Page 26 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
He frowned. “How did I nae consideryer needs?”
“You refused to stop even when Itold you how tired I was.”
“That was for yer safety, Marion.Had I stopped before we reached MacLean land, it would have been verradangerous. We had to travel quickly so Froste and yer father would nae havetime to overtake us before I arrived in allied clan territory.”
She nodded. “I suppose, but nowthat we are married, and they do not know if you’ve”—she cast her gaze down—“you’vejoined with me. I’m not so certain they’ll follow, especially Froste. I’m suremy father will strive to keep the man as an ally. He’ll likely offer him money,which he was no doubt trying to avoid by using me and the land I’d bring, forhis aid instead.”
Iain gaped at her. His wife thoughther only appeal was the land that had been attached to her. It made him angrythat her father had obviously never praised her one bit. “Marion,” he started,intent on correcting how she perceived herself, “even if there were no landattached to ye, I imagine Froste would still come for ye.”
Her brow wrinkled. “Because he doesnot like losing, I suppose.”
“Well, aye,” Iain agreed. “But alsobecause ye’re beautiful and bold, and ye’re the sort of woman that, well—” Hestopped. He could not tell her she was the sort of woman to stir desire with amere look. And the sort of desire a man could not easily forget. With hermoonbeam hair hanging in heavy waves down her back and her large grassy eyessparkling with laughter—and alternately burning with her ire—she was a woman noman would want to lose, especially a man like Froste who, as she’d said, didnot like to lose.
Iain shrugged lamely. “He’ll comeafter ye, I swear it, but I dunnae think he’s foolish enough to come before heis certain he can retrieve ye without difficulty. But ye dunnae need to fear.I’ll defend ye, as is my duty.”
The talk of duties brought to mindone that would be pleasurable. He needed to truly make her his. Just thinkingof bedding her made his blood heat.
He reached out and ran a fingeracross her ankle, which was peeking out from beneath his plaid. “Marion,” he said,his throat husky with need.
Her eyes went wide, and she stoodabruptly. “I’d like to wash before supper,” she said. Her voice wobbled, andshe pulled the plaid even tighter around her body.
He’d scared her, or rather, she wasscared of the joining. As much as he ached to take her now, he would forcehimself to give her as much time as he could to reconcile what was to happen.Unfortunately, there was not much time. The marriage had to be consummated.
He stood slowly and looked at her.She was nibbling her lip, clearly ill at ease. He inhaled a deep breath of thechilly night air, hoping it would cool his lust. “Let me search the river firstand make sure it’s safe.”
“Are you worried?” she asked, hervoice pitching a bit higher.
“Nay,” he assured her. “Justcareful. I’m always careful.”
After they walked down to thestream, he quickly verified that the area was not dangerous. “Do ye want me tostay near?” he asked. “Will ye be afraid if I go ready a place for us to beddown?”
Her eyes widened more than they hadearlier. God’s truth, she looked more afraid of the idea of lying down besidehim than she had at the idea that someone might want to steal her away.
“I don’t frighten easily,” shereplied boldly, though her voice shook. “Go on back to the men.”
“Dunnae wade too deep,” he said,surveying the river one last time. It was fairly low right now, but that didn’tmean she could not get injured. “In the dark ye could lose yer footing. If yeneed me, simply call for me.”
“I’ll not need you,” she repliedwith a sure tone.
He bit back a grin, wondering whathis wife would think if she knew her walking about in his plaid greatlyundermined her effort to appear brave and unaffected.
The minute Iain walked out of sight, Marion sagged.There were so many emotions swirling in her that her head ached. She’d feltdisappointed and worried earlier with Iain’s blunt words about love, but thenhe’d praised her fortitude and she’d felt a small sliver of hope, which hadblossomed when he’d told her he thought her beautiful and bold, and well—
She laughed aloud. It didn’t evenmatter that he’d never finished the sentence. That he thought her bold thrilledher. Beauty was fleeting, but she supposed she wasn’t unhappy that he found herpleasing, except she was nervous about consummating their marriage. She hadalways thought when it was time, she would know the man and love him. Could shelove this man someday? Perhaps. He certainly was the sort of honorable, braveman she’d envisioned marrying, except for the part about not ever loving her.What if she fell in love with him and he never returned her love? The thoughtmade her slump to the ground with a groan.
Sitting on the cold, thick grass,she kicked off her shoes. When her feet made contact with the wet ground, she shivered.She had not realized how cold it was, likely because Iain had held her. Sheblushed at the memory of how sinfully good it had felt to be wrapped in hisarms. She wiggled her toes and sighed as she wearily got to her feet to unlaceher gown.
A short time later, she wasmuttering to herself and saying every unladylike curse she’d ever heard Angusand the guards mutter when they’d not known she was listening. Her maid hadhelped her lace this gown, and she could not get it undone by herself, no matterhow she contorted her body. Her head began to pound harder as she staredlongingly at the river, which held the promise of removing the grime from herfather’s moat from her skin.
She peered over her shoulder andsaw Iain, Angus, and Rory Mac in the distance. The three of them stood around asmall fire. If she called out to Iain, she knew he’d come directly. She bit herlip, remembering the desire in his eyes and his thick voice. He may not everlove her, but he wanted her. And she wanted a bit more time before the joining.
Besides, how was she supposed toearn his respect if she could not remove her own gown?
Marion squeezed her eyes shut.Calling him over to help was not an option. A woman who needed aid disrobingwas not a woman a fierce laird like Iain would ever come to rely upon. Her gutclenched with a sudden realization: she wanted him to rely on her and need herbecause, even if he never loved her, a man who relied upon and needed a womanwould never discard her. Not like her father, who had been so callous and eagerto give her to another.
Resolved, she struggled for severalmore minutes until frustrated tears stung her eyes and she collapsed onto thecold grass, drawing her legs up to her chest and pressing her head against herknees to allow herself a good pitiful cry. Just as she was getting started, ahand clamped roughly over her mouth. She was pulled off the ground as anotherhand slid around her waist and then her back was pressed against the length ofa man’s armored body.
The man who held her breathedheavily, his stench of sweat and horse making her wrinkle her nose. Feartingled across her skin leaving gooseflesh. Was there any way to free herself?
