Page 48 of Wicked Highland Wishes
“Yes,” Marion said with a nod. A serious expression settled on her face. “It will take at least a sennight to become potent enough to do what I wish. Let us pray the king does not arrive before that and make demands on Lachlan that may start a war.”
Bridgette squeezed her eyes shut, not wishing to waste a moment in sending her prayers to God.
“A sennight?” Lachlan growled as he peered over Marion’s shoulder.
“Dunnae growl at my wife,” Iain grumbled from Marion’s other side. “Marion,” Iain said, his own voice impatient and curt, “kinnae it be done sooner?”
She glared at him. “No, it cannot. I have already told you both.Twice.”
Lachlan jerked a hand through his hair. So far he’d been unsuccessful in getting Helena to reveal anything, and if David arrived before the potion was ready, the king would not be pleased to learn Lachlan had not attempted seduction to loosen Helena’s tongue. Especially given her sudden zealous interest in joining with him. It was all he could do to put her off. He’d used every excuse he could think of, and he was certain she was now suspicious of him.
Frustration boiled within him. It didn’t help that he had to keep his distance from Bridgette for fear he would somehow give away his desire for her.
Iain paced back and forth in front of the table as Marion worked to mix the potion. “All ye ken so far is that Helena is after the Fairy Flag?”
“Dunnae ye ken if I had learned more I would have told ye?” Lachlan said irritably.
Iain’s expression darkened. “I wish to speak to ye in private,” he barked.
“As ye wish, laird,” Lachlan snapped back, his temper rising to meet his brother’s.
“Don’t argue!” Marion growled at their backs as they stomped out of Marion’s medicine room and into the smaller storage room. “Arguing will not solve anything,” she called as the door to the storage room shut.
Iain’s back was to Lachlan as he entered the room, but at the click of the door, Iain swung around with a scowl on his face. Lachlan clenched his teeth. He and Iain rarely disagreed, but if Iain was about to demand Lachlan seduce Helena, Lachlan was prepared to argue. He did not want to bind himself to that woman for life.
“When I agreed to David’s request for ye to pledge to Helena, it would have been helpful to ken the depth of yer yearning for Bridgette. It complicates matters greatly.”
Lachlan tensed. He and Iain had not spoken so plainly about this, but now that the time had come, Lachlan found he was relieved. He’d feared what Iain would think of him for yearning for the woman Graham wanted, and now he would know it and have to live with it.
“It is nae just a yearning,” he said.
“I’m glad to hear it, and I’m nae glad, too,” Iain replied with a frown. “Marion insisted that was the way of it. That what was between Bridgette and ye kinnae be denied, but I was nae as sure as she was. But yer disavowal to try to seduce Helenaat allproves it to me. Ye have always been one to do whatever is necessary to defend and serve the clan.”
“I still am,” Lachlan replied, though he knew his words were not quite true. He suspected, if it came to it, he’d put Bridgette above anyone, even his clan.
But what did that mean?
Before he could examine it, Iain spoke. “If this is nae just yearning for ye, do ye ken what it is?”
Lachlan shook his head, and to his surprise, Iain smiled. “I was once in yer place, brother. My advice to ye is to figure it out with haste. Graham will be hurt, aye, and David will be demanding and angry if we dunnae ken more before he arrives. If I’m to support ye and try to compel David nae to order ye to seduce Helena, then ye need a stronger argument than yearning for Bridgette.”
“I’d nae ever ask ye to stand against Graham or our king,” Lachlan said solemnly.
A knowing glint came to Iain’s eyes. “I ken ye would nae, Lachlan. I will do all I can for ye, but as laird, I have to balance that with my duties to the clan. Marion informed me that Bridgette intends to tell Graham upon his return that she will nae marry him.” Iain’s gaze bore into Lachlan. “Did ye ken this?”
Lachlan nodded, thinking momentarily of his passionate encounter with Bridgette.
“I suspected ye might,” Iain said.
“Bridgette’s choice nae to marry Graham was nae because of me,” Lachlan replied, feeling the need to defend himself.
Iain snorted. “Ye’re more of a fool than I was if ye believe that. Bridgette may nae have ever been able to give Graham her heart, but I suspect it would have been more of a possibility if she’d nae already given it to ye.”
Lachlan stilled. Was that true? Did he have Bridgette’s heart? He wished he could talk to her and hear from her lips how she felt, but he could not.
Iain moved toward Lachlan and clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Proceed slowly and carefully, aye? It is likely wisest to give this time. Give Graham time once Bridgette has told him she dunnae wish to marry him.”
Lachlan nodded. “I intend to.” The question that he wished he knew the answer to, though, was how much time would that be. “I dunnae want this to divide Graham and me further.”
