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She shot him a hard glance. “Youare Tira’s father, not that man. I want nothing to do with him.”
“And you’re sure about that?”
Her irate gaze practically scorched him.
“Fine, then stop questioning your decision,” he said. “Give yourself and your daughter some time, and all will be well. I promise.”
“That sounds lovely, but there’s still quite a bit ofallto work out, isn’t there?”
“That’s why we’re having this little chat, from what I was able to deduce.”
His comment pulled a small smile to her lips. “It would appear Victoria and I were not as clever as we thought.”
“There was no need for a conspiracy. I came home specifically to speak with you today.”
“Because youhavebeen avoiding me. Admit it.”
He waggled a hand. “Maybe a bit, but not because I don’t want to be with you.”
“Your actions would suggest otherwise.”
“And I apologize for giving you that impression. But I’m here now, and I’m happy to spend as much time with you as you like.”
“I should hope so, although many fashionable marriages do involve husband and wife barely seeing each other.” She shrugged, as if it didn’t matter. “If that’s what you want, just tell me.”
He stopped her and put a finger under her chin, tipping it up. In her fashionable straw hat, tied with pretty violet ribbons that matched her eyes, she looked enchanting. But wariness still lurked in her gaze, along with an intense and wrenching vulnerability she tried to hide.
“I do not want a fashionable marriage, Ainsley,” he said. “I want a happy one with you and our daughter.”
She searched his features for a few moments before letting out a relieved breath. “Very well, then. Where do you wish to start?”
With what happens in the bedroom. That is, if we even share a bedroom.
“I thought we’d start with our living arrangements,” he said. “What are your thoughts on that?”
“I assumed I’d move into Kendrick House. You seem comfortably situated there, and the nursery is already set up and well managed.”
“Wouldn’t you find it too crowded?”
“I find it very large and comfortable. Besides, once the wedding is over, most of your family will return to Castle Kinglas. Victoria said they all prefer it.”
“Victoria, Nick, and Kade will go, but I can safely say that Angus willnotbe leaving as long as Tira is here. Grant will be moving in, since he’s going to start working for Logan. And Graeme will at some point as well. Where one twin goes, the other invariably follows.”
“Oh, that’s . . . that’s rather disturbing.”
He couldn’t resist teasing her. “Let’s not forget that Braden will be visiting periodically. Adding in Logan, we could end up with at least four of my brothers, plus Angus, who are living with us at any one time.”
Now Ainsley began to look desperate “Royal, it’s not that I hate your family—”
“Just some of them?”
“I’m trying to be a good Christian,” she said tartly, “but I would like to point out that there is a great deal of weaponry on the walls of your house. If I have to live with Angusandthe twins, we will soon be re-creating the Battle of Culloden. And I assure you the English will triumph again.”
He grinned as he started her walking. “Then it’s an excellent thing that I’ve spent part of this week looking at town houses suitable for us.”
She huffed a bit. “Then why didn’t you just say so?”
“Because I enjoy teasing you.”
