Cain picked up his king, turning it in his palm. He’d been the one to try to carve it the last time his father lost his temper. “Your man has won his life with his kindness toward ye. I will order my men to spare him, if possible, if he resists our arrival at Dunrobin after we are wed.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If I had won, you wouldn’t have left us alone anyway, would you?”

“I keep my oaths,” he said. “But I never lose.”

Her steady gaze seemed to weigh his words. She rose. He followed, so that they stood across from each other over the carnage of their chess battle. She had lost all her pieces, and he had sacrificed many more than he needed to in order to spare some of her feelings.

He raised an eyebrow. “So ye will come down to eat?”

“I would not want to endanger Boo with my returning appetite,” she said.

“And the kiss?” he asked. “Ye obviously still have my da’s dagger for carving out the knight. And likely the sgian dubh that ye held to Mackay’s throat. They should give ye courage in case ye fear I would take liberties, although I am not a man who needs to take anything from a lass.”

“Except her castle, lands, and freedom.”

He crossed his arms before him. “Ella Sutherland, ye owe me a kiss, one that is not disguised as a chicken’s peck.”

She glanced around the empty room. “Right here, in my bedchamber?”

“Would ye prefer to kiss me in my bedchamber?”

She rolled her eyes, making his mouth relax almost into a grin.

“If ye are too frightened—”

“Do not try to goad me into a kiss, Sinclair,” she said. “I am not frightened of you, despite all this.” She waved her hand at his body. Perhaps she meant to point out his largeness or hardened muscles. “And a Sutherland does not go back on her oath, either, but if someone were to walk in, they would think I have caved to your…demands.”

Without turning away, he took two steps backward, his hand shutting the door to the room. “I can lock it, if ye worry.”

The slight widening of her eyes showed that she realized her move had put her further at a disadvantage, since they were now alone in a very private place. “No need,” she said and took two steps around the edge of the table, a look of resolve on her face.

“Shall I close my eyes?” he asked.

“It is quite stupid to shut your eyes to me while knowing I am armed.”

He closed them anyway. “If ye pierce my heart, my soldiers will stop ye from leaving Girnigoe, and ye certainly do not want to end up wed to Joshua. He is an irritating arse.”