Sarah felt her cheeks warm at the memories Liam’s words brought, which he apparently noted. His snort told her so. “Aye, lass. ’Tis time for a proper wedding.”
“You can’t order me to marry.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Aye, I can, and I will. And ye ken in yer heart that were ye brother here, he’d be doing the same thing.” He straightened, his hands on his hips, very much The MacBride. “I stand in his stead.”
Directing his attention to Braeden, he said, “I will notify the Duke of Manchester of the situation, and as soon as I have the marriage contracts and Sarah’s dowry in hand, I will notify you.”
Sarah looked pleadingly at Sybil. “He can’t make me do this.”
Sybil wrung her hands. “I’m sorry, Sarah. So sorry. But surely you have heard about the loose Scottish marriage laws from the scandals of couples racing off to Gretna Green to be married. And I’m afraid Liam is right. You know, as well as I do, that if Drake were here he would be demanding a proper wedding.”
Sarah glanced at Braeden who was still on one knee beside her. Once again he took her hand and held firm when she tried to withdraw it. Looking at her, he addressed Liam. “Laird, may I have a few moments alone with my wife?”
“I am not your wife.”
“Come, love. Give them some time together to get this sorted out.” Liam took Sybil’s hand and led her from the room. Sybil looked back at her twin as they slipped through the door, mouthing the words I love you.
As soon as it closed, Sarah glared at Braeden who looked as if he were trying to form the right words to say.
There are no right words.
“I ken this is a shock to ye, lass. I dinna tell ye when it happened because ye were so tired and anxious about arriving here.” He tilted her chin up. “Is the idea of marriage to me so terrible for ye?”
“You don’t understand. I was very clear about my intention to never marry. I don’t want a husband. I have other plans for my life.”
He rose and sat alongside her. “And what plans do ye have that marriage would interfere with?”
Should she tell him? Reveal the secret that even her twin didn’t know? She had planned to share her news with Sybil once she settled in. But her publisher told her a four or six week trip to visit with her sister would give him enough time to get her book ready for print. He expected her back in London at that time so she could do newspaper interviews and be available to meet readers and sign her books at the bookstores in London and the surrounding areas.
On the other hand, if she were forced to take a husband—and it appeared that was exactly what Liam had in mind—there could be many other men who would be a worse choice. Therein lay the problem. If she didn’t already care for Braeden, she could convince him to have a marriage in name only, and they could live separately so she could pursue her dream. But he was a warm, honorable man, and he deserved more. More than she was prepared to give right now.
Part of her was terrified at growing too fond of him, and another part of her didn’t want him to walk away. What a conundrum she’d created with her flippant words back at the inn. And why was it she’d not remembered about Scottish marriage laws? Sybil was correct. There had certainly been enough gossip about ton couples running off to Gretna Green to marry against family wishes.
This time the marriage had been performed against the bride’s wishes.
She drew herself up. “My plans are to have independence, apart from the demands of a husband. There are things I want out of life that would be stifled by marriage.”
“Yer not making sense, Sarah, and I’m thinking right now ye should get some rest. We can deal with these little problems later. Yer exhausted from the trip, and I don’t think ye are thinking clearly.”
Little problems! How dare the man dismiss her so readily? Obviously, he would dismiss her hopes and dreams as easily, too. Well, far be it from her to share anything about her writing with the man.
“Very well. I will take my little problems to my bedchamber to rest, as my lord and master has ordered.” She swept past him and headed to the door.
“Sarah.”
She kept going, enjoying the sound of the library door closing smartly.
Sarah awoke to a day she’d thought would not happen for several years, if at all. Her wedding day. Although, according to Scottish law, that day had already come and gone without her knowledge. She still fumed at how blasé Braeden was about the entire thing. Marriage was a huge step, and she didn’t want to be married. Not unless she could have the life she had planned.
She’d never gotten the chance to talk to Sybil privately yesterday, with all the flurry of unpacking, taking a tour of the castle, and settling in. Then all the family had gathered for dinner, along with clan members, followed by singing and dancing to celebrate their arrival, until Sarah thought she would drop.
Liam’s mother and sisters were delightful, and they obviously adored Sybil. A far cry from how things had started off for her twin. A slight scratch at the door drew her from her musings.
Sybil stuck her head in. “I brought you a gown I think will look wonderful for your wedding.” She held up a lovely pale yellow gown with deep yellow and green embroidery on the sleeves and hem. A green satin ribbon was tucked underneath the bodice.
“It’s beautiful.”
Sybil settled on the bed and regarded her twin. “How are you faring?”
“Not well. Not at all.”
“You know, I don’t understand your dislike for marriage. I remember as young girls we would talk well into the night about the ‘knight in shining armor’ in our future, falling in love, and our wedding day. Do you recall we promised to have a double wedding?”
Sarah shrugged.
“Then a few years ago you started spouting all this nonsense about being the ‘doting aunt’ and not wanting to tie yourself to a man. What happened?”
“I have other plans. Things have happened since we were girls.” She was enjoying the perplexed expression on Sybil’s face.
“What ‘things’? I know everything about you.”
Sarah smiled. “Not everything, dear twin sister. You know how I’ve been keeping a journal?”
“Yes, you’ve kept one almost since you were able to hold a pencil.”
Unable to sit still while sharing the one thing that belonged only to her, she stood and wandered around the room, dragging her fingers over the dresser. “I stopped writing in my journal a few years ago.”
“Nonsense, you’ve been scribbling daily for years.”
Sarah turned to face her twin. “Yes. I was writing stories.”
“Stories?”
Sarah grinned. “Don’t laugh, but I’ve been writing stories of romance.”
If the expression on Sybil’s face was any indication of how the rest of her family would deal with her secret pastime, there were a lot of surprised looks in her future.
Sybil placed her hand over her chest. “Romance stories?”
“But there is even more news.”
Her twin gestured for her to continue.
“One of my stories is being published!” Sarah hadn’t realized how proud she was of herself until she saw the look of surprise and admiration in her sister’s eyes. Sybil covered her mouth with her hands and began to laugh. Then she jumped up and hugged Sarah.
“Do you mean to tell me I’m the twin sister of an author?”
“Yes!” They held on to each other, giggling while jumping up and down, much like they had done in their youth.
Arms wrapped around each other, they fell backward on the bed, wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. After a few minutes Sybil raised herself up on her elbows. “But you still haven’t told me why you don’t want to marry Braeden. It’s obvious you care for each other. Just the short time I spent with the two of you, it was obvious…”
Sarah took a deep breath. “My publisher wants me in London when my book is released so I can speak with newspaper people, meet reade
rs, and sign books. Michael Dunsten—that’s my publisher—is very forward thinking and believes women have the ability to do just about anything they choose.”
“You actually found a man who thinks that way?”
“Yes, isn’t it wonderful? He is already pushing me to finish my second book. He has an office in London, and I’ve met with him a few times while his company was working on my book.”
Sybil frowned. “Is there more than just your book between you and this man? Is that why you don’t want to be married to Braeden?”
Sarah waved her hand. “Not at all. Heavens, you make me laugh even suggesting that. Mr. Dunsten is old enough to be my grandfather and indeed does have grandchildren.” She sat up and bent her knees, hugging them close to her chest. “Don’t you see, Sarah? If I have a husband, I won’t be able to return to London when I need to. He might even forbid me to write and publish.”
“You have no reason to believe Braeden will make you stop writing.”
“But you remember he mentioned he is waiting for word that he’s been accepted for an archeological dig in Rome?” She stood again, her hands on her hips. “He will expect me to go with him, and I can’t go to Rome.”
Sybil rose and placed her hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “You need to speak with Braeden about this. From the way you talk I’m assuming he doesn’t know?”
Sarah shook her head. “You are the first person I’ve told.”
“Then talk to him.” She leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “You might find you have no problem at all. But now, it is time for you to dress for your second wedding.”
Braeden checked his timepiece once more. Weddings made him very nervous, and this one was no exception. Except ’twas a mere formality since the lass had married them already. But, somehow, facing his family and friends and standing before the priest made it all seem more real. He was grateful for Liam’s insistence on the service, however. Sarah was a reluctant enough bride, without having her forever arguing that they were not really married. He envisioned years of spirited disputes with the lass. And interesting ways to make up afterward.
His cousin, Duncan, slapped him on the back. “’Tis a day I never expected to see, lad. Ye always had yer nose stuck in a book, and busy pondering them ancient Sluagh. Didn’t think the lasses interested ye.”
“Oh, the lasses interested me all right. I was just holding out for the right one.”
“And ye think Sarah is? I understand the lass tied the knot with words tossed about in public and before ye kenned it, ye were shackled.”
“Aye. ’Twas pretty much that way. But ’tis not sorry I am. She’s a fine lass and I think we will do well together.”
“Good luck.” Duncan moved away as he was summoned by an elder aunt.
I think we will do well together.
Right now that was more a wish than a certainty. She hadn’t spoken to him since Liam had laid down his edict about them having a wedding ceremony. She’d immediately left the room with her sister in tow. The rest of the day had been spent with crowds of people surrounding them. Each time he’d tried to catch her eye, she had turned to speak to another. On purpose?
Since that was only last evening, he couldn’t honestly say she was avoiding him, but at breakfast this morning, she and Sybil had their heads together, which his sister-in-law advised him were wedding plans.
Braeden had been more than a little annoyed when Liam informed him he would not be allowing Braeden to sleep with Sarah until the priest had come and gone. His only consolation was Liam’s tale of how Sybil’s brother, Drake, had not permitted Liam anywhere near Sybil until the ceremony, even though the lass was already increasing.
“’Tis time to gather.” Liam stood at the front of the large hall that had once been three times its size before the laird had divided the space into a dining hall, smaller family dining room, a parlor, and a library.
A few members of both the MacBride and the McKinnon clans were present, mostly those from the MacBride clan since many of them worked at the castle. His mum and da made the short trip with his brother, Evan, and his sisters, Fiona and Morna. His other two brothers, Morgan and Fraser, had been unable to attend on such short notice.
Braeden moved to the front of the room with Evan at his side. Mumbled voices behind him told him that Sarah had entered the room. He turned and his breath caught. Even though she and Sybil were twins, Sarah was so much more beautiful to him. Her gown of pale yellow flowed from underneath her plump breasts to the tips of her deeper yellow slippers peeking out.
Her silky brown curls, interspersed with a white ribbon, were pulled back from her sweet face to tumble down her back. With Sybil next to her, the two of them joined him and Evan. He took her ice cold hands in his and gazed into her eyes. Eyes full of uncertainty.
“’Tis all right, lass.” He said as he bent to brush the words next to her ear.
Her slight smile turned into tightened lips, which confirmed his belief that she was angry at being forced to stand here in front of friends and family and acknowledge their accidental marriage.
It only took a matter of minutes for them to complete the ceremony, which left Sarah appearing unsettled. Despite her reluctance, he bent and kissed her, happy she didn’t pull away or turn her head.
Liam’s cook, Mrs. MacDougal, provided a hearty breakfast that all the guests enjoyed. While Sarah wasn’t exactly friendly toward him, she at least didn’t stab him with her fork, although he did keep a keen eye on her knife.
“Are ye coming home tonight, lad?” His da stood with the other members of his family as they took their leave.
“I’m not sure. I think Sarah would like to spend some more time with her sister, but there are things I need to take care of at home. Did ye notice a letter for me from the Royal Society of Edinburgh?”
“Nay. Ye have a bit of mail at home, but I dinna remember anything with that name on it.”
Braeden shook his father’s and brother’s hands and kissed his sisters. “I will be home as soon as I can wrestle my wife from her sister. They haven’t seen each other in quite a while.”
“A lovely lass, yer Sarah is. I think she will make ye a fine wife.” With those departing words, his mother kissed him on his cheek and joined the rest of his family in their wagon.
As he watched his family ride away, speaking lively with one another, he again felt the sense of isolation that had been part of his life since he’d been a lad. He was so different from the rest of them. They were all hard-working, respectable, and honest. “People of the Land,” his da often called them. He, on the other hand, was not happy unless he was delving into ancient tomes and losing himself in libraries and museums.
Mathematical equations and scientific explanations were far more interesting to him than crops and sheep illnesses. Thankfully, his parents had allowed each and every one of their six children to follow their hearts. But he was the only one who hadn’t followed the rest of them. Nevertheless, he loved them completely and respected his parents and their life. It just wasn’t his.
He headed back to the main hall in search of Sarah. She stood with Sybil and Liam, speaking with Lady MacBride. Liam’s two sisters each held a bairn, with their mother providing oversight. He loved the story Liam had told him of how his mum had been against him marrying Sybil and had caused quite a bit of trouble for the two of them before she took Sybil under her wing. It was nice to hear there were some happy endings.
“Lass, I’d like to leave for home before it grows dark. The laird has offered the use of his carriage.”
Sarah chewed her lip. “May I speak with you in the library?”
“Of course.” She swept past him, and he followed her out of the hall and down the corridor to the library.
She opened the door and turned to him. “I asked Liam if it would be all right for us to talk in here.”
He frowned as she twisted her fingers. So she’d been planning this, since he hadn’t seen her speak to Liam. What did the lass
have in mind now? She walked behind the settee, obviously not wanting them to be seated together. All right, if she would stand, so would he. “What did ye need to say to me that we had to have a private place to speak?”
“I want to stay here with Sybil.” Once the words were out, she seemed to relax as if the words themselves were as unwelcome as her intent.
Not one to rush his answers, he thought for a moment, noticing she grew uneasy as he continued to study her. Before he gave a hasty answer, he asked, “Why?”
“Because I came all this way to visit with my sister, and spend time with her and the babe. Well, babes, actually. I didn’t know she’d had twins. I know from my mother that twins are a lot of work, and even though she has a nanny—”
“Yer blathering, lass. Make yer point.”
“My point is I hadn’t planned on marrying, and even though we have—married—I don’t see any reason why I should change my plans. I did come all this way to see my sister.”
“Aye. That ye did.” He walked around the settee, both amused and annoyed when she edged her way behind it, so they were still separated by the piece of furniture. “And how long do ye think ye need to stay here with yer sister?”
Sarah shrugged. “I don’t know. A few weeks, perhaps.”
“A few weeks! Ye expect me to leave and have ye stay here for a few weeks? Lass, ye have to reconcile yerself to the fact that whether ye intended it or not, we are married. I expect ye to pack yer belongings and go with me to Dundas Castle where I keep a room until I hear about the expedition I hope to secure.”
She stuck out her chin. “And then what?”
The lass had him there. He had no idea what the answer to that question was. What would he do?
“That has yet to be decided. Right now I’d like to know why my wife is so reluctant to be married.”
“And what exactly does that mean?”
Before she could react, he grabbed her arm and tumbled her into him until they both fell on the settee, her sprawled on top of his body. “Now this is the position I want us to be in.” He raised his head up and took her lips in a searing kiss. She struggled a bit, but then sighed and relaxed.
The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) Page 12