Page 55 of Laird of Smoke
There was a soft gasp from the men.
The laird’s reply was rough with surprise.“The king?Indeed?”He gave her another long look of appraisal.“O’ course ye’re welcome here.Stay as long as ye like.”He called out to a maidservant.“Tilda, ready the rose chamber.”
“Oh, m’laird, how generous!”Eve exclaimed, gracefully slipping her hand away.“We are so grateful.”
He blinked.“We?”
“Ah, if I didn’t have my head attached…” she said, clucking her tongue.Then she turned toward Adam.“This is Ronan, my—”
“Husband.”
Chapter 9
Adam hadn’t meant to blurt the word out like that.He hadn’t meant to say it at all.They’d agreed he would pretend to be Aillenn’s brother.
But when he saw the way Pitcairn was looking at the lass, as if he planned to feast on her for supper, he couldn’t help himself.He wasn’t about to leave her to the wolf.And he figured claiming her as his own was the best way to protect her.
Aillenn clearly didn’t approve of that decision.She shot him such a look of horrified outrage that he almost recoiled from the impact.
He knew how she felt.It was aggravating as hell to have an accomplice destroy your best laid plans.But desperate times called for desperate measures.Flexibility.Improvisation.Now that he’d made that bold introduction, she’d have to follow his lead.
He dropped the satchels, stepped forward and offered his hand.“M’laird.”
Pitcairn looked as if he’d like to refuse it.But though he was a bit of a knave with the ladies, he was obliged to follow the code of chivalry.Noblemen were expected to be civil to one another.He flashed Adam a quick smirk and briefly squeezed his hand, then didn’t give him a second glance.Which was good.If he’d studied Adam as thoroughly as he’d done the lass, he’d surely have recognized him as the warrior of Rivenloch he’d met before.
The laird was probably wondering how long they intended to stay and regretting his carelessly generous offer.Adam decided to ease the man’s fears.
“’Twill only be for the night,” he said.
Aillenn smiled in agreement.Then, apparently deciding they didn’t look enough like a couple, the saucy lass linked her arm through Adam’s and gazed up at him with adoring eyes.Adoring eyes with just a gleam of vengeful mischief.
She was going to be trouble.He could see that.
The trouble began the moment Tilda showed them to the rose chamber.A very large, conspicuous bed curtained in rich red velvet monopolized the room.A linen-lined wooden tub sat on a dais in one corner.Two chairs, their cushions embroidered with red blossoms, flanked the tub, as if set there to observe bathers.The white plaster walls were painted with green twining stems and red roses, broken only where the hearth guarded a low-burning fire.Against one wall stood a small table topped by a basin and pitcher, a mirror, a comb, linens, and vials of assorted oils.
“What a lovely chamber,” Aillenn exclaimed.
Adam frowned.It was clearly the room Pitcairn used to entertain his mistresses.
“Would m’lady like a warm bath after supper?”Tilda offered.
“That would be delightful,” Aillenn gushed.
Adam frowned.That would not be delightful.It would be dangerous.
“Isn’t that a kind offer, Ronan?”Aillenn said with a bright smile.
“Kind.Aye.”
Tilda continued.“There’s enough fuel for the fire to last the night, and I think ye’ll find the bed comfortable.”She gave Aillenn a wink.“’Tis goose-down.”
“Lovely.”
“I’ll send a maid up to fetch ye for supper,” Tilda said.“Meanwhile, if there’s anythin’ ye need, m’lady, m’laird, I’m a whistle away.”
The instant Tilda bobbed her head and closed the door, Aillenn whirled toward Adam.Her smile vanished.She frowned and poked him in the chest.
“Why did ye tell him that?”she hissed.“Why did ye say we were married?”
