Page 7 of The Icy Highlander's Bride
"Love doesnae exist in real life," he announced. "Only duty pushes us forward."
Just then, a giggling couple approached the table where Lana and Daniel stood. They were close to each other, holding hands and whispering in each other's ears. Lana watched them, seeing the way they spoke to one another as if they were the only two people in the world.
In fact, they hardly seemed to notice Lana or Daniel, and Daniel had to step out of the man's way as he gathered pastries for the woman, asking her to tell him all her favorites.
The appearance of this couple proved Lana's point better than any words she could give Daniel, and she simply smirked at him, letting the laughter and endearments float to his ears. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, glaring at her when he should have been mad at God for sending the enamored couple to them directly into the middle of their conversation.
"There is more than duty," Lana whispered, her eyes still on them.
They watched the man slip an arm around his wife's back before he led her to a seat along the wall.
"Caring for people can only bring pain."
Her head snapped up at the words, trying to see Daniel's face, but he instantly turned on his heel and walked away from her, along the perimeter of the room, keeping himself in the shadows.
"Where are ye going?" she asked.
Moments earlier, Lana had thought of walking away from him, but then she thought of his kindness to her. She thought of his defending her against Alexander. And the way he stepped close to her and brushed his arm against hers as he picked a glass from the table. There was something about this man that made her want to get to know him better.
"I willnae stand here and listen to ye speak about love," Daniel said as she chased him.
"What do ye mean that caring only brings pain?" Lana asked.
He was so much taller than her that she had to jog to keep up with his long strides. Before she knew it, she followed him out onto the terrace, feeling the cool night air on her face.
As they found themselves on the terrace, where only a handful of people were scattered around, Daniel suddenly stopped. Lana nearly barreled into him, but she managed to stop herself at the last minute.
"It's best ye learn this now," Daniel said, his gaze on the stars twinkling in the night sky. "It's nay use gettin' close to people. It only makes it harder when they are taken away from ye. There is nay reward for being kind."
"Then why did ye help me?" Lana asked. For a man who didn't believe in kindness, he had certainly gone out of his way to protect her tonight. "Ye cared for a strange lass ye dinnae even ken. Ye were ready to cut off a man's hand just because I was being mistreated."
"I thought it was unfair for ye," he answered. "Believe me, there was nay emotion involved."
The sense of embarrassment Lana had been holding back all evening finally crashed over her. She was ashamed of herbehavior and the silly protestations of love she had confessed to him. And now, standing here, with the cold air sending goosebumps up her arms, she couldn't help feeling that this man saw her as nothing more than a little girl who didn't understand the world.
"I will leave, Me Laird," she mumbled, wanting nothing more than to escape this man and whatever situation she had found herself in.
But she should have realized it wouldn't be so easy.
"I will speak with yer brother," Daniel called, stopping her in her tracks. "We will marry quickly."
"I told ye," Lana said, trying to keep her voice under control. She was starting to feel exhausted, and a headache was forming behind her eyes, probably from the alcohol she had so far. "I willnae marry. Nae unless I am in love."
"I daenae think ye have a choice," Daniel countered, with a darkness in his voice that scared her. "Everyone saw yer little show in there. And yer brother seems mighty interested in me proposal. A match with me clan is a better union than he could have hoped for."
Lana felt a rush of tears fill her eyes as she realized just how serious the man was. She had promised him anything he wanted, and he had chosen the one thing she wasn't ready to give him.
All her life, she had dreamed of a happy marriage founded on love, and with one rash decision, she had thrown it all away.
"Ye will soon see ye have nay choice but to become the bride I came here to find," Daniel said, still speaking to the night sky. "I expect to be married in a week. I'll be back to discuss things with yer brother."
4
"Iwasnae thinking," Lana sobbed, squeezing her pillow to her chest as Ciara stroked her blonde curls. "I've ruined everything. I'm so daft."
"Daenae say that," Olivia said, squeezing Lana's hand comfortingly. "Ye're one of the smartest people I ken."
The three women were in Lana's chambers, where she had thrown herself on her bed to cry. She was finally releasing all the heartbreak she had felt since watching Laird MacCrawford walk away from her, intent on marriage.
