Page 49 of Brigand

Kaitlin narrowed her eyes. “I must know she is all right.”

“She’s fine.”

“Wonderful. Let me see her.”

He opened his mouth to respond but she didn’t give him achance.

“Let me see her now.” She fixed him with a mutinous glareand snapped, “Consider it a wedding present.”

Clearly she was as delighted at the prospect of marrying himas he was at the thought of waking up to spend every day of the rest of hislife with her. With a dark glower he turned around and started back up thestairs. “You really are a harpy, you know.”

“The worst sort. We shall be so happy together.”

He snorted.

“I can’t believe you’re keeping her in the tower,” shemuttered.

He flicked a glance over his shoulder. “She’s safer here.The men would never—” He broke off, recalling to whom he was talking. “She’stried to escape. It’s either the tower or the dungeons, and the dungeons are interrible shape.”

“Unlike the great hall?”

He snorted again. Yes. All right. The great hall could use alittle work. A lot of work. But his boys wouldn’t be doing it. They’d made itmore than clear yesterday. He’d suffered hours of their complaints about herincessant demands, their outrage at being forced to clean like washerwomen.

“Will we always live here?” There was a petulant thread inher tone. And a hint of dread.

He stopped, stock still, at her question. Something coldwedged in his throat. The thought of spending his life with a woman who was notViolet made him ill. But he couldn’t tell her that. He shrugged and muttered,“I have a house in Perth.”

“Is it as charming as this? And will your men all live withus? Because they are charming as well.”

Glory. She was a shrew. “No. They are only here to—why am Iexplaining myself to you?”

“Because I’m to be your bride?” Sarcasm dripped from thewords.

His fisted his hands on his hips. “Are you always thisdifficult?”

She offered a toothy smile. “Didn’t Callum warn you?”

He blew out a breath and continued up the stairs. He stoppedon the landing and pinned her with an imposing glare. “Wait here,” he snapped,then entered the solar, closing the door behind him.

On tiptoe, he approached the bed and poked his head throughthe curtains. “Violet,” he whispered. “You must wake up.”

She snuffled and stirred. “Hmm?” A drowsy murmur.

He chook her gently. “Violet. Wake up.”

She pushed him away. “Ewan. Not yet. I’m sleepy.”

“Come on, get dressed. Someone’s here to see you.”

“What?”

Ewan nearly leapt out of his skin when a sharp voice,directly behind him, boomed, “He said someone’s here to see you.”

He whipped around and glowered at Kaitlin. “I told you towait outside!”

She smirked. “I’m disobedient.”

Fury curled in his gut. “Why I ought to—”