Torin scoffed. “Nae, I do not.” His eyes cut to me. “I simply want the best for her and I am relieved she is well?—”
“Ye are sufferin’ melancholy! I hae never seen ye in this state. I first saw it when ye arrived at Muckhart and ye told me of her. I could see it in the way ye spoke of her. Ye held deep feelings and now we are here and ye are a shadow of yer former self.”
He addressed me. “Alexandria, I must tell ye, Torin is nae usually so grim.”
“Oh I know, we spent almost a week together, and I found him to be lively and fun. He took care of me. That’s why I don’t understand why he won’t even talk to me. Can we go somewhere to talk, Torin? Privately?”
“Nae, we ought not be alone. Twill cause trouble for ye.”
I said, “I went from very glad to see you and happy to meet Max, to being plain irritated that you’re both in my house and bossing me around. Both of you need to wheesht.” I crossed my arms, irritably.
Torin frowned.
Max raised his brow. “Torin, ye ought tae speak plainly tae Alexandria, or I will kickyerarse.”
Torin said, “I would like tae see ye try.” But then he straightened his kilt and belt, and said, “Princess, I am…” He shifted his feet. “I want tae tell ye…”
Max said, “Come on, man, speak yer mind.”
“I canna with ye starin’ at me.”
“Ye want me tae leave ye alone with the Princess? Ye said yerself, twill bring trouble on her.”
“I daena want tae cause her trouble.”
“So what are ye about, tell us, what dost ye want with her?”
I saw Torin grow visibly angry. “I want tae speak tae her. I saved her life, and I feel as if her life is as dear tae me as m’own and I hae had nae thought but tae keep her safe.”
“But ye daena get tae.” Max rose from his chair.
Torin set his jaw. “I ken.”
The men were only speaking to each other as if I wasn’t in the room. Their eyes locked on each other, dressed in their kilts, dark and mysterious looking, as if they were in some kind of ancient feud that I was a witness to. But they couldn’t see me at all.
I jumped up and ducked into the hall, because they looked like they were about to exchange blows.Would they fight in my kitchen?
There was a knocking down the hall on my front door, the security guard opened it and called in, “Jen is here! She’s barging in!”
Jen was barreling down the hallway. “What the hell is going on, Lexi! You did not call me back!”
I pressed my fingers to my lips and pointed in the kitchen.
“What the… what?” She stood beside me and we peered in.
The two men had their eyes locked, they were bowed out about to fight.
She mouthed, “Who that…?”
“Brother.”
Her eyes went wide. “Introduce me.”
I rolled my eyes, and went back to ignoring her as Max stated, angrily, “Torin, ye are just a man in the guard. A friend of the prince, but ye daena get tae?—”
Torin yelled, “I ken, ye daena hae tae tell me!”
Max yelled, “Ye are nothing tae her?—!”
