“I am quite certain of that. Me son tends to be…” Ailis trailed off, as if she was reconsidering the word that she wanted to use.
“Of his own mind? I’ve only met him a couple of times, and I had already learned that.” Emily flashed her bright teeth in a smile. “But if ye say he is of the impulsive mind? That might be a bit more surprising to hear!”
She hadn’t even noticed that the door to the library had opened again, or that it was no longer just them standing around.
“Perhaps when I was a lad, that might have been true.”
Emily started at the sound of Kaden’s voice, whipping around to look at him. She noted the strange look that his mother gave him, like she was reminding herself that he was right and that she didn’t know him as well as a mother ought to know her son.
Then, he turned his eyes to her, looking all the more irritated for it. Emily hated feeling like she had done something wrong. She might have asked him why the hell he was looking at her like that, but they weren’t alone, and they had a lie to sell.
“Why are ye all chirping about here in the library?”
Both of his sisters spoke up at once.
Freya looked like a wholly different person when she was speaking to Kaden. That must be the side of her reserved only for her family. Suddenly, she was animated and grinning as she and Skye practically tripped over themselves in excitement to explain their plans and what they still wanted to run by Emily.
Slowly, Kaden’s gaze slid from Emily’s face to his sisters with an impish smirk. “Ah, since ye’re all so excited, there’s nay need to wait. I’ll move the wedding date to tomorrow.”
Emily’s and his sisters’ jaws went slack.
Tomorrow? That was impossible!
“That’s—there is nay way!” Skye protested, looking like he had just pulled the floor out from under her. “There is still so much to do! The dress isnae yet ready, and the guests?—”
“The important guests are due to arrive tomorrow before the feast anyway.” Kaden shrugged. “But if ye are saying that ye arenae capable…?”
Freya stepped forward. “That isnae what she’s saying at all! Ye are being cruel by rushing us so!”
Kaden barely backed down. “Fine,” he relented. “In two days, then. I’ll ask the maids to move me bride to the Lady’s chambers.”
He turned to leave and winked at Emily subtly, so only she could see it. Heat spread through her, both desire and anger in equal measure.
So that was why he was doing this? To have her closer!
Well, they would just have to see who got the last word.
19
If he thought that he could just drop that sort of bomb on her and walk away as if nothing had happened, he had another thing coming.
Emily turned, smiled very awkwardly at the three women who had come to find her, and followed Kaden right out of the library. Knowing full well that his sisters were the sort who would stand behind a door and eavesdrop, she did him the courtesy of not speaking about it until they were a fair few paces away from the library and out of earshot.
“Who do ye think that ye are?” she hissed.
Kaden didn’t even bother to stop walking. He turned and flashed her an impish smirk. “I’m the Laird.”
Oh, she could have seen red.
“Ye ken exactly what I mean, ye big lummox!”
That gave him pause. He stopped, his brow furrowing, clearly unsure if he was amused by her comment or a touch offended.
He clasped his hands together behind his back and turned to face her. “I think ye might feel a bit too comfortable already.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Oh, come off it! What is wrong with me chambers? Ye seem to have gone through a great deal of effort to ensure that they were suitable for me, had them readied with me comfort in mind, and now ye are just going to… what? Remove me from them so that ye can keep me under yer thumb a little better?”
Kaden’s eyebrow rose. “Is that the sort of man ye think that I am?”
