Page 39 of The Wrong Highlander (Highland Brides 7)

“Evina,” he said finally, “I’m sorry about what happened to yer aunt, but I can promise ye I would ne’er beat ye.”

Conran knew that hadn’t soothed her when she asked, “But what if ye want me to do something I do no’ want to do?”

Conran sat back again and peered at her solemnly. “I ken ye’re afraid o’ ending up like yer aunt, but—”

“Aye, I am,” Evina interrupted him to agree. “But I also do no’ want to be beaten for disobeying, or refusing to do something I do no’ want to do,” she said grimly. “And I will.”

When Conran raised his eyebrows, she nodded solemnly. “’Tis the truth, I’m no’ very good at doing what I’m told if I do no’ agree with it,” she admitted quietly. “Father puts up with me ‘rebellious nonsense’ as he puts it. But who’s to say ye would? And if we married, ’twould be yer right to beat me,” she pointed out.

“I’ve ne’er beaten a woman in me life, Evi,” Conran told her firmly. “No’ even me sister, Saidh, and if anyone deserved a beating ’twas her. Yet even when wrestling and play-battling, me and all me brothers were always careful no’ to hurt her. I think I can safely promise no’ to ever beat ye.”

Evina nodded, but was thinking he’d hardly admit he would beat her night and day. She’d never marry him then.

“I suppose it’s difficult for ye to trust that what I say is true,” he murmured after a moment, surveying her expression. When she didn’t respond, he suggested, “We could put it in the marriage contract.”

“That ye’re no’ allowed to beat me?” she asked uncertainly.

“Aye, and that if I do . . .” He paused, apparently unable to come up with a suitable punishment. Evina had one though.

“If ye do, then ye have to live in the hunting lodge on the edge o’ Maclean and leave me to live here alone in peace,” she suggested quietly.

Conran raised his eyebrows at the suggestion, but nodded. “Very well. We’ll put that in the marriage contract, then.”

“Okay,” Evina agreed, relaxing a little. She wondered though if he really would. If so, she might just be willing to marry him. Certainly, his agreeing to do so made her happier and more relaxed about this getting-to-know-him business.

Chapter 9

“So, yer father was more involved in the running of Maclean ere yer mother’s death,” Conran commented as he surveyed the chessboard.

“Aye,” Evina murmured. “Da did no’ care about much for a while after Mother died. Truth be told, neither did I,” she admitted wryly. “We both moped about like a couple o’ jugglers who’d lost their balls. It, o’ course, affected everyone at Maclean. They were all grieving their mistress as well. Mother was well-loved by our people.”

Conran grunted in understanding.

“But then Gavin arrived,” Evina said with a smile.

“And?” Conran prompted, glancing up with interest when she fell silent. He’d spent the last five days since Evina woke in her company, trying to win her over. They’d played chess, Nine Men’s Morris and various other games, chatting lightly as they did. But this was the first time she’d opened up about her past again and what had shaped her. It was the first sign she was relaxing around him and beginning to trust him.

While Conran was very aware that his time was running out to convince her that marriage had more to offer than their rather disappointing experience in the clearing, he’d refused to rush things. He was glad he had. Once she’d started talking, even just about day-to-day things and such, he’d found Evina was intelligent and had a good sense of humor. He was actually coming to like her, and see their upcoming marriage as more than a duty, or even a challenge. Conran was beginning to think they might suit each other rather well.

“Well, at first ’twas a bit o’ a trial,” she admitted with amusement. “I had little experience o’ raising a bairn, and he was only two to me ten. But Tildy was there to help and I got the hang o’ it. Things improved. Besides, ’tis hard to mope about when there is a child gadding around,” Evina said with a faint smile. “Gavin was always laughing and rushing this way or that. He brought life back to Maclean. Even Da found some interest in what was going on again and started to come around.”

Conran smiled. “Aye, children can be a blessing that way. Me nieces can drive me sister mad, but they have her and her husband wrapped around their little fingers. The rest o’ us too. There’s nothing I would no’ do for the little buggers,” he admitted wryly.

“Ye’d welcome a child, then?” Evina asked.

“Oh, aye, I’d like a passel o’ them,” he said at once, his attention split between the game and the conversation . . . until he became aware of the silence his answer brought on. Glancing up quickly, he noted her expression and recalled that she might not welcome making those children . . . yet. He hadn’t shown her the pleasure that could be found in the making.

“Evi,” Conran said quietly. “I ken yer first experience was no’ a wholly pleasing one, but the first time is often difficult fer the lass, and I fear I did no’ go as slowly and with as much care as I would have had I kenned ye were so inexperienced. I promise ye though, the next time will no’ be like that.”

Evina flushed and waved his words away as she lowered her face to stare at the chessboard. She obviously didn’t want to discuss this, and it wasn’t the first time she’d pushed the subject away. It had been skirted several times over the past couple of days. Anytime anything was said that came anywhere even close to the subject of sex, or the marriage bed, she shied away from it like a horse from an abusive owner bearing a crop. It made him feel horrible. She wasn’t a weak woman. To react like this, she must have experienced a great deal of pain with the breaching. He needed to get her past that.

“Evi,” Conran said quietly, and when she reluctantly raised her gaze to him, he said, “I’d like to prove that to ye.”

She blinked at the words, and then her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying, and she started to shake her head.

“I promise I’ll stop the minute ye ask me to, but ye liked it when I kissed ye, did ye no’?”

Evina paused, uncertainty entering her expression.

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