Free The Wedding by Julie Garwood Page B

help me think of one, she thought. She bowed her head and stared down at the ground while she frantically tried to think of something clever to persuade him.
    â€œI’m waiting.”
    So was she, but God apparently wasn’t in the mood to be helpful. “You won’t understand,” she whispered.
    â€œWhat won’t I understand?”
    â€œIf you kill my father’s soldiers, I couldn’t possibly marry you.”
    â€œIs that so?”
    He sounded to her as if he wanted to laugh. She looked up to see whether he was smiling and was thankful she’d been wrong. He looked just as somber and mean as before.
    â€œYes, that is so. I told you you wouldn’t understand. If you weren’t a heathen . . .”
    â€œI’m not a heathen.”
    She didn’t believe him. The man was smeared with paint, after all. Only pagans would follow such ungodly rituals.
    Connor had wasted enough of his time discussing the matter. He looked at Quinlan, fully intending to tell him to let the soldiers leave, though certainly not because of her weak protests. No, it was the fear he’d caused her that made him change his mind. Fear had its place, especially in the hearts of his enemies, but it would be wrong for a wife to fear her husband.
    She wouldn’t give him time to be magnanimous. “Wait,” she cried out. “Is it important for you to marry me?”
    He shrugged. She translated the rude action to mean, yes, it was important. “And you are unwilling to explain your reasons?”
    â€œI need not explain myself to you.”
    â€œI think perhaps I’d best explain my intentions to you, though,” she replied. “And then I believe you’ll understand. If you aren’t a heathen, how are you going to get me to marry you? Will you simply announce to your family and friends that you have taken a wife? Or will there be a ceremony with a priest to hear our vows and bless our union?”
    â€œThere will be a priest.”
    She frowned. “A priest in good standing with the church?”
    He smiled then. He simply couldn’t stop himself. Lord, she was suspicious. “A priest in good standing,” he promised.
    Victory was suddenly within her grasp. She said a quick prayer in thanksgiving to God for helping her, promised to get down on her knees later to beg His forgiveness because she’d believed He hadn’t listened to her plea for assistance, and then said, “Exactly how do you plan to get me to repeat my vows in front of this man of God?”
    â€œYou will.”
    â€œWill I?”
    She had him there. She couldn’t possibly know how important it was for her to agree to marry him. He wasn’t worried about the behavior of the priest or Brenna during the actual ceremony. He could be intimidating when he needed to be. It was Alec Kincaid who gave him pause. Connor was already standing on trembling ground with his brother, and if Brenna let Alec know she hadn’t agreed, there would be hell to pay. He could deal with that, but if Alec wanted the pig MacNare to have her, Connor would have to go against him.
    She was pleased to see his smile disappear. “Now I think you understand,” she said. “I would like you to let the soldiers leave unharmed. Let them go to Laird MacNare or back to my father.”
    The innocent woman actually thought she was saving their lives. Connor knew better. MacNare would surely torture the men before he disposed of them, and although her father probably wouldn’t be as twisted with his punishment, Connor assumed he would still kill them because they had dishonored him.
    â€œAnd if I agree to this difficult bargain?” he asked, trying to keep his amusement out of his voice. “You’ll accept this marriage? I want your agreement and your acceptance.”
    â€œThere’s a difference?”
    â€œThere is,” he replied. “In time, you’ll