AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That thought wasn’t in either of their heads.
So why was it so stuck in hers?
{ Chapter 14 }
“What in the bloody hell do ye think you’re doing?” His attack instant on his brother the second he set foot into the great hall, Evan had Gilroy pinned onto the oak table, his forearm against his brother’s throat before Gilroy could even drop the bow in his hand.
The ass had continued on with his practice after sending an arrow through Juliet’s arm. She wasn’t worthy of an apology—or even a second glance by his brother.
That fact alone enraged Evan more than anything.
His arm pressed down on the flesh of Gilroy’s neck. “She said a boy brought her down to the side door. What the hell did you do?”
The bow dropped to the floor and Gilroy shoved upward on Evan’s arm. No success.
He growled before words started to spit out of his mouth. “I don’t ken anything about it, brother. Maybe a maid wanted her and sent the boy. Maybe the dressmaker is here and the boy is confused. Maybe cook wanted to talk to her. How should I know? How many boys do we have running about here? Who knows why? Maybe there is no boy at all and she just concocted him so she wouldn’t seem like a snooping rat.”
“A snooping rat?” Evan leaned into his pin on Gilroy, making his brother cough and sending his nails to scratch at Evan’s arm. “Careful what you say about my betrothed, Gil, or your face will smash easily enough.”
“Your betrothed?” Gilroy’s eyebrows went high and his forehead scrunched. “Have ye forgotten she’s no such thing—or have you been lying to me since you stepped foot back in the castle?” His eyes pinned Evan. “Which is it?”
Shit.
The ass was right. He was acting like a besotted lover.
Evan eased up slightly on the hold he had on his brother. “Betrothed or not—she doesn’t deserve your scorn.”
“Scorn? She deserves everything I think of her, or your ruse won’t work. Grandfather won’t believe it if I go along with your impending marriage without plenty of scorn and sulking fits. Did ye even think this through, Ev?”
Evan’s eyes narrowed at his brother. “So you did mean to send an arrow through her?”
“Ye didnae hear me, brother.” Gilroy shoved at Evan’s arm one last time and he managed to snake out from under the hold. Onto his feet, he stepped away, leaning against the table and rubbing his neck as he glared at Evan. “The blasted woman walked into the room just as I let an arrow fly. I can’t control her actions. Maybe you should start doing so yourself.”
Evan stared at his brother, trying to read intention.
But that was the thing about Gilroy. Evan had never been able to read him. His own twin and he didn’t have a clue half the time what Gilroy was thinking.
While he wanted to smash his brother’s face into the table for making Juliet bleed, he couldn’t do it. He’d never been able to do it.
So he did the only thing he could.
He spun on his heel, unclenched his fists, and stormed out of the great hall.
{ Chapter 15 }
“Young Juliet, come.” Sitting in his chair by the fireplace, the earl flitted his gnarled fingers into the air to motion Juliet to him. “Come sit by an old man. It’s not yet time for my nap.”
“You flatter me with the designation of young.” Looking down at her arm, she poked at the bandage over the wound. She didn’t get a good look at it before Evan bandaged it—she had no idea how deep it truly was. “I think we both know I’m not a young chit fresh from her spring season.”
Her fingers went onto the thick of the wound, pressing down. It sent an instant shard of pain through her body and she winced.
“Ye are of birthing age and that makes ye young.” He watched her over his shoulder and saw her grimace. “Have a spot of whisky—it’ll calm the ache of it.”
She nodded and stood, her head slightly woozy at gaining her feet. She closed her eyes, waiting for the world to stop spinning before she walked over to the sideboard.
Determination carried her across the room and then her fingers grabbed onto the edge of the sideboard to stabilize herself. Five decanters sat before her, the liquid in them undistinguishable to her eye. She picked up the nearest of the five decanters and splashed some amber liquid into a tumbler. A quick taste to her lips. Brandy.
“Is brandy good?” She had to speak up for the expanse of the room.
