Page 28 of The Runaway Bride and the Highlander
“And who exactly is she supposed tae marry?” Maxwell snorted in disbelief.
There was a silence for a moment before a murmuring began amongst the men. While the suggestion had been made, it appeared clear that no one knew who Skylar ought to marry.
“Well, clearly it cannae be ye, my laird, for ye are already betrothed tae Lady MacTavish,” Caelan cut in. “It would only seem the logical answer then,” he continued, “that she be wed tae ye brother, Bram.” Caelan gestured to Bram who had been standing across the room, his arms crossed over his chest, listening to all that had been discussed.
At that remark, however, his arms suddenly dropped at the same time as his jaw. “What?” he retorted.
Maxwell had a similar feeling but likely not for the same reasons. He glared at his cousin and then looked at Bram before glaring back at Caelan. “This is ridiculous,” Maxwell spat.
Caelan looked utterly confused. He had clearly thought it seemed a perfectly reasonable suggestion, and his bewilderment conveyed his utter lack of understanding at Maxwell’s reaction. Evidently, his confusion was shared by the rest of the council, for they all looked at Maxwell with the same furrowing frowns and baffled expressions.
“I must admit, my laird,” Samuel said warily, “it does appear that what Caelan has proposed would be the better option for all involved.”
Nae for me!
The unsolicited thought shocked Maxwell, and for a moment, he was not able to reply. Things were all happening far too quickly for his liking, and he needed to find a way to bring everything to a sudden halt. Yet, what was he to say to do so?
It was a perfectly suitable solution, or it would be if his mind was not so consumed with losing Skylar Morgan to his brother.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
As soon as Maxwell left Skylar’s room, Katherine walked in before the door had closed. Knowing that was likely to happen as soon as she watched him head toward the door, Skylar had quickly moved across the room, grabbed a plaid, and thrown it around her shoulders, thus covering her still loosened corset. There was simply no time to fix it.
She swiftly lowered herself onto the chair in front of the dresser and held her head in her hands, allowing her hair to fall across her face. She could feel the redness and heat in her cheeks and knew well that Katherine would surely suspect something if she noticed how flushed and flustered she was.
By the time Katherine reached her, the maid’s voice sounded sick with worry.
“My goodness, my lady. Are ye well?” Katherine cried, resting a hand between her shoulders.
Skylar’s heart beat out of her chest, and taking a deep breath in, she tried to calm herself. “I am nae well at all. In fact, I’m feeling quite worse for wear, Katherine,” she croaked. “Perhaps it has been all that traveling in the cold weather over the last few days.”
“Och, and there was the laird in here tae check upon ye. He likely saw ye rush from the great hall, as did I. That was awful kind o’ him tae come and see ye.”
Aye, awful kind.
“It was, Katherine,” Skylar replied, still trying to control her thumping heart. “I think I will undress and just get myself tae bed early. Perhaps it is just rest I need. I have nae slept properly in all the time we were traveling, and it likely hasnae helped.”
“I can help ye, my lady,” the maid assured her, moving toward the bed. She began to turn the covers down, but Skylar’s voice stopped her in mid-action.
“Nae, I’m fine, Katherine. I’m sure ye have much tae be getting on with at the feast downstairs. Besides, I think I just need tae be by myself a while. I have nae had much privacy, traveling with a group o’ burly men.”
Katherine hesitated for a moment, clearly torn between wanting to help and knowing she was likely still needed downstairs. “Well,” she said, the doubt in her voice evidencing her dilemma. “If ye’re sure?”
“Truly, I am. Thank ye for the offer, and please dinnae think I’m nae grateful, but—”
“Ye just need some time tae yerself,” Katherine finished. “I understand. Then, I will bid ye good night, and I will see ye on the morrow, my lady.”
“Goodnight, Katherine.”
The door closed shut on her departure, and Skylar heaved a sigh of relief. Throwing the plaid off her shoulders, she dropped her head into her hands once more and simply sat there, thinking of what Maxwell had done to her and how close they had been to getting caught.
Never in her life had she felt so vulnerable, and yet, never in her life had she felt so much pleasure. The man had weakened her defenses with his tender kiss, only to take her to a place of ecstasy, a place she had never once visited and a place that she would definitely like to visit again.
Afterward, however, came the guilt. The man was to be married, and sooner or later, Skylar would be forced to look Lady Fiona MacTavish in the eye. It was a thought that did not appeal to her at all. She doubted she had been the first woman he had laid his hands upon, and yet, what he had done had hardly been right, given his circumstances.
And yet, ye didnae stop him either, did ye?
Skylar realized that she simply could not have stopped him. He had taken her past a point of no return, and lost in the swirling mist of ecstasy, neither had she wanted to stop him. She had never felt such pleasure, and with the feeling being so divinely strange, it was as though she had not really been in her body at all.
