Chapter 12
Orange flames danced in the large fireplace of the Great Hall.
Ava and Nathan curled up in one of the large, overstuffed chairs that was similar to the ones of the foyer.
They were warming their feet and enjoying full bellies of sweet milk.
Shadows and light danced across the walls, making the room feel cozy.
Nathan’s eyes had started to droop, but he kept fighting off slumber. Ava smiled down at him and set his cup on the table next to them, while telling him stories of her childhood.
“Me poor father was so embarrassed! He had brought all of his councilmen to officially meet his twins, and when he presented me, I was chasing a pig and fell into the mud with him! I was about yer age when I did that. I daenae remember it, others always told me about it. So, we cannae believe it to be true, can we?”
Nathan looked at her with a sly grin that told her that yes, they should. It sounded like her. She kissed his forehead and continued.
“What I do remember, was when I was slightly older than ye. I really liked chickens, we often played together. So one night I let one of the castle’s doors open and led them all inside.
Everyone woke up at their little ‘chip chip chip’”.
She laughed. “Then me and me sisters had to chase them out before we got caught.”
He gave a sneaky smile that told her she had just inspired him to be mischievous and she could not help but smile back.
When she told him how Emma accidentally pushed her into the priest’s robes in front of the entire village during Sunday service, he giggled. He started to fiddle with her fingers and her wedding band with one hand while still sucking his thumb on the other.
Ava mentally kicked herself. The boy had been sucking on his thumb all evening. Even while he was changing, he only removed it for a brief moment to let her pull off his mittens and shirt.
“Now, we have time for one more story, I think. What do ye say?” She looked down at him, waiting for his approval.
He lifted his head from her shoulder and nodded.
“All right. So, me younger sister came into the world screaming. Her name is Thalia. As the three of us grew up, we would often get blamed for her problems.”
Nathan raised questioning eyebrows.
“How, ye may ask. Well, I’ll tell ye.” Ava shifted in her seat to make herself more comfortable, and Nathan snuggled back into her.
“Now, ye should ken that Thalia, being the baby of the family, always got whatever she wanted. Our maither and faither loved us equally, of course, but they had a special place in their hearts for her, since she is the youngest. Whenever she got into trouble, she would blame us, and she’d get away with it every time.
So, me twin sister and I, thinking it was unfair that we took all the blame, decided to get back at her. ”
Nathan hummed.
“We never did anything terrible, mind ye. Just played silly pranks to show our sister we could play her games as well. Thalia was terrified of Faither’s horse, Seamus.
He was a big brown horse, and when she was little, he used to lick her mouth and nose.
She had nay real reason to dislike him, but she was scared of him. ”
The boy kept sucking on his thumb. Ava took it as a sign to continue.
“So, one day, we were all supposed to ride together into the village. Emma and I snuck some of Seamus’s favorite sugar cubes into Thalia’s pockets and waited. When we were all in the stables, saddling up our horses, we heard Thalia shout and Seamus’ very loud snuffles and champs.”
Nathan let out another small smile.
There ye go!
“Emma and I were rolling on the ground, hootin’ and hollerin’ like a pack of wild dogs. Even our parents found it funny. Now, ye may be thinkin’ that it’s mean, but Thalia and Seamus became best friends after that day. They still are.”
Nathan let out a delighted giggle, and she sighed in relief. She hated that her argument with Caden had caused him to withdraw into himself.
Slowly, she rubbed one hand up and down his back and ran the other through his hair.
Heavy, familiar footsteps sounded outside the door, and Nathan’s smile fell. He popped his thumb back into his mouth and hid his face in her neck.
Ava cursed under her breath and cupped his head. “It’s all right,” she whispered in his ear. “I’m here.”
He whimpered.
Her irritation flared. “If ye’re here to spoil our fun, ye can leave,” she said to the fire.
Something large dangled in front of her face. She had trouble making it out until her eyes focused. She saw three pairs of skates.
“I… I thought Nathan might enjoy this,” Caden said, looking longingly at the boy.
Ava saw Nathan peek at Caden out of the corner of her eye.
“Really?” Ava asked skeptically.
“Really,” Caden replied, his voice rough.
Probably from the cold.
“But we should do it tomorrow, as it’s getting dark now.” He looked down at his feet, cleared his throat, and then looked at Nathan. “Does that sound good to ye?”
The boy popped his thumb out of his mouth and nodded earnestly.
Relief flashed across Caden’s face.
Of course, we should do it tomorrow, and it’s already dark outside. The sun set an hour ago.
Ava mentally rolled her eyes.
Lighter footsteps echoed off the floor and they saw Finlay coming in with a wide smile on his face. He gave a bow to Ava and Nathan.
“Master, Mistress.” He looked entreatingly at them. “Cook is looking for a wee child to try some of the pastries she’s been baking all day. Do ye ken anyone who would be interested in such a task? I cannae find a wee child anywhere in this giant castle.”
Nathan’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. He raised his hand, his eyes wide.
“Aye, ye’ll do!” Finlay beamed.
The boy wiggled out of the chair and ran into his arms. Finlay tossed him into the air, making him giggle, before carrying him out of the room.
Caden turned to leave. Ava hesitated to speak until he was almost to the stairs. “I didnae think ye had it in ye,” she finally said.
“What’s that?” He stopped and turned back to face her. Half of his face was cast in shadow, and the silk of his mask reflected the firelight.
“Being open to fun,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her. “Ye daenae ken me well enough to say such things, lass.”
“Perhaps ye should help me get to ken ye,” she fired back, her lips pursed.
Ava, what are ye saying?
Caden walked back to the chair across from her and leaned on the back of it, the skates dangling from his fingers. “What do ye need to ken?”
Ava could not tell his moods, besides the obvious anger, and it bothered her. If she was going to spend the rest of her life with this man, she wanted to figure out how to navigate him. It would help her understand why she could not resist him. It might as well help her resist him.
She enjoyed holding a grudge, and she knew it would be no different with her husband. So why could not she stop thinking about him?
“How come ye didnae wait to care for a lass in order to marry her?” She was surprised by her own question.
Caden eyed her suspiciously, but then set the skates on the floor and sat in the chair across from her. He stretched out his legs in front of him and rested his elbows on his knees.
The sight of him in such a powerful position, looking ready to pounce at her at any moment, was disarming.
“Ye want the truth?” he asked.
“Aye.” She nodded.
“I just needed a wife to raise the bairn.” He looked her dead in the eyes. “I’ve already told ye as much.”
So, ye are gonna play this the hard way, then.
Ava loved a challenge.
“Many lasses would be happy to do that for ye. Nathan is a very lovable boy. Ye would have had scores of women at yer door.” She furrowed her brow.
Caden shook his head and stared at the fire. “Scores of women would tremble in fear before they did anything the Masked Laird asked of them.” He looked at her again. “But nae ye.” Something akin to confusion crossed his face.
Ava decided to take it as a compliment. “Well, dealing with a savage brute like ye isnae easy, me Laird, so I daenae blame them.” Her lips quirked into a smirk.
Caden inhaled sharply, before pushing to his feet and stepping toward her. He pinned her with an intense look, such that the air rushed out of her lungs.
Is he going to kiss me again?