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He is still in his daytime clothes, with the clan brooch attached onto his chest. He looks rested and it seems to me like he is not surprised to see me at all.
Finally, I manage to mumble 'Good evening.'
'Good evening, Lady Megan, come in, please, do not just stand there in the hallway,' he says and opens the door wider for me enter.
I nod and enter. He closes the door. His bedroom is large, with a big magnificent bed in the middle, wooden furniture decorating the entire space, expensive curtains hiding the view from the window. His bedroom is lit by many beautiful lanterns, which are flickering romantically on the walls. Sloan's bed is beautifully done, and the fact that there is not a single wrinkle on it makes it obvious that he has not laid on it yet. There is a pleasant aroma in his bedroom – something sweet mixed with something natural, like mint herbs, and I wonder if it is the smell of his body.
'Is everything all right, milady?' Sloan asks, with a note of worry in his voice. He is watching me as I am exploring his bedroom with my eyes.
'Yes, yes, everything is all right,' I reply. Then I realize that I have not told him yet why I am here, and he really wants to know. I think I seem weird to him – showing up late in the evening in his bedroom without any reason and starting looking around.
'Sloan, there is something that I want to talk with you about,' I say. 'I did not want anyone to hear our conversation or to interrupt us, so that is why I decided to visit you in the evening. I mean, this conversation is supposed to be private,' I add.
'All right,' he says, nodding. 'You can have a seat here, Megan,' he adds, showing me one of the cushioned armchairs, and taking a seat in the one next to it. Probably he realizes that it is going to last long so we will need to sit down. I thank him and sit down. The armchair is soft and comfortable.
'What I am going to tell you is probably not going to be pleasant for you,' I say, not knowing how to start. 'I do not know how to say it, really.'
'Please, Lady Megan, speak freely. Say how it is. I will try to understand everything,' he reassures me, his face expression neutral.
I smile and start, now having more determination.
'This is about Kaithria, your future wife,' I say in one breath. 'Your clan members have been talking to me throughout the castle, and all of them have one desire – to get rid of her.'
Sloan raises his eyebrows. 'Why? What is wrong with her?'
'The thing is, Kaithria and her mother act nice ladies in front of you, but when you are not around, they turn into… monsters,' I say. 'They are rude and mean. They humiliate the maids and make fun of them. They are rude to literally everyone. They are especially hostile towards me and Elsie, and never miss any opportunity to try to hurt us,' I add, heating up.
Sloan does not say anything. He just watches me, probably waiting for me to go on.
'Your clan members do not see Kaithria as your future wife. They do not want her to become the Lady of Domnhall,' I say, trying to keep the note of anger out of my voice. 'So, they all asked me to come to you and to talk to you. They want me to ask you to … not to marry her. And I agree with them, if you would ask my opinion.'
'But I have not noticed any bad behavior from them, to be honest,' Sloan says, shrugging. 'Whenever I see them, they are nice, kind, lovely, and caring. They are careful and attentive to everyone, making sure to be nice to everyone. How can it be that everyone thinks that they are not good people?'
'Because both Kaithria and Lorna have made sure to act nice and kind around you, so that you will not notice anything. Their goal is to get Kaithria married with you, and then they will be free to show their real faces,' I explain as gently as possible. I know that this conversation is not a very pleasant one for him, as it concerns his future wife, whom he must protect from those who badmouth her, but he seems to hesitate. The conversation is not pleasant for me, either. Moreover, it is rather hard for me to open up this topic with him.
Sloan stays silent for some time, probably thinking about it, trying to remember times when they have been bad.
'All right, Lady Megan, I will think about that,' he says at last and gets up. 'I do not want you to be upset now,' he adds, smiling. 'Please, smile. I like it when you are smiling.'
