Page 4 of A Wife for the Highland Wolf
Isobel sniffed. “Alex has even heard that they want him out of the lairdship so it can be handed to a cousin, rather than risk his son in the laird’s chair, bein’ as dangerous as he is. Tis rumored the clan Elders have demanded he take a wife, to prove he’s nae a complete madman, incapable of sustaining such a bond.”
“If they really thought him a madman, surely they’d have come to the Gatherings to renounce him.” Lydia frowned. “Or the King’s Court would have him committed, for the sake of peace in the Highlands.”
“Aye, ye’ve the right of it there, and that’s one rumor there’s nae much stock in.” Isobel nodded. “Even so, I pity the poor lass who might wind up wed to him, for a man like that will find a way to win a bride and maintain his lairdship, likely even if it takes a hefty bride price. Perhaps he’ll kidnap a lass, but his intent willnae be so benign as Leo’s.”
Lydia still remembered the insanity that had surrounded Leo’s kidnapping of her sister Nora, to care for his sick son.
“Would kidnapping a lass to force her to marry even work? I cannae imagine any sane priest would bless the marriage, even if ye could find willing witnesses. And why would anyone wish to have an alliance with such a man? Or agree to stand for such a marriage, if they feared him enough to keep their own daughters away from him?”
“There’s ways of making such things happen. Before we burned the papers, I saw some of the plans Geoffrey had made to arrange his own wedding, and what one man can conceive of doing, so can another. Even more likely, he might have shared such plans with the previous laird.”
Both women shuddered. After a moment, Isobel continued. “Willingness and trust wouldnae matter, nae to some men, as long as the tie was forged. After that…ye ken how it would look to march against someone who was kin-by-marriage. If he brought a lass to the altar and managed to wed and bed her, her clan would be forced to stand neutral, or support him, whether they wished to or nae.” Isobel said.
“I cannae imagine what marriage to such a man would be like.” Lydia shook her head. “T’would likely be a nightmare.”
More than a nightmare. Being wed to Laird Lochlann sounded as if it would be worse than wedding Geoffrey. At least Geoffrey had possessed some reasons to keep his chosen bride alive. Clearly, Laird Lochlann considered his women less valuable.
Lydia's skin crawled. She’d had far too much experience with one monster to want to come close to being bound to another. If Lochlann was as bad as the rumors made him out to be, his poor wife might have welcomed her death.
Isobel patted her hand. “Aye. But fortunately, ye daenae need to worry about him. We’ll find ye someone else, someone with a better reputation and temper.”
Lydia nodded. She was about to turn the page on the book of records, when a knock at the door made them look up.
A maid entered, her expression worried, as she curtsied hastily. “Me ladies, I daenae wish to disturb ye, but there’s a visitor at the door, insisting on seeing Miss Knox.”
Isobel and Lydia exchanged a startled look. Lydia was the only one who still went by that name, but there was no one she knew of that would be visiting her.
“To be specific, I said I wished to see Miss Nora Knox.” The deep voice startled the three women. Lydia rose to her feet as the stranger entered the room.
He was handsome, possibly the most handsome man Lydia has ever seen. He was tall, with eyes the color of storm-tossed waves, hair dark as a raven’s wing, and tanned skin. His arms were muscular, his shoulders broad, and his stride confident. Under other circumstances, he would have made her mouth dry and her face flush.
But his eyes were cold, snapping with impatience, and he clearly had no manners, having followed so closely after the maid and forced his presence upon them. His mouth was set in a stern slash that looked as though he never smiled, let alone laughed.
He looked dark and dangerous. Lydia was already struggling to think of a way to quickly and politely dismiss him when he spoke. His words froze her in place.
“Me name is Murdoch Nairn, Laird of Clan Lochlann, and I’ve come to claim the bride that was promised me - Nora Knox. Where is she?”
3
Murdoch looked at the three women in front of him. The maid had deferred to them, so they were clearly the ladies of the Castle. Presumably, the one who was with child was the current Laird Clyde’s wife.
However, the document his faither provided had stated that Nora was the eldest of the Knox sisters, and the second woman looked younger than the first. He didn’t think she was of an age where his faither would have contracted for her hand.
On the other hand, it was best to be sure. “Are either of ye Miss Nora Knox?”
The younger one stepped forward. “We’re nae. I’m Lydia, and this is me sister, Isobel, wife of Acting Laird Clyde, who is also Laird Rothach.”
“A pleasure to meet ye.” He spoke the required courtesies, but even to his own ears, his voice held no interest, merely a hint of impatience. Murdoch knew he probably appeared rude and impatient, but he wasn’t one to mince words, nor waste time. “But it’s Nora Knox I’m looking for, and I’d appreciate it if she could be sent for. I’ve urgent business to discuss with her, and it cannae wait.”
The younger lass, Lydia, pursed her lips. “Nora is our sister, aye, but she doesnae reside here. She resides with her husband, Laird Buckhan.”
Murdoch stiffened, feeling as if the words had slapped him across the face. He might not want to fulfill the contract, and could even admit that his clan had been first to breach it, but for some reason, the young woman’s words stung his pride. He’d never met Nora Knox, and yet, it felt as if she’d rejected him, and that was an uncomfortable feeling. “That wasnae supposed to happen. She was promised to me.”
The lass who was with child heaved herself to her feet, glaring at him. “And what right have ye to say that? For I’m certain Nora never promised herself to anyone, and I ken Hunter dinnae take a contract on her behalf. She wasnae shackled to anyone afore she chose to wed the man she loved.”
“Nae true. I’ve the contract right here, saying I’m betrothed to Miss Nora Knox of Clan Clyde, to be wed as part of an alliance.” Murdoch produced the contract and handed it over, glad he’d thought of bringing his copy. “Ye should have it among the previous laird’s papers.”
The older lass snorted in derision, contempt and bitterness obvious in her eyes, even as she read the document he’d given her. “We burned everything Geoffrey wrote, and good riddance to him. An agreement with that snake wasnae worth the parchment it had been written on.”
