Page 63 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
Marion narrowed her gaze asBridgette briefly squeezed her hand. The golden-eyed woman had to be Fiona.
Iain looked behind him and held hishand out to Marion. Holding her head high, she stepped forward and slipped herhand into his. He drew her to his side in a way that seemed to be proud. Shecould not stop her smile. “This is my wife, Marion, of the house de Lacy,” heannounced in a loud voice that instantly silenced all talk around them.
Marion heard several sharpinhalations of breath, and then the beautiful woman spoke.
“Were ye forced to marry theEnglishwoman?” she demanded, her gaze settling on Marion and filling withdisdain.
Iain slid his arm around Marion’sshoulders and hauled her to his side as she held the woman’s gaze. Iain gaveMarion a squeeze. “Fiona, ye ken better than to ask such a foolish thing. Noman could ever force me to do anything I did nae wish. I wed Marion of my ownfree will.”
Marion would have kissed him forhis proclamation if it would not have shocked everyone.
The woman tossed her long dark hairover her shoulder. “I dunnae believe it,” she mumbled under her breath, butloud enough that Marion heard her. She was sure others had, as well, becauseshe saw several men stiffen. The woman shook her head as she glared at Marion.“Catriona must surely be wailing in her grave.”
Iain’s body went rigid againstMarion, and he inhaled a long, deep breath before he spoke. “Yer sister is naewailing in her grave because she’s dead.”
The barely controlled anger in hisvoice made Marion bite her lip. She wanted to do something to diffuse thebuilding discord, so she stepped forward and dipped a quick curtsy. “I’mpleased to meet you.”
Fiona raked her gaze over Marion.“Ye will nae take the place of my beautiful, sweet sister.” Fiona took a deepbreath, preparing to say more, Marion suspected, but then Iain spoke.
“Hold yer tongue, woman,” hegrowled. “I’ve nae the patience for such nonsense tonight.”
She grimaced and turned as if toleave, but the homely woman beside her gripped Fiona’s arm. “Ye should make yergreetings to the laird’s wife,” she said, finally looking up once again. Herbrown eyes rested momentarily on Marion, but then settled on Iain, who smiledat her.
“Elspeth is right, Fiona,” Iainagreed.
“Welcome,” Fiona said bitterly.
Marion smiled and prayed itappeared gracious. “I hope we can become friends.”
Fiona stared at her in stonysilence, flicked her gaze to Iain, and then turned and shoved her way throughthe silent crowd. The whispers started immediately afterward, and would havelikely grown to a dull roar, but Elspeth moved toward Marion and said in a loudvoice, “I’m glad ye’re here, my lady. I can see by yer beauty why the MacLeodwed ye.”
From somewhere in the thick crowd awoman called out, “I guess ye won’t last through yer first highland winter.”
Iain made a disgusted noise fromhis throat, and Marion caught his gaze, beseeching him with her eyes not topunish whoever had spoken. He inclined his head in understanding, and she spokein a loud clear tone. “I’m half-Scottish. My mother was a MacDonald, I’m notweak, and Ilovethe cold.”
Bridgette poked her in the side atthe bold-faced lie about the cold, and behind her, she was fairly certain Anguswas coughing to cover up his laughter.
Iain leaned close to Marion andwhispered in her ear, “Ye did well. That was Alanna who spoke out from thecrowd. She is Fiona and Elspeth’s cousin and Rory Mac’s wife. She was alsoCatriona’s closest friend. The rest of them should be more pleasant.”
“The rest of them?” she asked, suddenlyafraid he meant she was to greet the whole gathered crowd. Pray God, not eachone of them. She was exhausted.
“Aye.” He waved a hand toward thecrowd. “They’ll be expecting to meet ye now that they ken of ye.”
“Now?” she whispered. “I likelylook horrible.”
“Nay.” He brought her hand upbetween them and kissed her fingertips. Sparks shot from the point of contactthrough her entire body. His hot breath caressed her skin as he spoke again.“Ye look like ye could make a man a fool.”
Before she could respond, heabruptly dropped her hand and stepped forward. “It’s good to be home!”
A deafening cry arose from thecrowd, and by their happy faces, she knew Iain was beloved. When the noisefaded, he spoke once more. “As I’m sure ye heard moments ago, I’ve married.This”—he swept his hand toward her—“is my bonny bride, Marion.”
More cheers, but these sounded lessenthusiastic. She lifted her chin a notch and kept her gaze on Iain, who raisedhis hands to quiet the crowd. As he was waiting for them to quiet, Bridgettesurprised Marion by stepping around her and whispering in Iain’s ear.
Iain grinned and nodded hisagreement, then said, “In honor of Marion, we will have a feast tonight!”
Cheers and thundering applause exploded,and as Bridgette came back to Marion’s other side, Marion gave her a look ofthanks, to which Bridgette winked. Marion did not have time to catch Iain’sgaze to thank him, however, as his brothers came forward and greeted her one byone with welcoming, crushing embraces. If they were not happy about Iain’smarrying her, she could not tell. She could not say the same for the rest ofIain’s clan. The men were generally friendly, except for a few of them, but thewomen were cool at best.
Marion dragged herself up theseagate stairs a good deal later and followed a stone-faced servant to Iain’sbedchamber. Hers would need time to be prepared, for which she was actuallyquite glad. She eyed the enormous bed sitting on a dais in the center of hisroom, and a physical ache to lie down and sleep came over her.
