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Before either of them had time to stop her, the maid—used to finding Alisdair already up and alone in his room—pushed the door open. She froze on the threshold, the tray still in her hands.

Isla hid her face in Alisdair’s chest and felt him shake with quiet laughter.

“Pardon me, me Laird.” The maid cleared her throat. “Ye have ordered breakfast in yer room for the past days.”

Isla knew it was because he had been avoiding her. She had to bite back a laugh at how well that had worked out.

“It is fine, Beth,” Alisdair said, hugging her tighter to him. “Put it down and then leave.”

“Aye, me Laird.”

The maid, luckily a seasoned old woman and not a blushing girl, smiled, placed the tray on the table, and left in a hurry.

“Ye can show yer face now,” Alisdair teased.

Isla swatted at his chest.

He sat up on his knees. “Why are ye hittin’ me, wife?”

“It is yer fault!” she huffed, her cheeks flushing crimson.

“Aye, but if it pleases ye, can ye explain to me what I am being accused of?”

“I am sure I can find something if I think hard enough.”

“Let’s eat, Isla.”

He placed the tray on the bed and then pulled her into his lap. He leaned back against the headboard, took a piece of fruit, and teased her lips with it.

“I can eat on me own, ye brute.”

“Brute?” he chuckled.

She opened her mouth and bit into the fruit.

“I ken ye can eat on yer own,” he murmured into her hair. “Ye have been doin’ too many things on yer own, Isla. But I am here now.”

Isla felt warmth spread through her chest.

“It has been a while,” she said. “Quite a while since anyone took care of me.”

“I ken.”

“After I was taken into Sinclair Castle, all I had ken was fear. Me uncle was unforgiving, cruel, and tyrannical.” Her hand went to old wounds, faded but still there.

Alisdair tensed, but he did not speak.

“I was lucky if he didnae have time and just had his men drag me to me cold room and lock me up. When he felt like it…” She shuddered. “… he would lash out at me. He would avoid me face—that was precious.”

“Isla…” Alisdair held her tighter.

“Every mistake was punished harshly, every word scrutinized. I had no opinion, no personality.”

“Ye have both opinions and personality.”

“I learned to hide both, learned to obey, learned to apologize even when I had done nothing wrong.”

“I find it hard to believe.”