Chapter 14 #3
“I never meant to hide it from you. I always intended to tell the man I married. But when I imagined an engagement, I thought of a nice quiet discussion in a hall, not … this.” He chuckled, and she blushed. “There wasn’t much time for discussion.”
“No, there certainly wasn’t,” he said wryly. “Though had you told me ahead of time, it would have saved me a significant amount of pain and suffering.”
She giggled and then said with mock seriousness, “Your control does you honor, my laird.”
“Witch.” He slapped her playfully on her bottom. He had no control with her. Heaven help him when she figured it out. “You’ll pay for your insolence.”
The wicked gleam in her eye stirred his cock from its sated stupor. “I’m looking forward to it.” She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. “Thank you.”
“I aim to please, my lady.”
She whacked him playfully. “Not for that, you arrogant beast. For being so understanding.”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been accused of that.”
She looked at him with those crystal-clear blue eyes that never failed to unnerve him.
She saw so much more than he wanted her to.
“You don’t fool me one bit, Patrick Murray.
You aren’t nearly as cynical and impervious as you pretend.
” She tapped his chest emphatically. “Beneath that steely chest is a tender heart, and I intend to find it.”
The playfulness fled, a sudden pall cast over the moment of joy. “Don’t, Lizzie,” he warned, his expression as serious as his tone. “Don’t try to find something that doesn’t exist. You’ll only be disappointed.”
She shook her head. “I love you. You could never disappoint me.”
But he would.
I love you. The words he’d been trying to forget but that seemed to be imprinted on his soul. A ray of light in a pit of blackness. Hope for a man who should know better.
His chest felt as if it were being squeezed in a vise of foreboding. He hugged her tight, savoring the moment of connection. The thought of losing her tore him apart.
He dropped a kiss on her nose. “Come. We need to get you back to the hall before someone comes looking for you.”
“When they hear the news, perhaps they will understand.” Excitement lit her eyes, making her look just like a bairn with a platter of sweets. “I can hardly wait to tell my brothers and cousin.”
Which would be a disaster. Jamie Campbell and Argyll would recognize him. Marriage was only the first hurdle; he still needed to convince her to run away with him—without giving her cause to suspect the true reason.
He hated to put a damper on her excitement, but it was important that her brothers and cousin not learn of their marriage until it was too late to be undone. His voice, though grave, gave no hint of his unease. “Are you sure that is wise?”
Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You know as well as I do that your brothers and cousin will not be pleased with your choice of husband. They want you to marry Robert Campbell, not a guardsman with little but his sword to recommend him. I don’t want to give them an opportunity to refuse their consent.”
She eyed him warily. “What are you suggesting?”
He held her gaze. “That we find a minister to marry us before we tell your family.”
All of the excitement drained from her face. “You mean a clandestine marriage?”
He nodded. “Aye.”
“No,” she said firmly. “I’ll not sneak off as if I’m ashamed of this marriage. I’ll be proud to be your wife. My cousin will perhaps be disappointed, but with my brother’s marriage—”
“What?”
She smiled. “I was just as surprised as you. It’s the most amazing thing. I received a missive from Dunoon before the evening meal. It seems Jamie is to marry Caitrina Lamont.”
The Enforcer and the daughter of the Lamont of Ascog—a MacGregor ally? There had to be a mistake. “You’re sure the woman is Caitrina Lamont?”
She nodded. “Do you know her?”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Aye.”
“I hear she is very beautiful.”
Patrick looked at her sharply, having heard the odd note in her voice. He studied her expression. She was doing her best to seem uninterested, but he could feel her hanging on every nuance of his response. He grinned. Lizzie was jealous. “She’s not my type.”
“What type is that, beautiful?”
He chuckled and dropped a kiss on her pursed lips. “Nay, spoiled and sharp-tongued. If this is true, your brother will have his hands full with that one.” If he didn’t despise the man, he would almost pity him.
She smiled but looked a bit shamefaced. “I should feel sorry for the poor girl. I’m sure she’s not had an easy time of it these past few months.
” At his questioning look, she continued.
“Apparently, the news my brother received all those weeks ago that drove him from here so quickly had to do with Caitrina Lamont. I don’t have all the details, but from what I’ve been able to piece together from Jamie’s missive and Colin and Robert’s conversation tonight, the Lamont of Ascog and his sons were killed trying to protect the MacGregors. ”
Patrick’s blood turned to ice. He grabbed her arm.
“Killed?” Weeks … months ago? What the hell had happened to his kinsmen?
“Are you sure?” he said intently. Too intently.
She looked down at her arm, and he realized his fingers were pressing into her tender skin.
“Sorry,” he said, releasing his hold and trying to calm the race of his heartbeat.
“I’m sure. I didn’t realize you knew him.”
“Not well,” he admitted. It was the implication for Alasdair and his brother Iain that worried him. Where the hell were they? Had they been taken? Was that why Gregor had yet to return? He should have come back by now. A heavy pit of dread lodged in his chest. “How did it happen?”
Lizzie shook her head. “I’m not certain.
But from comments Colin made tonight and something Jamie said before he left, I think Colin had something to do with it.
But don’t you see what this means? If my cousin has no objection to Jamie marrying a destitute girl tainted by treason, he is not likely to object to my marrying you. ”
“Did your cousin have another bride in mind for your brother?”
“No, but—”
“Then the situations are not the same. I won’t risk losing you.”
“You won’t lose me.”
“You can be completely certain of that?”
She bit her lip. “Almost certain.”
“Almost isn’t good enough.”
“But my cousin has sent for me—I cannot ignore his summons.”
“No, but you can delay.”
“I don’t know …,” she hedged.
He took her into his arms and gave her a long kiss.
She’d rearranged her gown to cover herself again, but his fingers caressed her breast through the thin fabric.
When he finally broke off, her eyes were soft with passion again.
His finger slid over her swollen mouth. “It will be romantic,” he said huskily.
A wry smile played upon her lips. “It will be illicit. You’ll not persuade me so easily. But I will agree to consider it.”
That was good enough for now, but he would persuade her. “And you will say nothing to your brother and Campbell?”
She nodded. “It won’t be too difficult, since they are leaving in the morning anyway. Now that Alasdair MacGregor has surrendered, Colin hopes it will be easier to round up the other outlaws.”
“What!” he exploded, unable to hide his shock. Surrendered? Impossible. She was looking at him strangely, and he realized he’d betrayed too much.
Her brows knit together across her tiny nose. “Didn’t I mention it?”
Patrick held his impatience in check. “Nay, you didn’t. What happened?”
“I don’t know all the details, but Jamie found the MacGregor and his men on the Isle of Bute and negotiated their surrender to my cousin. My cousin has agreed to take the MacGregor to England to have his case heard by the king. Jamie’s marriage will seal the bargain.”
Patrick rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what this could all mean.
“There will be peace,” Lizzie said.
Peace. Was such a thing possible? Dared he hope … If this was true, it could change everything. Alasdair had talked his way out of trouble with the king before; could he do it again? It was obviously what his cousin was counting on.
If the MacGregors were pardoned, he would be able to tell Lizzie the truth. He would be able to explain to her what the land meant to his clan and why it had been necessary to hide his identity. It might make it easier for her to forgive him.
“Is everything all right?” she asked. “Why are you interested in the MacGregors?”
He saw the aversion in her gaze. “You’ve just surprised me, that’s all.” And had given him much to think on. He glanced down at her upturned face, seeing that she was still studying him with far too much curiosity in those expressive blue eyes.
His body stirred. The heat of their last kiss still lingered on his lips. He knew just the way to distract her.
In one smooth move, he flipped her onto her back and rolled on top of her.
“What are you doing?” she gasped.
He kissed her and rubbed his throbbing erection between her legs, letting her feel his arousal. “I thought that would be obvious to a woman of your perception?”
She giggled to hear her words repeated back to her. “I thought you said we didn’t have much time?”
“We don’t,” he agreed, sliding his hand between her legs and groaning. So warm and deliciously wet. He slid one finger inside her, watching as her eyes grew hazy with passion. “But this shouldn’t take too long.”