“What other things?”
“Things that would be of nay interest to ye.”
She huffed in annoyance. “So, ye’re nae goin’ to open up at all?”
“There’s nothin’ to say. ’Tis business, that’s all. Me responsibilities as Laird keep me busy.”
“But ye’re nae too busy today?”
“I found some time.”
“Were ye comin’ to see me back there at the castle?”
“Aye.”
She grew a little exasperated. “For goodness’ sake, are ye goin’ to say more than four words to me at a time?”
She thought she glimpsed the ghost of a smile on his lips.
“It depends.”
“On what?”
“Why, on ye, of course.”
“How so? Ach, ye have me doin’ it now!”
“This is the first time I’ve had the chance to come and ask ye about our second outing. Ye should have been expectin’ me to turn up.”
“Like a bad penny, ye mean,” she replied waspishly, clinging to his arm as they crossed some uneven turf.
“Somethin’ like that, aye,” he said without rancor. Then, he added, “Yer maid’s right—ye shouldnae go to the market alone. In the future, make sure ye take someone with ye.”
His high-handed tone irked Olivia further. “Why? Ye seem to forget that I’ve lived here without ye for a year. I’ve made friends and been to the village many times to do some shopping. Nothin’ bad has happened to me yet.”
“Aye, and that makes me mad at those who should have been takin’ better care of ye,” he replied with unexpected force. In a softer voice, he added, “I’m back now, and I dinnae want ye wanderin’ around by yerself. ’Tis me command as yer husband.”
“If ye were so worried about me, then ye should have been here.”
“Aye, I should have been.”
That took the wind out of her sails a bit.
So, he feels guilty for leavin’ me alone, does he nae?
She was surprised by him once again, but she could not resist needling him a little about it.
“Oh, so ye’re admittin’ ye got somethin’ wrong, are ye nae? That makes a nice change, I must say.”
“Aye. Ye’d better make a note of it, for it seldom happens,” he answered blithely.
“And now that ye’re back, ye’re soothin’ yer conscience by issuin’ commands to me, is that it?”
They had reached the village outskirts and began making their way along the single street, towards the many colorful stalls that clustered around the carved stone market cross. Around them, people were going about their errands.
“Ye’re me wife. ’Tis me duty to protect ye,” he said simply as they came to the first stall.
“From what? Yer bossy ways?” she asked sharply.
