Chapter 25
Just what was wrong with him?
Last night had been a mistake that he couldn’t allow himself to repeat. That was a line that he shouldn’t have allowed her to cross.
But lying there with her had felt so right. Now, he had to worry about what came next. He had to trouble himself with what she might be thinking and how upset she might be with him for leaving her before she had even woken up.
The sun had long since started moving across the sky when he and Peter even considered emerging from the study.
Peter had summoned him this morning to give the latest report on the note that was left for him after his first time with Emily.
They had little to go on, but Peter had assured him that if there were any leads, they would have been followed.
“All I am saying to ye is that ye may nae have proof that it was him, but ye daenae have proof that it wasnae either,” Peter said as he tossed his hands up.
“And if I retaliate, what happens?” Kaden huffed and sat back heavily in his chair. “As the Laird, I cannae just go around throwing accusations wherever I please.”
“And if ye are correct, then justice will be served,” Peter assured.
While the man had a point, and Kaden was more than happy to go the punish-first-and-ask-questions-later route, if he was wrong and there was a second person who posed a threat to Emily, he couldn’t take that risk.
“And if it was someone else, then today would be the perfect opportunity to make good on their threat, is it nae?” he breathed.
That was the whole threat after all—that they weren’t to get married or else.
He would know if something bad had happened to Emily while she was getting ready for their wedding.
He had received word that the priest had arrived earlier this morning and had everything ready for their handfasting.
He had his own clothes ready and laid out in his room.
There were no unauthorized people inside the castle.
“If somebody attempts something today, we shall be ready for them,” Peter said ominously. He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword just to emphasize his point. “But ye daenae need to worry about that now. It’s yer wedding day!”
Kaden nodded, barely holding back from flinching when Peter clapped him on the back. Though he didn’t feel placated in the slightest.
“The only thing that ye should be worried about is waiting for that pretty lass to come find ye at the end of the aisle, and hoping that she doesnae catch wise before she makes her vows!” Peter teased, nudging him with his elbow in an attempt at levity.
Kaden would do just about anything if it meant that he would be able to wake up to that lovely woman in his arms once more. Her lovely hair strewn over her face, the way she looked so peaceful in her sleep, like nothing could ever bother her.
How those men had managed to become engaged to her and then fumbled things so badly, he would never understand.
“Aye, anything that comes our way, we’ll be ready for,” he agreed as he rose from his chair. “Make sure that the watch is on high alert anyway, just in case. Make sure that the food testers are in the kitchen before a single thing is sent up to the Great Hall.”
“All of the details are being handled. All ye need to do is go and get dressed, me Laird,” Peter finished in a slightly sarcastic tone.
Perhaps everything would work out. It wasn’t like the pair of them didn’t have more than their fair share of enemies. They certainly weren’t pleasing society with the marriage.
Other than the titles and privileges that came with being who they were, Kaden was certain that there were a great many people who were happy that they would be locked in a castle to kill one another. As that was likely all that anyone expected from their volatile reputations.
He headed back upstairs to get changed so that the ceremony and festivities might start.
If he were very lucky, he might even get to catch a glimpse of a certain lass in her wedding dress while he was finishing up.