Aaron felt his own irritation stir at the man’s tone.
“’Tis only for the Laird’s ears,” Edith replied before he could speak, her words landing heavily.
Aaron cocked a brow. The councilmen let out disapproving grunts, looking between one another and at Aaron to say something.
“She has some nerve,” one of the elders muttered to the councilman beside him. “Speaking those words in front of us.”
“A lowborn, no less,” another said, disdain coating his tone.
Aaron’s eyes narrowed at the exchange, and the elder cleared his throat, lowering his head slightly.
Aaron took a step forward, studying Edith for a moment.
Certainly bold, this one.
He took in the way her posture remained straight in the face of their scrutiny. Her chin was raised, her breathing even, and not once did she avert her gaze despite his stare.
Perhaps…
He swallowed. His gaze flitted to Caelan O’Keif, his loyal friend and man-at-arms.
Only Caelan knew the truth of the bargain he had struck with Scarlett months ago—that Edith would remain at Hallow Castle in exchange for Scarlett marrying Laird McLaren. But thecouncil did not. And perhaps that ignorance could serve him now.
Aaron cleared his throat. He looked sharply at the councilmen and elders, and they straightened, looking away in a manner that only proved cowardice.
His brow furrowed. Perhaps a solution to the situation had already presented itself. Perhaps this was a way to escape their pestering altogether.
“Thank ye, Edith,” he said, returning his gaze to her. “I shall be with ye at once.”
Her hazel eyes lifted briefly to meet his, then she curtsied slightly and turned to leave.
Aaron watched her back as she disappeared around the corner, then he glanced at Caelan once more before turning back to the elders.
’Tis settled.
If the council wanted him to take a wife, then he would give them one, only it wouldn’t be the one they had chosen.
CHAPTER TWO
“Goodness,” Edith muttered under her breath, shifting against the tight confines of her dress as her fingers dug deeper into the soil.
She brought her free hand up to her face, wiping away the beads of sweat that had begun to gather along her forehead under the afternoon sun.
’Tis a stubborn root.
A small smile tugged at her lips as her fingers brushed against the thick root, its length buried far deeper than she could possibly reach.
Aye. ’Tis perfect, too.
She released a satisfied breath and rose from her crouch, wiping her fingers on the front of her dress.
I’ll need a blade to dig this out properly.
She had come out into the fields with no mind to pick herbs today, much less discover one this valuable. Still, she could hardly leave it buried there now that she had found it, even if the thought of walking all the way to the castle and back wearied her already.
She had barely turned around when she bumped straight into Violet, one of the maids from the castle.
“Och!”
