Page 49 of A Virgin for the Vicious Highlander
But Mairie, standing there in her nun’s habit and wimple, a devout woman of God, would not be dissuaded. “Aileen, they must marry, and quickly. I cannae let this slide without due remedy. I willnae have me beloved niece cursed with sin—I refuse!”
“Aye, Murdoch, ye must marry her,” Aileen agreed effusively, shaking her head all the while. “It’s yer duty to marry her now. Ye cannae run away from yer duties. If ye do, ye’re nae fit to be a laird. If ye steal a lass’s virtue with a kiss, then ye pay back what ye took with marriage.”
Murdoch balked, frozen in place as their commands rained down on him. He stared at his mother with cold eyes, unable to believe that she would start questioning his worth simply because he kissed someone. There were countless lairds all over Scotland who kissed countless women and gave it no more mind than they would in choosing a léine for the day. And no one else paid it any mind either.
Camden must have “stolen the virtue” of half of Scotland, and he was never forced into marriage. He married because he found Paisley.
Murdoch had no doubt that if Paisley had not come along, Camden would have continued with his philandering ways until his body no longer had the strength.
“I cannae marry,” he stated firmly. “As I said, a kiss is nothin’. It doesnaemeananythin’, and since the two of ye are the only ones who saw it, then I urge ye to keep quiet about it.”
Mairie looked like she might explode. “I certainly willnae! WhereIhail from, a kissdoesmean somethin’, and Iwillsee that ye do right by me niece!”
Cecilia raised her hand. “Dinnae bother, Auntie. I dinnae want to marry a beast who wants nothin’ to do with me, so I apologize for disappointin’ ye, but that willnae be happenin’. I’d rather take me chances as a cursed soul, out in the world.”
She pushed past Murdoch, though there was plenty of space, and marched up the steps to where the older women stood. There, she bowed her head to them and then stormed off before anyone could stop her.
“Cecilia, wait!” Mairie shouted after her, but Murdoch was already climbing up the steps.
“Let her go,” he commanded.
Mairie rounded on him. “I’ll do nay such thing. She’s me niece, me only family, and—heaven help me—I am her aunt before anythin’ else. I willnae let ye do this to her. I willnae let ye… mark her and nae make it right.”
“Ye dinnae make demands of me, Maither Superior. I warned ye of that before.” Murdoch glared at her, though inside it was adifferent story. “I suggest ye return to the festivities. We’ll speak about this tomorrow.”
“Will ye make a weddin’ announcement tomorrow?” Mairie countered stubbornly, her eyes just as frosty as his own.
“Nay, but I will consider terms that will satisfy even ye,” he replied, having no notion of what those terms could be.
Mairie was determined, and, in truth, he had to admire her for it. She was tougher than he had expected a nun to be.
“Murdoch, please…” his mother urged, but he gave her a stern look and walked off.
He could not hear their pleas or demands anymore. He could not even consider what they were requesting, although he knew he was to blame for the predicament he now found himself in.
Cecilia had bewitched him, and he had done nothing to cast away the enchantment. All those years of discipline and restraint had failed him. He was responsible, whether he liked it or not.
What other remedy could there be?he silently wondered as he stomped across the frost-tipped grass, heading back toward the welcoming glow of the castle windows.
I should find Lennox. He’d ken what to do. Or perhaps I could send for Camden—he must’ve gotten himself out of situations like this a time or two.
He grimaced, imagining the smug glee on Camden’s face if he heard of what had happened. Camden would never let him live it down.
He entered the castle, the faint lilt of the music drifting down the otherwise empty hallway. Leaning against the nearest wall, he dropped his chin to his chest and sucked in deep breaths, desperate for some semblance of calm.
I wish I was still in the Great Hall, dancin’ with her,his mind sighed.
A softer, darker voice whispered in reply,Ye should wish ye’d stayed in yer chair, drinkin’ ‘til yer vision blurred and she couldnae bewitch ye anymore. Ye’re weak, laddie. Ye’ve always been weak. This proves it.
He grimaced, clenching his jaw. A moment later, he pushed off the wall and headed for his tower, needing something to distract his mind and his hands for a while. And there was liquor and wine enough up there to help him forget everything if he so wished.
He was barely halfway to his sanctuary when a white blur shot out of an adjacent corridor. A vision in red sprinted out behind the ball of snowy fluff, crying out in exasperation, “Dipper, nay! Dipper, ye come back here now!”
Murdoch did not think. He lunged to the side, catching the pup as it made to dart past him. Dipper wriggled and writhed inprotest, whimpering and snapping his little teeth, but Murdoch held him at arm’s length and gave him one of his fiercest looks.
To his surprise, Dipper began wagging his tail, straining to be closer to him instead of trying to get away from him.
“Unhand me puppy!” Cecilia snapped, coming to a stop in front of Murdoch.
