Page 17 of A Wife for the Highland Wolf
She’d hoped to have access to a library. Her kin kept their family records there, along with the books, and she’d entertained the idea on the journey that she might find documents to tell hermore about Murdoch’s past. Or, failing that, anything that might give her an idea of what kind of man he was, and what the members of his family were like.
It apparently wasn’t going to be that easy, and the only thing she had learned through that approach was that they did not appear to be a clan who valued scholarly pursuits.
If she wanted more information about her new betrothed, she was going to have to find an alternative way to discover it.
Lydia took a deep breath, then released it slowly.Tis fortunate I brought plenty of books of me own. If I cannae look to perusing clan Lochlann’s written words, perhaps sharing me own will help me gain the insights I seek.
9
Murdoch sighed as he settled into a chair across from his uncle and cousin. Supper wouldn’t be for a candle-mark or two yet, and they’d elected to have a quick meeting about what should be done next. He couldn’t help feeling tired, though the day hadn’t been all that long and he’d done little more than usual.
“So, I heard yer bride arrived.” Gordon was the one to break the silence. “With a guard dog and an escort even.”
“She dinnae ken I was coming to meet her, when I dinnae ken meself until Wilma near threw me out the gate, and she couldnae very well travel between our lands unescorted, ye ken that. Nay matter how hard any laird may try, there’s always the dangers of bandits and brigands.” Murdoch retorted. “Her kinfolk are looking out for her, as is proper. Tis the same with the dog, and seein’ as how he’s taken so quickly to Finn, I’ve nay objections to him either.”
“Then that would be the dog?” His uncle Arthur pointed out the window, to where a now-familiar hound was allowing Finn to tug happily on his fur while Wilma snickered at him.
“Aye. His name is Hector, and he’s fair keen on watching over the lass.”
“She has a name, I’m assuming.” His uncle spoke dryly. “And I’d like to think ye ken it, since we’ll be having a council meetin’ tomorrow to announce that ye’ve chosen a bride to fulfill the contract.”
Murdoch grinned. “Aye. Her name is Lydia Knox. From what I ken, she’s the younger sister to the woman Father originally contracted for, but that’s all to the good, for it means her children arenae like to ever be in line for the Clyde lairdship.”
“And what of the woman ye were contracted to? Why did ye nae bring her?” His uncle frowned.
Murdoch grimaced. He wasn’t sure of the full details himself, but he’d gathered from Lydia and her sister’s comments that the previous laird hadn’t been the most honest or savory of individuals. He offered up the only scenario he’d managed to piece together that made sense; or at least, the most likely one his uncle would accept.
“Seems the previous laird offered Faither a lass who was already promised to another. I daenae ken if he did it out of ignorance or some other reason, but the man’s dead, and the new laird dinnae ken anything about the matter. Since we’d made nay claim andI’d married another, tis nay surprise that they’d settle the matter by allowing the lass to fulfill the other promise.”
“The new laird dinnae bother to take a proper look at the obligations the previous laird left him with?” Arthur’s frown deepened.
Murdoch shook his head. “If I’ve a guess, from what his wife told me, the previous laird wasnae the sort of man we should have been allying ourselves with in the first place. I’m nae convinced the current laird ever had a chance to learn of the matter.” He tipped his head to look at his uncle. “Ye did say Father chose to renege on the contract because the laird died and the clan was leaderless, with all the living relatives being unwed lasses.”
“Aye. I did.” Arthur sighed. “But ye said the lass is of the proper family?”
“Aye. Younger sister.” Murdoch hated repeating himself, but at least his uncle had gone from stewing in disapproval at the actions of a man long dead and had shifted his attention to the matter at hand.
“And the weddin’ will secure an alliance with the new Laird Clyde?”
“Acting Laird until his wife bears him an heir, or there’s a second son among the other sisters, but aye.” Murdoch smiled. “And the council should be pleased, for will also tie us to Clan Rothach and Clan Buckhan, and mayhap another, for the lass said all her elder sisters were wed.”
“Rothach and Buckhan?” Gordon’s eyebrow rose.
“Aye. The Acting Laird Clyde is also Laird Rothach, and the sister the contract was originally written for is wed to Laird Buckhan, or so says me newly betrothed.”
Gordon smiled. “Yer right. The Elders will be pleased. One betrothal to secure three, mayhap four alliances. They’d be fair fools to even consider tryin’ to unseat ye now.” Gordon chuckled. “I cannae wait to see the faces of some of those grumblers when they hear of this.”
Murdoch was about to respond when the door to his study slammed open and sent all three of them scrambling for their swords. Murdoch scowled as he realized who the intruder was, but he waved a hand to the other two men to stand down. “Tis only me betrothed.”
Lydia blinked at the three men, then flushed. “Och, I am sorry. I was looking for Hector. I dinnae realize…”
Murdoch groaned. Trust Wilma to have borrowed the dog without warning its master. Or had Lydia just let the hound wander off? Either way, this was not how he’d wanted to introduce his betrothed to his cousin and uncle.
“Lydia, I’d like ye to meet me uncle, Arthur Nairn, who also serves as me chief advisor and aids me steward. And this other gentleman is me cousin and second-in-command of the warriors, Gordon Nairn.”
He gestured to each of the men, and Lydia flushed, but managed a reasonable curtsy and a “Good noontide to ye.”
He stepped forward to take Lydia’s arm. “Uncle, Cousin, I present to ye me betrothed, Lydia Knox of Clan Clyde.”
