AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTERNINE
Jonan fumed as he marched out of the kitchen.
The chit had been smiling. Amelia had been smiling while she had refused to say a word to him.
When he had agreed to be married, he had expected a quiet and biddable wife. He had expressed as much to Lord Turner. It wasn’t that she was a rebel or lacked respect for him. It all lay in her eyes. He wondered how two pairs of green orbs could hold so much defiance. Her rebellion was apparent in each step she took and in the way she looked at him. As though that wasn’t bad enough, she seemed to detest him.
Do ye care if she likes ye? he asked himself. Jonan pondered for a second. Nae, nae! I daenae care if she likes me. I want a wife and another heir—nae a friend..
Even though the clothes she wore weren’t made for her, nothing could distract him from how beautiful she was. A man would enjoy having her in his bed.
He had seen a glimpse at a different side of her in the kitchen. She had dared him, almost teased him, with her eyes, and he had found himself needing to prove that he would not be affected by her words.
“How badly do ye wish for me head?” Callan asked as they walked away together.
Jonan glanced at Callan who had a guilty look in his eyes.
“’Twas to be expected. Ye have always managed to get me into me worst battles.”
“Saved ye enough times to make up, have I nae?” Callan grinned.
“Neither of us may want a proper wedding, but it would be good for our people. She offered to cook enough. I’m sure Velma will help her.”
“It was an easy mistake, anyway,” Callan pointed out. “I didnae ken we had enough to make such a meal in the storehouse!”
“She doesnae want to celebrate the weddin’ at all. She made that very clear,” he said.
Callan laughed. “Upsettin’ ye, is she?”
“Och, daenae laugh. She hates me.”
“Well, the people like her and she knows her way around the kitchen.”
Jonan knew Callan was right. His belly grumbled in anticipation of more of the bread she had baked.
“I ken we will have the keep full for the feast this evenin’,” Callan said once they entered Jonan’s study.
“See to it that everyone is fed and drunk.”
“Velma has begun preparations.”
Jonan relaxed into his chair. “‘Twas a necessary marriage.”
“Lord Turner said he had tried for years to marry his daughters off. I had expected some ogre of a woman,” Callan noted.
His deal with Lord Turner had been a simple one: for reasons unknown to Jonan, Lord Turner sought studier political connections. The marriage had made this possible for him. And for Jonan’s part, Amelia’s dowry was large enough to move the clan forward.
“The farmers will be given new grain with no charges.”
“Most of the farmers are ill. Even if we give them new grain, ‘twill be a while until they are able to farm.”
“But planting must begin if we are to survive the cold winter months.”
“If they work the fields, we cannot expect them to get much work done.”
“Then, we shall call upon the milkmaids, too. Round them up! Until the farmers return, half of them shall work on the fields.”
“They are women. They will not want to do the work of a man.”
