Page 46 of The Lass Defied the Laird (Explosive Highlanders 1)

“I do not care.” He ground with finality. “Obey me in this.”

“Well, well.” Her hips met the desk rim and his gaze followed them. “Little over a week to start ordering me about.” Irritation smothered her beautiful face. “A record by all accounts.”

“You had no illusions what you were marrying into when you accepted it.” He reinforced.

“As it happens, I cannot obey an order that makes no sense.” No one would blame her for her clear logic.

He had no means to explain this to himself, let alone her. Fury burning, he turned and left before he did or said something he would regret later.

~.~.~

As the days passed by, the manor became eve

n busier. Harvest drew to an end and the preparation for winter consumed time. Thus, Taran spent the whole day in the fields and Aileen had countless chores to accomplish. They met for dinner, having spent the time away from each other.

Around tea time, when the butler came to inform of the visit of a Mrs Newton, Aileen looked at him blankly.

“Mrs Shannon Newton, my lady.” He completed.

She remembered the widow from that day she worked in the fields. “I will receive her in the big drawing room, Glen.”

What could Taran’s former paramour want with her? Aileen at least hoped she was a former anything.

As The McDougal’s wife, she dressed his plaid. She checked her underdress and red and black spencer before entering the room.

The widow in her thirties stood looking at a portrait over the fireplace. Whitish blond hair, pale blue eyes, not so tall, a simple dress, Aileen had to admit she was fetching. To think her husband had… lain with this woman wrenched her insides into a thousand knots.

Under fierce self-control, she told herself Taran’s past played null role in her life.

“Mrs Newton.” She greeted, announcing her presence.

The other woman turned and curtsied slightly. “Lady McDougal.”

“Have a seat.” The blonde sat on a settee and she chose a chair right in front of her. “What do I owe your visit to, Mrs Newton?”

“I wanted to meet the woman that broke the spell and led Taran into another marriage.”

Did she detect a ring of ‘you stole my place’ there? “An arrangement between our clans.”

Shannon smiled without any humour. “An arrangement that was supposed to involve his son, I heard.” The pale blue eyes assessed her in an uncomfortable manner.

Of course, she did. It had not been a secret. Though she was grateful Seamus and Gracie did not spread any other tales. Even if Aileen’s artifice to evade said arrangement made her fall in the giant’s trap all the same.

“Sam wanted to go to university.” She improvised.

“The news ran in the village.” The widow adjoined.

“I am sure Sam’s academic ambitions are not your purpose here.” The statement brought up the real aim of her presence.

Shannon inhaled as if surprised with the objective answer. “The Laird and I were in a… frequent contact for months, you should know.”

“I am not very interested in my husband’s past… circumstances.” She lied. “But you mean to insist, I see.”

“The day in the fields, he could not take his eyes off you.” Rather jocose, that.

The dratted day she found herself unable look at the man for reasons she avoided evaluating altogether. “I did not take note.” And she did not, for she tried too bad to keep her stomach in its proper place.

“Completely besotted with you.” Mrs Newton added.

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