Page 9 of The Icy Highlander's Bride
"The first party ye go to in years, and ye find yerself the center of attention. Let me guess, ye got yerself banned from Gunn Castle."
"Nay," Daniel uttered. "Not banned."
"Then what?" Cameron asked, his tone more insistent with each question. "Tell me what happened."
Daniel knew he wouldn't have peace on this ride until he told his brother the truth. He sighed and squared his shoulders, as if steeling himself for the response.
"I got meself a wife."
"I told Laird Cullen me betrothed was sitting over there. I rushed over and told him I would give him whatever he wanted if only he would play along. See? I am daft. I shouldnae have made such a promise."
"But how could ye ken he would force ye to marry him?" Ciara asked gently.
"Why him?" Olivia added, ever curious. "Of all the men in the room, why did ye choose Laird MacCrawford?"
"I daenae ken," Lana said. It was something she had been asking herself all night. "I just thought if I picked the scariest man in the room, then the old man would be too afraid to question me."
"He's certainly scary," Ciara agreed, and Lana didn't miss the hint of worry in her voice. "Magnus says he's a cruel man. There's a coldness in him ever since his wife was murdered. He's spent years fighting against neighboring clans, perpetuating the bloodshed."
"Ciara," Olivia hissed.
Lana knew her friend was trying to protect her, but she was suddenly alert, surprised by the mention of Daniel's wife and, even more shocking, her murder.
"It's alright," Lana said. "I need to ken. I want to ken what I need to prepare meself for."
Lana felt wrung out from all the crying, as if there was nothing left inside of her. It was an exhausting, empty feeling, but she knew she couldn't simply curl up and ignore the problem in front of her. If she was going to live with this man, then she needed to learn whatever she could about him.
She nodded at her sister, urging her to continue.
Ciara considered her request for a moment, maybe wondering if her little sister could handle it, but then she continued.
"He started a war to avenge his wife's death. Or, at least, that's what some people say. Others say the man is simply blood-thirsty, more at home on the battlefield than anywhere else. But then, after winning all those battles, he locked himself away in his castle."
"For how long?" Olivia asked, clearly wrapped up in the story.
"It's been three years," Ciara explained. "He never bothered to form alliances with other clans, and nay one dared to go to him. They were too afraid of him. This ceilidh is the first time most people have set eyes on him in years."
"I really did pick the scariest man in the room," Lana groaned. "Serves that old drunkard right."
"He might be the scariest, but he's also the most handsome." Olivia winked at her. "Nay one would argue ye picked one of the best-looking men at the weddin'. Could it nae be worse?"
"Nay!" Lana cried, feeling tears fill her eyes once more. The guilt she had battled all night was bubbling up to the surface again, and she reached out to grab Ciara's hands. "It couldnae be worse because it doesnae only hurt me. I've betrayed Ciara."
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked into her sister's face.
"I'm sorry for letting yer sacrifice go to waste," she sobbed, and she lunged forward to pull her sister into a hug. Ciara's hand came to her back, gently rubbing between her shoulder blades.
"What are ye speaking of, Lana?" Ciara asked, her voice calm and soothing. "What sacrifice?"
"Ye kenned how much I wanted to marry for love," Lana mumbled into her shoulder. "All those years ago, ye sacrificed yerself and married Magnus so that I could find me true love. And now all of that is gone. Yer sacrifice was for naught."
"It wasnae a sacrifice," Ciara insisted, rubbing her sister's back. "Ye ken I love Magnus more than anything. Take comfort in our story. Love can blossom in a marriage of convenience."
"We're both living examples of that," Olivia added. "It doesnae have to start with love. Ye can grow into it, and it doesnae make the match any less strong."
"But it's nae what I imagined," Lana insisted. "I've dreamed of me wedding for so long, and I've never dreamed of a cruel, blood-thirsty laird standing across from me as I take me vows."
She fell back into her sister's arms and allowed Ciara to pull her close. Another hand touched her shoulder, likely Olivia's.
