Page 19 of The Laird's Unwanted Wife
Was she trembling? Was she scared? Aileen glanced down at her hands, now pulled apart and balled into fists. Was … was sheangry?
There was such a powerful urge to stand up from her chair, to strike the Laird sitting across from her for evensuggestingshe’d allow anything—anyone—to hurt Mollie. But was that really true? Would she have gone against Laird Carswell if he’d commanded it? Was she angry at Gerald … or at herself?
“The fact ye cannae answer is concerning.” Gerald stood from his chair, stepping and leering over Aileen as his expression darkened considerably. “As the soon-to-be lady of this castle, yer word will hold far more weight than ever before. Ye cannae bend yer back to another just because they want ye to, as it affects me own image as well.”
“And if ye want me to?” Aileen dared to ask. “If ye wish me to bow down to yer decision?”
A wry smile crossed Gerald’s face, and Aileen felt a wave of warmth wash over her. He was terrifying, but—no, she couldn’t actually beenjoyingthe thought of obeying him, could she?
“I would hope ye’d fight me,” he spoke so softly, a whispering winter’s wind between her ears that sent apleasantshiver down her spine. “Though, I wouldnae deny ye if ye offered to … bend over for me.”
A panicked squeal escaped her lips as Aileen quickly pushed against his chest, stumbling to her feet and hurrying to the door.“I … I will defer to ye for judgment, as ye’re the Laird and me soon-to-be husband!”
“And I would hope ye would snap back if I ever ordered ye to do something unreasonable,” Gerald replied with a slight smirk.
Aileen quickly slammed the door behind her, back pressed against it as she tried desperately to catch her breath. What was that supposed to mean? Did hewanther to argue with him?
He’d made it explicitly clear that she wasnotto interfere in his life, and yet, here he was, spouting the absolute opposite. Was this supposed to be a test? To see if Aileen would keep her word and stay out of his business?
“All men are the same,” she scoffed, exhaling sharply before storming off to her room.
10
Gerald was surprised at how standoffish Aileen was the next morning. And the morning after that. In fact, she seemed to be actively avoiding him, making every excuse under the sun tonotbe engaged in more than a two-sentence conversation with him.
If she ended up alone with him in a room, she quickly called out to a maid to inquire about random wedding details. If he directed a question her way, she rephrased it toward Mollie, who then went off on an endless rant about how many cracks and crevices she’d found while exploring the castle.
“Well … yedidambush her about her little sister,” Gerald reasoned with himself. “I’d have been cross if someone did that to me.” And hehadbeen the one to insist she keep her distance, that their union meant nothing more than a contractual obligation. How could he blame her for trying to follow his previous order?
“The wedding cannae come soon enough,” he grumbled, reaching his study with a stack of letters in his hand. Every one of the lairds had replied to his previously sent message, and he’d only skimmed through Laird MacKimmons’ response so far.
“Did he really have to demand a visit so soon?” Gerald continued to himself. “I already have the ceremony to plan, and Hector’s so particular. And I ken he’ll want to talk about Marcus, which is nae a conversation I want to have. And besides …”
He reached his study door, finding it pushed ajar and the lock seemingly undone. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he nudged it fully open with his foot, greeted by the sight of papers and books scattered across the floor. Mollie stood toward the bookshelf, trying to pull a leather-bound tome out of Bannock’s mouth as the deerhound let out a playful growl.
“Bannock, nay! This is the Laird’s study, ye cannae be in here—!” Mollie let out a surprised cry, stumbling back as the leather tore in the beast’s mouth. She immediately toppled backward, landing hard on the ground with a pained squeal.
“Mollie!” Gerald immediately moved to her side, his arms outstretched to help lift her off the ground. Instead, and much to his horror, the little girl recoiled away from him, the book lifted to her face as a sobbing cry escaped her throat.
“I … I’m sorry, me Laird! I … I didnae mean … the door swung open, and … and Bannock just ran in!” Mollie’s sobs grew louder as she pushed herself across the room, her back eventuallythumping against the wall as the book trembled in her hand. “I … I just wanted to get her … daenae throw her outside, please!”
Bannock immediately abandoned the pieces of the book she’d torn off, rushing to Mollie’s side and protectively shielding her with her body. A horrific snarl escaped her throat, the hackles of her fur rising as she dug her nails into the wooden boards of the floor.
Gerald couldn’t even describe the ache he felt in his heart as it shattered into a million pieces. Gently, he knelt to the ground, his hands back at his side as his voice dropped to a whisper. “Mollie … it’s all right, lamb. I’m nae upset with ye.”
“Aye, ye are,” Mollie sniffled. “Ye just want me to let me guard down.”
His heart somehow fractured further. “Did Laird Carswell put Bannock outside often?”
Mollie buried her face into the dog’s side, wrapping her arms around the deerhound’s neck. Gerald didn’t need any further answer.
“Bannock, down.”
The dog growled defiantly, her tail stiff in the air.
“Down,” Gerald repeated sternly.
Bannock let out a whining growl, butting her head against Mollie’s before finally lying across the ground, exposing Mollie completely. Her face was blotchy and tear-stained, bits of long, black hair stuck to her cheeks as the occasional sniffle slipped out.
