by Mia Pride
Sitting upright in the bed, she still clutched the sheets to herself and looked at him. “I am leaving.”
“Ye are? When?”
“At dawn.”
“Oh? Aye? And William kens this?”
“Nay, but he must ken I cannae stay here without a husband. I am no longer needed here. I will return to my home and be forced into another advantageous marriage, nay doubt. Speaking of my brother, he will run ye through if he kens ye are in here. Ye had better leave.”
Her words were short and full of annoyance. She truly had gone from respecting him, to despising him. “I apologize for our conversation earlier, Elizabeth. I wasnae myself. ’Tis nay excuse, but ’tis the truth. And… yer brother already kens I am here.”
“What?” Eyes bulging and jaw dropping, Elizabeth shifted away from him, clearly not trusting a word he said. “He would never allow ye in my chamber. Ye are a lout and a liar!” Panic flashed in her eyes and she stiffened, eyes darting around the room like a trapped animal. Did she think he had come to force himself upon her? Disappointment churned his gut that she would think so little of him.
“Elizabeth! Calm yerself! I am not here to harm ye. Aye, he kens I am here. I have important information for ye.”
“Why would he send ye to tell me anything?” Robert stared at her, wondering if he even needed to say it, wondering if he sat silently long enough, if she could piece it together without his help. Slowly, he saw horror wash over every feature and her eyes grew even wider. “N-nay. Nay.”
“Is it really so bad?” he asked, feeling hurt and rejected. It was only a sennight ago that this lass cried on top of the battlements, begging him to marry her. Now she looked as if she would rather jump off the same battlements than be his wife. “Ye wanted this not so long ago, aye?”
Snorting, Elizabeth flung the sheets away from her and jumped out of the bed, pacing back and forth with wee bare feet exposed and her linen night dress illuminated by the low light of the fire. He hair was plaited on both sides, hanging over her shoulders, but panic consumed her. “I wished to marry ye so Alexander and Mary could be together, so I could fulfill the peace agreement without ruining lives! Only, ye made it perfectly clear that marrying me wasnae to yer liking! Now, I am supposed to go from one brother to the other? A brother who so verra clearly wishes not to marry me, who thinks me a wanton woman?” Scoffing, she flung a long golden-brown braid over her shoulder so it hung halfway down her back… which brought his gaze unwittingly to the perfect curvature of her rounded backside.
Shaking his head, he looked back up at her face, wishing she did not look so disgusted. “I apologized already, twice now. I shouldnae have said that.”
“It isnae that ye said it. ’Tis that ye think it. Dinnae deny it.”
“What I think of yer past deeds means naught, Elizabeth. I only expect that when we are married, ye will only share yer bed with me and nay other. And, I vow the same.”
“Share yer bed? Ye presume much, do ye not?” Stopping her pacing, she turned to look at him. He wasn’t sure if the fire in her eyes was a reflection from the hearth or the manifestation of her distain for him, but either way, it was time to make this lass understand the facts.
Standing up from the bed, Robert walked toward her slowly. “Aye, I do expect that when we are wed, we will share a bed. That doesnae mean ye will ever have to do aught ye wish not to do. I shall never force ye, but I do hope, in time, ye will forgive me and trust me as ye once did. I am not an arse, despite my previous behavior.” Stepping closer once more, he saw her back stiffen as she pushed her shoulders back, trying to make her wee height look more intimidating than it was.
“Why? Ye made yerself clear. Ye dinnae want me. The contract is fulfilled. I vow my brother will never allow violence between the clans again. Just let me go home.”
Shaking his head, he stepped closer once more, knowing she was much too stubborn to back away. “Do ye want me to tell ye that I want ye? Is that it?”
“What? Nay! Of course not!” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him to watch the low flames in the hearth flicker.
Grabbing the poker, Robert bent over to throw a new log on the fire, jabbing at it until it slowly grew red and caught aflame. “The contract isnae fulfilled. It was written that should Alexander die, I would take over everything. His name, his title, his lands… and his wife.” He didn’t turn to face her. He was too afraid to see the disgust on her face. Never had he thought to have a wife who hated him, not that he didn’t deserve it after his actions earlier, but the woman set his mind to spinning. He couldn’t decide if he should kiss her to prove that he wanted her or continue to keep his distance. She was his brother’s widow and carried his child, aye. But he knew there had been no love between them and no lust either. It was one night of consummation that resulted in a child, and naught more, or so he told himself. It was the only way to survive such a situation.
“Well. I never expected love or romance in my life, but I do say that is the most breathtaking proposal I have ever heard.” The sarcasm in her voice was thick and he could not blame her. “I am once again naught but a pawn. I dinnae want this. I have done my duty. William will understand. I will simply explain to him that I am done marrying the Irvine men and wish to go home. He will allow it. He will honor the peace.”
“William has no more say in this than we do. ’Tis a binding contract, written by the church and agreed upon by the regent. They need Lowland clans to be at peace. We have enough war with England and the Highlands. This contract was made to ensure our clans unite and it willnae be complete until ye bear a… child.” He said the last word slowly, waiting to see if she would confess to already carrying the necessary heir of the Keith and Irvine clans. Instead, she stiffened and looked away.
“Anything can be renegotiated,” she said firmly. “I will speak with him on the morrow. We shall fix this. I ken ye dinnae wish to marry me. Ye made that clear and I dinnae wish to marry ye either. I cannae even stand to look at ye, to be honest.”
“Ye wound me,” Robert said with a bite in his voice. The lass knew how to throw an insult. “I didnae wish to marry anyone, is what I recall saying. I also recall saying that it wasnae my choice, due to the agreement. Well, now that same agreement says we shall marry. I never said I didnae want ye, specifically, Elizabeth. Ye ken ye’re a bonnie lass.”
“So, ye do want me?” Narrowing her eyes and crooking her brow, she dared him to respond. It felt like a trap. There truly was no correct answer for such a thing. Should he tell her just how much he wanted her body? How she made him feel when she stared at his cock earlier? She would be frightened of him. But if he said he did not want her at all, she would be angrier and more hurt than she already was. There had to be a better response.
Scratching his jaw, he put the poker down and walked toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders, realizing how much shorter she was than him. “Elizabeth. This is a confusing time for us both. We dinnae need to figure out how we feel about it all at this verra moment. Ye are a kind, intelligent, and witty lass. Ye are hard-working and loyal. All wonderful qualities for a wife. And aye, ye are verra beautiful. I would be daft to believe otherwise. But, ye are my brother’s widow. Ye have to understand that I cannae feel pleasure in this, because it means my brother is dead. But if I had to choose a wife, I would choose one just like ye.” And because ye carry my brother’s child, I cannae let ye go. If only he could say those words aloud.
“One just like me… but, not me.” Her voice trailed off and she gripped her stomach. He wondered about the child within and why she didn’t want to confide in him, but she would have to in due time. “I will speak with William in the morning. Good night, Robert.” Walking away, Elizabeth headed toward her bed and climbed back under the covers, pulling the curtains closed around her. That was a dismissal if ever he had one.
He knew there was no more left to say. Neither of them had asked for this. She may speak to her brother in the morning,
but that only meant he would speak to him on the lists first. Her brother could not be allowed to make decisions without knowing all the details and one thing was for certain, whether Robert wished to marry her or not, he would not allow his brother’s child to grow up at Dunnottar or anywhere else, never knowing his family. Nay, she carried an Irvine in her womb, and that child would stay here at Drum.
Chapter Nine
“I am sorry, Elizabeth. There is naught I can do.”
Staring at her brother, Elizabeth stomped her foot like a child and balled her fists. “Ye are Laird of Dunnottar and Marischal of Scotland! Of course, ye can do something! Meet with Robert in his solar and draft a new treaty that says we will remain allies!”
“It isnae so simple, Sister. And I think ye ken that.” He gave her a look that confused her to no end. Why was everyone acting like she kept a secret or knew something that clearly she did not know?
“I dinnae ken that,” she said like a child once more, mocking his voice and rolling her eyes. “I am done being passed around the Irvines! Robert doesnae even want to marry me! Even Alexander, who had a mistress, was more agreeable than he is!”
William crossed his arms and pursed his lips. “Ye ken about his mistress?”
“Och, ye think me a cursed fool. I kenned it right away. I am a woman. We see more than ye daft men do.”
“Listen, Elizabeth. I see ye are angry and I dinnae blame ye. ’Tis not fair that ye have been passed around, but nobody could have expected so much death. There is naught I can do, and after speaking with Robert this morn, I am inclined to have the ceremony as swiftly as possible.”
“What?” Indignation swarmed Elizabeth. How dare Robert speak to her brother before she did, and so easily sway him in his favor. Most importantly, why was Robert pushing for a swift marriage? “Ye cannae mean that. I want to go home, William.”
“Ye are home, Lady of Drum.”
“What did he say to ye?” Defeat hit her, leading to despair. “I cannae understand. He doesnae wish to marry me. I ken that much. So, what could he have said?”
“I think that is for ye to tell me, and ye may in due time, when ye are ready. But for now, we move forward. Ye will marry Robert in three days, and he will take the name of Alexander and be laird. Ye think the man wanted any of this? If he must make sacrifices, so will ye.” William leaned in, kissed Elizabeth on the forehead and patted her head as if she were naught more than a wee, confused lass.
Cursed men! Always making the rules. Always telling her what she must do. Fine. She would marry Robert, nay… Alexander, as he will be called, in three days. She could not understand the rush, and her brother seemed to believe she knew something that she did not. But, no matter. If she was doomed to be that man’s wife, she may as well get it over with. No sense in dragging any of it out.
She may not have a choice in any of this, but she was not going to allow Robert to speak to her brother on her behalf! Turning toward the keep’s door, she stormed through and into the blinding light of the inner bailey, cupping her hand over her eyes and lifting her heavy green skirts with the other. Men and women milled about, managing their daily work and greeting her as she moved past. Forcing a smile on her face, she responded, never wanting to appear stern or too busy to greet the people yet determined to reach the lists and give Robert a piece of her mind.
The sounds of fighting men and clashing swords grew closer with every step and she rounded a corner, stopping in her tracks at the sight before her. Aside from a linen wrapped around his chest to guard his wound, Robert was bare-chested and sparring with a man, every lean muscle on his abdomen and arms flexing with every move. Sweat glistened on his tanned skin and his trews clung seductively to his powerful backside and thighs. She had seen him nude the night before standing in the bath, a sight she had not been able to successfully erase from her mind, no matter how hard her better senses tried to forget it. But, seeing him now, moving with so much strength, skill, and powerful grace as he wielded his sword and deflected blows made her feel those strange stirrings all over again. What was it about Robert that made every inch of her feel needy for something she could not explain or describe?
She was angry at his meddling in her life and wished to shout at him and smack him once more, yet seeing him out here also made her wish to be laid down in the field and kissed senseless while he was still half-undressed. Mayhap she was a wanton lass, after all. Still, he had no right to say such things, judge her, then pull her brother aside and talk him into a hurried wedding. Why would he want such a thing anyway?
“Robert!” Elizabeth called to him and stormed forward, waiting for the perfect moment when his sparring ended so he wasn’t caught off guard and sliced in half. She did not need another death, especially since his would likely require her to marry Reginald, which scared the wits out of her.
Turning to follow her voice, she was taken aback at the wide grin across his face as she approached, his dimples flashing at her. Heart in throat and pulse racing, Elizabeth did her best to appear unaffected by him. “Why are ye smiling? Because ye ken ye beat me to speaking with William?”
He shrugged and sheathed his sword as he began walking toward her, meeting her on the edge of the grassy field, away from prying eyes and ears. “I spoke with him for reasons of my own. Ye cannae escape the agreement, and due to yer condition, I would think a hurried ceremony was best for all.”
“My… condition?” Putting her hands on her hips, she scowled when his gaze roamed down her body and back up to her face. “See anything ye like?” Elizabeth said with a bite in her tone. She did not appreciate being stared at and did the best she could to cover her large breasts, knowing men could not help but stare, but Robert was being rather obvious and it bothered and excited her all at once.
“Elizabeth,” Robert said placatingly, putting his arms up in the air. “Ye will be my wife in three days. I will be yer husband. We should be honest with one another. Do ye not agree?”
“Aye, I do. And I will honestly tell ye that I find ye to be a lout!”
“And I find ye to be headstrong and opinionated,” Robert retaliated, crossing his large muscular arms over his sweaty chest. His linen wrap was showing a wee bit of blood through it and she winced.
“Who is headstrong? The woman who doesnae want to marry her dead husband’s brother? Or the man who still trains with an open wound on his chest?”
“I have fought in worse conditions.”
“And men may not prefer a woman with opinions, but I have never learned to keep them to myself. My father indulged my mother, and my brother and I grew up in a home where women were heard and respected. I cannae be any other way, or settle for less.”
Smiling again, Robert nodded and winked at her. “I feel the same way. My father indulged my mother, as well. I believe he may have been the only man in Scotland disappointed to have three sons and nay daughters to dote upon.”
“Oh.” Shocked by his response, Elizabeth looked at him sideways. “Why did ye not respect my wishes about this marriage then? Why did ye go to my brother?”
“Our wishes are of no concern in the matter of our marriage, Elizabeth. I made that clear. ’Tis done. We will marry in three days. There is naught ye can do. I simply had some important business with yer brother.”
“Ye both act as if I carry a secret I willnae share.” Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked around the castle, then toward the gates leading out. If her brother and Robert thought they could force her into a third marriage, they were daft. She did not know what they had discussed, why they treated her oddly all of a sudden, nor why they rushed the wedding, but she would hie her arse back to Dunnottar with or without her brother’s help. There was no way she was marrying Robert after the way he’d spoken to her, even if his sweaty chest made her want to swoon.
“Ye ken I love ye, but this is madness! I willnae be involved. Ye can be killed out there!”
“I would rather die than marry that lout!” Elizabeth proclaimed, stuffin
g extra clothes, hygienic supplies, and rations she had snuck out of the kitchen earlier. Night was approaching and with the sun going down, everyone would be distracted and preparing for the evening meal. By the time they realized she was no longer in the castle, she would be on her way back to Dunnottar. It was a long journey on foot, but she was done caring, done doing what was bid of her by controlling men. Mayhap marrying Robert would not be so bad if he did not think so ill of her.
“Ye dinnae truly believe that. Nor should ye believe ye will make it home without help, or that yer brother willnae simply beat ye there and drag ye back by yer pearls.” Matilda crossed her arms and shook her head. “I shouldnae do this, but if ye insist on going, I need to come with ye. Besides, there will be naught left of me when yer brother finds out I let ye go.”
“If we both disappear, it will be obvious I left. I need ye here to cover for me,” Elizabeth said over her shoulder and she quickly plaited her hair.
“Ye arenae thinking clearly. I am telling ye. William will simply drag ye back and make ye wed Robert.”
Stopping, Elizabeth squinted, deep in thought, an idea forming that would end all her troubles. “Not if I am already married.”
“What?” Matilda squeaked and threw her arms up in the arm. “Who in the bloody hell would ye marry instead of Robert? And is being married to him so bad that ye would risk all to avoid it?”
“I didnae believe it would be bad a sennight ago, nay. But after the way he treated me, I willnae be so shamed. I dinnae deserve such treatment, nor do I understand why he and William wish to rush the wedding. I will ask Patrick to accompany me. He has a horse and ye ken he fancies me. He will agree to marry me. If I make it clear ’tis a marriage of convenience, he will understand and not expect more. We grew up together. I can trust him.”