Free When a Laird Loves a Lady (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 1) by Julie Johnstone

ye’re listening.
Especially when yer safety is involved. Ken?”
    “Just because I’m not looking at
you does not mean I don’t hear you,” she said. “And I already told you I want
to help.”
    “Ye did. And the best way for ye to
help is to stay here.”
    She scowled at him and shook her
head. “ I know the castle.”
    “And ye ken the men. If ye had to
kill one of them, would ye?” When her eyes widened and her lips parted, he
nodded. “Ye see, ye’d be a hindrance and nae a help.” Before she could say
anything, he turned to Rory Mac, who had been standing nearby, silently watching
the exchange.
    “Keep her out of the castle,” Iain
commanded.
    Rory Mac nodded. “I’ll keep her
safe.”
    Iain could tell by the derisive
noises coming from Marion that she intended to argue, so he stopped her before
she could start. “Nay,” he said, his hard tone warning her. “Ye will do as I
say and stay with Rory Mac.”
    “I said nothing,” she muttered.
    “Ye were going to.”
    Marion huffed out a breath.
    The little hints of how she felt
fascinated him. He had to force himself to concentrate on his task instead of
wondering what she might do next. “I’ll get Angus and yer priest—”
    Her brow furrowed. “Why would you
collect Father John?”
    There was no polite way to tell her
this, so he simply stated the truth without preamble. “We need to be wed and
the marriage consummated as soon as possible.”
    A shocked expression settled on her
face, and she took a step away from him. “What?” she demanded in a hoarse
whisper.
    Rory Mac laughed deeply, and Iain
scowled at him. “Tend to Neil.”
    “But I already—”
    “Do it again!” Iain clipped.
    “Aye, Iain.” Rory Mac turned and
went to the tree where Neil lay with his eyes closed.
    Iain stared through the darkness at
this woman who was to be his wife. She was a stranger, yet he already knew she
was brave and loyal, and he did not want to add to the pain he assumed she’d
already had to endure.
    He stepped toward her and touched
her elbow. Her body trembled under his fingertips. Was she going to faint?
    She surprised and impressed him by
shoving his hand away, notching her chin up, and pushing her shoulders back.
“Since I know it’s not a great need for my person that’s driving you to force
me to be wed in wee hours, I suppose on the dirt upon which we stand will do…”
    Guilt pricked him for where her
innocence would be taken, but there was no choice. The marriage needed to be
completed with the joining as quickly as possible. “Nae. We’ll find a nice
patch of soft grass somewhere ,” he teased in hopes to lighten the grave
situation, but her sharp intake of breath told him she was not amused.
    “How considerate of you,” she
retorted. “I suppose you feel the need to seal the marriage before we flee.”
    The time for teasing was over. “I
dunnae like the circumstances anymore than ye do, Marion. We’ll flee first,
then see to the other.”
    “You’re mistaken if you think joining
your body with mine will stop my father if he’s made up his mind to defy King
Edward.”
    “I dunnae think our joining will
stop yer father, Marion, but it will make ye mine in the eyes of my clan.”
    “And what about in your eyes,
Iain?” she demanded, her voice belying her anxiety. “Will that make me
officially yours?”
    His gaze slid over her voluptuous
body, barely visible now in the dark, but he could remember every detail from
her long slender neck to her delicate fingers to her round bottom that had
pressed between his thighs on the horse. He heated instantly. “Ye were mine the moment I consented to marry ye. Now tell me, where might I find Angus and the priest?”
    Her jaw jutted out, but she huffed
out a breath and spoke. “The priest will likely be in the chapel near where the
stables were, which is where you will likely find Angus, as well, working to
create makeshift shelters for the horses. Unless—” Her words halted, and