Page 11 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
Magnus was unused to this family being speechless, so he looked around at everyone in the room. Her brother’s mouth was practically hanging open, and her father was leveling him with a sharp look that made him deeply uncomfortable. His betrothed’s mother had a hand over her heart and was smiling at him. That made him even more uncomfortable.
Magnus chose to skip the younger sister—no need for her to start sobbing again. But he did turn to Ciara. She looked just as shocked as the rest of the room.
That makes the two of us.
He had no intention of demanding that Ciara stay with him, but the moment he thought of leaving her behind, the words forced themselves out.
“We didnae agree to that,” Ciara whispered to him harshly, her lips once again far too close to his face. Still, she did not correct him nor object.
Magnus thought back to her brother’s warning once again. He definitely didnotknow what he was doing. Why did he invite temptation incarnate into his home sooner than necessary?
It was too late to backtrack now, so with a nod to the still-silent room, he added, “I’ll send a carriage tomorrow.”
Everyone seemed to come to themselves when he spoke again, but he didn’t wait for anyone to get a full answer out. He definitely heard his betrothed sputtering, though, as he walked out of her home—heroldhome. His castle would be her home now.
Magnus smiled to himself once he was back outside. The expression was unusual for him, but he had everything in the world to smile about.
Well, that went marvelously.
Not only had he managed to end this feud that had been plaguing his people, but he had also found himself betrothed to the most interesting woman he’d ever met. He only wished Ciara was returning home with him now, but he’d see the fire in her eyes and that sweet smile very soon.
Besides, he had plenty of memories to occupy his thoughts with in the meantime. The way Ciara had watched his hands as if they were built just to pleasure her. The smirk and gleam in her blue eyes when she told him how very wrong he was. The not at all thinly veiled threats.
Magnus’s mind would certainly be busy tonight.
When Magnus returned to his castle that night, he found his stepmother and man-at-arms, Ewan, waiting for him. They both wore matching wary expressions, obviously concerned about the ramifications of whatever happened at Gunn Castle today.
“Did ye kill him?” his man-at arms asked.
“Even better.” Magnus paused and smiled. “I got meself a bride.”
5
After Magnus walked out of her father’s castle, Ciara was left alone to deal with her family’s shock. Lana and Alexander were both talking over each other, but her parents were studying her closely. When they turned to one another and nodded, she knew they were having one of their silent conversations.
If there was anything she envied about her parents, it was the complete understanding between them.
“Would everyone mind givin’ us some privacy?” her father said over the protests from her siblings.
He rarely yelled, and he didn’t now, but there was a strength behind his words that had the rest of the room moving to do as he asked.
Ciara smiled when her brother began to protest, but one glance from her father had him sighing and leaving the room. Once everyone was out of the study again, her father just observed her.
“What is it, Faither?” she finally asked after the silence stretched out for too long.
“He didnae force ye to accept in any way, did he?”
“Nay,” Ciara rushed to say, vigorously shaking her head. “Nay, definitely nae.”
“Good.” Her father nodded before he asked, “And ye didnae feel like ye had to do this for me or yer sister either?”
She paused a little bit longer. “I didnae feel any pressure from either of ye, but I cannae deny that ye both factored into me decision,” she replied.
Neither of them would have ever asked her to marry Magnus, but she couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t doing it—at least in part—for them.
With a heavy sigh, her father tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling. He was silent for a long while, and she fiddled with the sleeve of her dress.
Finally, he looked back at her and said, “I hate that this is where we ended up. I never would have forced ye into a marriage, I hope ye ken that. But I understand the sacrifice ye are makin’, and I appreciate it, Ciara.” On another exhale, he added, “We’re goin’ to miss ye, though—the clan is goin’ to miss ye.”
