Page 56 of Captured By the Cruel Highlander
A barrage of servants awaited them, just as Adam had ordered. A hot bath would be waiting for Emily in her room. At least she could fume at him while she got the heat back into her bones.
The silence between them was becoming oppressive, and Adam decided to put things to rest once and for all.
“Listen, lass, if we’re married, we’ll do our duty and then move on with our lives, just as I said.”
“Our duty?”
“Aye. We’ll produce an heir for the clan, and then ye can do as ye please.”
“I see.” Her voice was cold.
As they passed through the castle gates, the servants began walking forward to attend to them, but before he could turn to assist her, Emily had already jumped down from the saddle.
Adam turned to her in confusion as she crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at him. “Quite right, M’Laird. Seein’ as ye came to find me last night, ye have proven I can trust ye.” Adam’s stomach dropped. “So, I dinnae think ye need to follow me rule any longer.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” he asked.
“It means that we dinnae need to have dinner together to get acquainted with one another. In fact, I dinnae wish to see ye again until the day of the weddin’. I think that would make things easier for both of us, considerin’ I am clearly just an inconvenience that gets in yer way.” She leaned forward, hissing under her breath so only he could hear her. “And ye willnevertouch me again.”
With that, she spun on her heel and stalked away, the maids hurrying after her.
“Emily!” he called, sudden desperation consuming him at the rage he had seen in her eyes.
But she pretended not to hear him, entering the castle without a backward glance.
Adam handed Buck’s reins to the stable boy and trudged slowly across the courtyard toward his rooms.
Well, ye wanted her furious with ye, ye great dobber. Now ye got yer wish.
20
Emily was seething.
Since they had arrived back that morning, she had avoided all contact with Adam and anyone else from his family. Returning to her room, still wearing the soaked dress that he had bought her, she had half a mind to throw the thing into the fire.
Olivia had been kind and attentive, helping her to remove it. She could not get it off quickly enough.
Freya had knocked on her door to see if she was well, but Emily did not want to speak to anyone. She had no intention of eating with the family.
Perhaps it was childish, but she had meant what she said. She would prefer not to see Adam again until the day of the wedding. Olivia had, therefore, dutifully delivered her supper to her room as she requested.
Emily should have been relieved to be separated from them all, but she was dismayed by the resulting melancholy that consumed her.
I dinnae care if he eats without me,she told herself.He probably is rejoicin’ at me absence.
But it was no use. She felt miserable.
She pushed the meat sullenly around her plate. Her appetite had dwindled to almost nothing, and she found that she could not eat anything at all.
Her mood only darkened further as she purposefully avoided thinking of Adam, and her mind just conjured up images of her family instead. She could almost see them within the leaping flames as she went to sit by the fire. Her chest ached.
I wonder if Bruce and Faither are both sittin’ beside a fireplace, just as I am doin’ now. I wonder if they are thinkin’ of me.
She hoped that Adam was right and Bruce had not done anything foolish.
The weather outside her window was damp and unpleasant. Humidity clung to the air and made her skin feel clammy. Her father hated the rain and would likely be complaining about the recent storm. Emily wished he were with her; she longed for someone familiar to talk to.
I wonder what Faither would think of Adam if he had a chance to meet him.
