Then he closed the door and walked into the room, saying, “Your parents would like us to meet them for a drink prior to us sitting down to dinner.”
Her head came up and she turned her eyes to him briefly, not indicating even a hint of excitement at this idea, before she looked away, nodded and then reached to grab a ribbon to put in her book. She did this, closed it, set it on the table beside the chair and then gently nudged Penelope, who gave a sleepy, disturbed “mew” before jumping to the floor.
Frey had come to a stop in front of her when she tossed the blanket aside and stood, her eyes averted, then she attempted to scoot out from in front of him to pass him.
His arm instantly moved to hook her at the waist and pull her in front of him, his other one moving around to hold her there.
Her head tipped back to look at him and he felt his gut tighten when he saw a blankness that fitted her mother of this world far more than his Finnie.
“Is something amiss, wee one?” he asked and she shook her head.
“Just tired and hungry,” she spoke her lie before again looking away and moving to break from his arms.
They tightened and her eyes went back to him.
“I asked what was amiss, Finnie,” he said softly.
“And I told you. I’m tired and hungry,” she lied again. “Can we go to dinner?”
“In a minute,” Frey stated, she pulled in breath and let it out, holding his gaze, waiting then he queried, “What’s the matter?”
Her body grew tight in his arms and her brows inched together with irritation.
“Frey, I told you. I’m tired and hungry.”
“This is not it,” he replied.
“Yes it is,” she returned.
“You’re lying, wife,” he stated and she blinked and after she blinked her cheeks flushed and her eyes flashed.
“Did you just say I was lying?” she whispered.
“I did because you are,” he stated.
Her brows snapped together and her irritation grew to visible annoyance. “I am not and anyway, if I was, you don’t know me enough to know when I am.”
“You’re hiding something,” Frey told her, “and I wish to know what it is.”
She pulled against his arms and was nowhere near strong enough to dislodge them but was smart enough to give up before she snapped, “I’m not hiding anything.”
“Wife,” he gave her a gentle squeeze, “I have seen you tired, hungry, and tired and hungry. You do not lose the light in your eyes or the cheerfulness with which you hold your frame even when you are one, the other or both. Now, you’re hiding something and I wish to know what it is.”
She glared up at him but didn’t speak.
So he guessed, “Are you nervous about dinner with your parents?”
Her glare narrowed and she asked, “Why would I be nervous? They’re my parents. We’ve had thousands of dinners.”
This was a lie too though he let that particular one pass.
“All right, if you’re not nervous about your parents, then what are you not sharing with me?”
It was then she stated with not a small amount of ire, “Okay, Frey, actually, I am hiding something and it’s my something to hide and you can be a big, strong guy but if I have something on my mind I don’t wish to share, I don’t have to share it. So, suck it up because I’m not going to share it. All right?”
“Suck it up?” he asked quietly.
“Man up or…” she shook her head with frustration as she searched for words from both their worlds he would understand, “I don’t know. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”
He dipped his face closer to hers and said carefully, “My wee Finnie, I do not like that you would keep anything from me.”
“Tough,” she retorted instantly and his head went back as he again saw the flash in her eyes.
And he suddenly understood what that flash meant.
“Are you angry with me?” Frey asked.
“No,” she lied again.
“Gods,” he stared in her irate, still beautiful eyes, “you are. You’re angry with me.”
“I said I’m not, Frey.”
“You lie again, Finnie. I see it in our eyes, your anger is very clear and you’re not hiding it. What, by the gods, I would like to know is what I did to deserve it. I’ve been gone not two hours.”
She glared at him and kept her mouth shut.
“Finnie, we’ll delay joining your parents until you tell me.”
That was when her cheeks flushed, her eyes blazed and her jaw got tight and before she could rein the words in, she spewed, “That’s okay by me. I’ll just call my maidservants and order trays to be brought up. Maybe, if you’re lucky, Viola will bring them up.”