she shot back with an arched eyebrow and a smile that was all challenge.
She stood, her blue gown swishing around her ankles as she walked to the door. She turned to look at him one last time.
“Maybe ye should have gotten to ken me before ye married me, husband.”