Page 20 of Highlander’s Lesser Evil

“They cannae come with us,” he said sharply. “If that is what ye are thinking, banish the thought.”

Gemma recoiled at his tone. She hadn’t thought even once about taking them with her, but he had apparently thought of it and hated the idea. For the first time, she wondered about his anger. “I wasn’t about to suggest the imposition, rather that you promise to see to it that they are cared for.”

“All of Loch Moran will be cared for,” he said stiffly.

“Why are you so against bringing the two boys back? It’s not like there isn’t room for them at the keep. I wouldn’t suggest that you raise them as heirs...”

“I am not going to raise any children.”

At his curt remark, Gemma gasped. He didn’t want children? Perhaps this was something they should have discussed before they married.

Tears filled her eyes. “I do not understand. You are the laird. How can you not want—”

“I didnae say that I didnae want children,” Theo said softly. “Indeed, I do. But I wilnae raise them. When they are at an age where they need more than the basic needs, ye will raise them. They will have tutors if need be, and my men will train them, but the stain of my family wilnae touch them.”

The stain of his family? So the reports of his father were true.

“Theo...”

“I wilnae discuss it further,” he growled. “That is all I will say on the subject.”

Shocked, she stared as he got up and stormed from the room. She’d heard that he’d had a wicked temper, but she hadn’t given it much thought when she’d agreed to marry him. Now, the anger and rage on his face still lingered in the room. He hadn’t hurt her, so at least that was something, but he’d left her feeling ice cold.

What kind of man didn’t want to raise his own children?

Her hands shook as she started to clear the table, but she wasn’t alone for long.

“Wait,” Theo said softly when he returned. “I didnae mean to ruin dinner. Please stay and eat. Ye need it, and then ye need to sleep.”

“I’m not hungry anymore.”

“Eat anyways.”

The command made her smile wryly, and she turned to face him. He gave orders like he breathed—without thought. For reasons she couldn’t fathom, it helped to ease the mood, and it gave her something else to cling to other than the heartbreaking idea that he didn’t want to raise his own children.

“Are you planning on stomping out every time we disagree about something?”

“I amnae used to people questioning me,” he admitted as he took the plates from her hands and spread them back on the table. “I realized as soon as I left that I shouldnae have walked out. There are few things that I am willing to budge on, and this is one of them.”

There was no point in arguing right now. They were already married, and there was no child. Perhaps she would have time to make him see what it might do to have someone else raise his child.

“Gemma?”

“I’ll finish dinner. Are you planning on staying tonight?”

“Aye. Ye are my wife.” There was a smoky promise in his voice. “But ye have no need to be nervous. I have no plans to do anything but sleep by yer side.”

Disappointment filled her. How long had she wished to feel unfulfilled passion for a man? When she’d learned of her fate with Fletcher MacSeaver, she’d immediately searched for someone to show her that passion before she was forever chained to a man who would never love her.

She’d never found that lover. Now she was morally obligated to give her body to a man she was insanely attracted to, and it seemed he didn’t want her.

All that talk about passion when he convinced me to marry him!

Where was that now?

“Sleep. Right.” Irate, she let the plate clatter noisily in front of him and lifted her skirts. “What if I don’t want to sleep?”

“Pardon?” He stared at her warily, and she straddled him in the chair. Maybe it was time to take charge of things so he knew exactly what she wanted. “Gemma, I am trying to give ye time.”