Chapter 14

14

Daniel's hips pressed against hers, teasing her with what she was missing by refusing him. He kissed her neck and felt her hands holding hard on to the back of his arms, practically pulling him against her.

"Ye dinnae eat," Daniel whispered, kissing down her neck and across her collarbone. "Do ye dislike me so much that ye would starve yerself just to make me angry?"

Lana didn't answer. Instead, she brought her hands to the sides of his face and pulled him up to kiss him. Her boldness excited him, and Daniel felt his arousal grow as her tongue slipped into his mouth. She was learning quickly, and he thought it was time for another lesson.

"Or perhaps ye were hungry for somethin' else?" he purred. "Were ye hopin' to satisfy a different appetite?"

He bunched her skirts around her knees, and this time Lana didn't resist. His hand traced circles on her inner thigh, and she moaned as he teased her.

"Let me show ye," Daniel murmured. His hand moved higher, getting closer and closer to the space between her legs. "Let me show ye that love isnae required to sate yer appetite."

Lana jerked back at the words, tearing her mouth away from his. She pushed his hand away, and all at once she was smoothing down her skirts, just as she did in his study.

"Ye shouldnae tease me," she said, hurt reflected in her eyes.

Daniel realized that she thought he was mocking her commitment to love. She jumped down from the table, her body full of tension that seemed to bring them right back to their argument before their kiss.

"Of course, ye would assume it's all about ye," she spat, her arms crossed over her chest. "If ye had thought to ask me what I like to eat, then I wouldnae have ended up with a meal I am disgusted by."

"Disgusted?" he echoed. "That's a fine way to speak about the dinner I've provided ye."

Lana looked back at him with an unreadable expression. It was a mix of hurt and embarrassment and exhaustion that he couldn't work out. Daniel sensed she was hiding something behind her insults, and he wanted to know what it was.

"I'm tired," Lana said. "I would like to return to me chambers."

She wasn't looking at him. Instead, her eyes were trained on the window, beyond which the sky was darkening. Daniel crossed in front of her, and she dropped her eyes to his.

"Will ye tell me why ye dinnae eat?" he asked, his voice much gentler than usual.

"It is nothin', and I apologize," she replied, shaking her head.

Daniel reached up to cup her face in his hand. The gentle gesture surprised her, and he felt the tension drain from her body, but her lips stayed firmly closed.

"I must add another rule," he said quietly. "Nay lies."

He ran his thumb across her cheek, and she leaned into his hand, enjoying his warmth. Her eyes looked behind him and around the room before finally settling back on his face. She cleared her throat.

"I daenae eat rabbit."

"Ye daenae like it?" Daniel asked.

"I just…I daenae eat it."

Daniel knew he could let this go. He could nod and assure her that they wouldn't eat rabbit again, but he also knew this was an opportunity. Lana had said he didn't take the time to get to know her. Here was his chance to show her that this wasn't the case.

"Why so?"

Daniel kept his tone light and welcoming. He let his hand fall away from her face, but he dropped it down to her shoulder and then down her arm so he could take her hand in his. He didn't know what made him do it. The gesture was intimate, though very different from their kissing on the table.

"Me papa gave me a pet rabbit once," Lana said.

She breathed deeply at the mention of her father. Daniel knew the man had been killed suddenly, attacked by murderers on the road.

"Ever since then, I couldnae bring meself to eat them."

Daniel nodded. He was touched that she had chosen to tell him this.

"Then I thank ye for bringing Skye a kitten and nae a rabbit."

He was pleased when Lana smiled at him.

"Nay more rabbit." He smiled back. "I'll tell the cook."

Lana squeezed his hand, clearly grateful he was willing to do this for her. After Daniel's explosion at the dinner table, he couldn't blame her for being nervous to tell him. But now that he knew, he was warm with the knowledge. He was surprised to realize how much he wanted to make her happy.

"Come on," he said. He tugged at her hand and began guiding her out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Lana asked.

"Ye'll see."

Daniel led her out of the dining room, still holding her hand. He suddenly felt like a boy exploring the hallways and staircases of the castle. He remembered playing hide and seek with Cameron and the way they would squeal in delight when they found one another.

Daniel made a sharp turn and took Lana down a narrow staircase. He could have chosen a more direct route, but sometimes he liked taking the servants' stairs or exploring the more unique architecture of the castle. He knew the place so well that he could probably navigate the halls in his sleep.

"Where are ye takin' me?" Lana asked again.

The stairs were so narrow that Lana had to walk behind him, holding her skirts up so as not to trip on her feet. Daniel enjoyed her presence behind him, and he turned around to smirk at her. When Lana smiled back at him, clearly catching his enthusiasm, he couldn't help taking a step up to her.

Here, with Daniel a step below her, they were nearly the same height. He wrapped an arm around her back and brought his lips to hers, kissing her gently. Neither of them moved to deepen the kiss, though Daniel certainly could have enjoyed pressing her against the narrow wall of the stairway. But it wasn't a kiss of passion. Instead, Daniel was trying to apologize for all the mistakes he had made since inviting her into his castle.

"Let's go," he said, pulling away with a mischievous smile.

Lana returned his smile, and they were suddenly rushing down the steps, laughing as they tried to hold hands and navigate the stairs at the same time.

They emerged into the hot air of the kitchen. Lana was hit by the smell of fresh bread and the sweet smell of onion and garlic that permeated the room. A short, round woman looked up at them with shock as they emerged from the narrow stairway, still laughing.

"Me Laird," the woman gasped, scrambling to rearrange the kerchief on her head. Then she straightened and smoothed down her apron, as if she didn't know if she should take the dirty thing off, with Daniel present.

"It's alright, Mary," Daniel said, holding up his hand. "Forgive the intrusion."

The woman blinked at his kind words, and then dipped into a curtsy, as if suddenly remembering she should have done this earlier. Lana saw the resemblance between the woman and Genevieve, her daughter.

"Was somethin' wrong with the meal, Me Laird?" Mary asked. She started grabbing potatoes from baskets and squeezing peas from their pods. "I can make ye somethin' else."

"The meal was wonderful," Daniel reassured her. He held Lana's shoulders and nudged her forward. "Mary, this is Lana, me betrothed."

Mary dipped into an even deeper curtsy.

Lana smiled at her. "I met yer daughter earlier today," she said. "She showed me around me chambers. She's lovely."

"Thank ye." Mary beamed.

Lana could tell Mary was proud of Genevieve and the woman she had become. She stepped back and looked at Daniel, unsure why he had brought her down to the kitchen. Surely he didn't drag her down here just to introduce her to the cook.

"What can I help ye with, Me Laird?" Mary asked.

"I wonder if ye could make me betrothed somethin' else to eat?" Daniel asked.

"That's nae necessary," Lana interjected, suddenly blushing with embarrassment.

Mary spoke at the same time, "Then there was a problem. Of course, Me Lady. Sit down."

"There was nothin' wrong," Lana protested, but Daniel guided her to a stool and made her sit. She watched Mary pull more ingredients to the counter in front of her.

"Perhaps some venison?" Mary suggested. "I have a lovely venison stew recipe, but I fear it is quite time-consumin'. Or some fish, Me Lady?"

Lana shook her head. After all the talk of rabbits, she wasn't in the mood to think about other animals. At home, she didn't eat much meat at all, but she felt shy saying this to Mary, for fear it would make her job much harder in the kitchen.

"Please daenae go to that trouble," Lana begged. "I would be quite happy with some of that fresh bread ye have coolin'."

She nodded toward the loaf of bread sitting by the window. Steam rose from the crust, tempting her.

"Of course. And perhaps some cheese?" Mary asked as she grabbed the loaf and began slicing it.

Lana smiled. "That sounds perfect."

Mary was pleased now that she had a task, and Lana was amused as the woman began humming her way through her work.

Daniel settled into a stool next to Lana, and they sat quietly, enjoying the warmth that came from the blazing fire, where another loaf of bread was baking. Lana felt his leg press casually against hers as Mary placed a plate of bread and cheese in front of them.

"Did Skye and Cameron come to see ye, Mary?" Lana asked, remembering Cameron's promise to find Skye some dessert. "Last I heard, they were headed down in search of some sweets."

Mary's face lit up at the mention of the little girl. From what Lana could see, the whole household was in love with the child. Perhaps Skye's lack of a mother wasn't as much of a hardship as Lana had imagined. It looked like the child had many mothers within these castle walls.

"Aye." Mary nodded. "We had some pie left over. But nae to worry, Me Laird, I served her only one slice."

"Thank ye," Daniel said, nodding. "If it were up to me brother, Skye would never hear the word ‘no'."

"She's a good child, Me Laird," Mary noted as she wiped the counter in front of her. "Perhaps it's alright to indulge her, what with so many changes going on in the castle."

Lana sensed the change in Daniel's mood instantly. His shoulders stiffened as he sat up straighter. She knew he didn't take kindly to other people making decisions for Skye. Lana had learned that firsthand. And now his cook was trying to tell him how to care for his child.

"Forgive me, Me Laird," Mary said quickly, sensing her mistake. "I shouldnae speak of things I daenae understand."

Lana held her breath, silently begging Daniel to hold his tongue. After such a nice time with Mary in the kitchen, she didn't want to ruin it. Not after Mary had been so kind to her.

"Do ye ken what might help?" Lana chimed in, deciding to take the conversation into her own hands. "Perhaps Skye can be involved in some of the weddin' preparations."

Suddenly, Daniel's gaze was on her rather than Mary, but Lana pushed through. If she pretended not to notice his displeasure, then maybe she could defuse the tension.

She turned to Mary. "It could help Skye with the ongoin' changes in the castle. Do ye nae think she would like to help?"

"Aye, Me Lady," Mary agreed, but she was still on edge, her eyes on Daniel.

Lana waited. At least if he was going to be upset, he would need to be upset with both of them now. She watched his fists clench at his sides and the muscles of his jaw tick. But then, miraculously, he took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

Daniel glanced at Lana with a hint of amused annoyance before reaching over to pop another piece of cheese into his mouth.

"Preparations?" he asked. "What do ye have in mind?"