Page 19 of A Virgin for the Icy Highlander
His brother paled, and his jaw went slack as all of the bluster drained out of him. “But I dinnae want to be the Laird. I dinnae want to be the one makin’ decisions and fightin’ wars and…” He shuddered, no doubt imagining the immense weight of responsibility falling on his shoulders. “Nay, Braither. Ye should have at least one heir, formesake.”
“As I said, ye should worry about yer own situation,” Hunter repeated, stifling the impulse to smirk at his brother’s discomfort.
Unlike most second sons across the country—the world, perhaps—Thomas had always been more than happy to be the spare, living his life as he saw fit, relishing the lack of duty andresponsibility. After all, he had been safe in Castle MacLogan and the Lockton watch house for the past four yearsbecausehe was a second son,becausehe wasn’t expected to lead the charge in battle. And Hunter had been happy to protect his brother. But he wouldn’t sacrifice Grace for Thomas, and certainly not for himself.
“I really think I should teach ye how to make her like ye,” Thomas sputtered, his voice cracking slightly under the pressure of what his future might hold. “Havin’ a wife who adores ye might be good for ye, and havin’ a wife ye adore might be good for ye too. An heir would come naturally, and I ken that the clan would be glad of that security.”
It was clear from his tone that he was panicking, bolstering Hunter’s desire to laugh a little at his expense. But all Hunter had to do was remember the reason why he wanted no more children, why the idea of producing an heir made his stomach knot, and the urge to laugh vanished.
“The clan will have me daughter, and they’ll have ye,” Hunter replied firmly. “Ye can work together, if ye have to. But Lady Grace and I will mean nothin’ to one another. I’ll assign someone to look after Ellie, and this marriage will keep the council off me back. That’s all there is to it.”
“Aye, but what if she realizes she doesnae want an unfulfilling life and runs off to England?” Thomas countered. “Then ye’ll be back where ye started.”
Hunter stared down into his whiskey, knowing thatwasa possibility if he wasn’t careful. “I willnae be unkind,” he said, speaking as he contemplated the situation. “I’ll treat her well, give her almost every freedom, and have nay expectations of her. Ye’d be surprised how charmin’ an offer like that can be. It’s the ideal solution to keep her from despisin’ me.Distanceis the key to a long and peaceful marriage.”
“That’s nae what I’ve heard,” Thomas grumbled, running a hand through his dark hair, his expression that of a doomed man. “Let’s see how this week proceeds, eh? I’ve just decided that I like the lass—cannae think of anyone better to win ye over, in truth.”
Bringing his glass to his lips, Hunter hid a small smile behind the rim, satisfied that, for once, he’d managed to scare his brother into submission.
The truth of a man’s fatecoulddo that, sometimes.
“You’ll have to wear something else,” Maddie said, clicking her tongue. “He won’t think anything is disgusting while you’re dressed like a demigoddess.”
Grace blushed, smoothing her hands down the front of her gown’s rather tight bodice. She hadn’t worn the dress since she arrived at Horndean, having no reason to don such grandeur, but dinner at a castle, with her potential future husband, seemed like a remarkable enough occasion.
It was an elaborate, elegant gown of brushed gold silk, with cream silk petticoats, billowy chemise sleeves, and red and emerald roses embroidered down the bodice, around the hem, and at the hips.
“I thought we were starting tomorrow?” Grace protested, her nerves already teetering on a knife-edge. “Can’t I just enjoy dinner this evening?”
Lilian smiled and rested a hand on Grace’s arm. “I would not be averse to that. You look so pretty, Grace; it would be a pity for you to have to change into something lesser.”
“Yes, of course!” Maddie chirped, grinning. “I have come to my senses; this gown isexactlywhat you should wear to coax out the first emotion. He won’t suspect a thing.”
Grace grimaced. “But how am I supposed to make him feel disgust?Myonly experience of the feeling is awful men saying awful things to me. Even if I were to emulate those moments, I doubt it would have the same effect.”
“I have a plan,” Maddie promised, taking Grace by the hand. “Whatever I say, you must follow my lead. You’ll have him wrinkling his nose and scrunching up his face before the second course is served, and then we’ll know—you’llknow—for certain that he is capable of feelingsomethingat least.”
“What if he does not react at all?” Lilian pointed out, chewing on her lower lip.
Maddie shrugged. “Well then, Grace will know that he isnotcapable of feeling anything.”
“I hardly think that ‘disgust’ is as important as you think it is,” Grace muttered, pressing the heel of her palm into her increasingly tight chest, desperate to loosen the grip of her nerves.
After a pleasant afternoon with Ellie, wandering the grounds, collecting petals, pebbles, feathers, and an old nest for the girl’s collection, Grace had been looking forward to sharing an equally pleasant dinner with the household.
“That is part of the experiment,” Maddie insisted, giving Grace’s hand a squeeze. “And though it’s your dare, we will be with you every moment. I realize it sounds like madness, but I swear this will be of benefit to you. Youhaveto know the man you might be marrying to spare yourself heartache in the future.”
Grace groaned, glancing at her reflection in the mirror, drawing strength from seeing her two dearest friends beside her, flanking her, being her constant support. “I should never have agreed to this.”
“Better that you agree to a dare than a marriage you can’t escape later,” Maddie said softly.
Lilian nodded. “Wehave to know that we are leaving you in the capable care of someone good, who will be kind to you and will make you happy, with any luck.” She hesitated. “We have to know that we are leaving you with a man, not a monster.”
Holding onto her friends, Grace gave a small, decisive nod. “Very well.” She took a deep breath. “Let us see what it takes to make a laird and warrior turn green.”
9
“Can we begin?” Thomas complained while casting a ravenous gaze across the feast that adorned the table in the Lesser Hall.
