To Wed A Wild Scot

by Bradley, Anna

  Logan was thankful he was sitting down, because if he’d been standing his knees would have buckled beneath him. “You mean to say you came here to turn the land over to me?”

  His heart was pounding with hope, but Fitz dashed it with his next words. “I did indeed, but then I changed my mind.”

  “What do you mean, you changed your mind?” Logan’s voice lowered to a dangerous growl. “You just told me our uncle always intended to turn the land back over to the clan.”

  “He did, but that doesn’t mean I have to honor his wishes. I’m the duke now, you see, and the land is mine. I can do whatever I choose with it.”

  A roar filled Logan’s ears, and the next thing he knew he’d shot to his feet, grabbed Fitz by his coat and jerked him out of his chair. “You’re a bloody cheat, brother.”

  “No need to threaten me, brother.” Fitz grasped Logan’s wrist and calmly detached his coat from Logan’s grip. “You’ll get your land, now you’ve made up your mind to marry Lina.”

  It took Logan a moment before he could make sense of Fitz’s words. When he realized what Fitz meant, he dropped back down into his chair, stunned. “You’ve given the land to Juliana.”

  “I have, indeed. I thought you’d come to the decision to marry Lina on your own, and I was right about that, but you dithered on about it for so long I got nervous, and decided to force your hand. My solicitor brought me the paperwork earlier today, and I signed it. The land belongs to Lina now, and—”

  “And once I marry her, it will belong to me.”

  Fitz nodded. “Just as our uncle intended, albeit with one added step.”

  Logan stared into the fire, his thoughts in turmoil. On one hand, he couldn’t help but admire his brother’s cleverness. Fitz was well aware Logan would do anything he must to protect the clan, and the best way to protect them was to have control of the Kinross land.

  On the other hand, it infuriated him Fitz had been so damned high-handed about it. If he’d only waited another day this all would have sorted itself out, but now, once Juliana found out Fitz had given her the land, she’d think Logan had only agreed to marry her so he could get his hands on it himself, and become the laird.

  It shouldn’t matter. He was going to be Laird of Clan Kinross, just as he and his father always wanted. What could be more important than that? In any case, this wasn’t a love match on Juliana’s side, any more than it was on his. She was marrying him as a means to an end, so what did it matter if she believed he was doing the same?

  Except it did matter. It mattered very much.

  “Juliana’s going to think I’m only marrying her to get the land,” Logan muttered, avoiding Fitz’s gaze.

  “Hmmm.” Fitz studied him with narrowed eyes. “Would that bother you, if she did think so?”

  It would bother him, but Logan wasn’t ready to admit to Fitz he cared what Lady Juliana thought of him. “Well, it’s not true, is it?”

  “Then tell her it’s not true, Logan. I’ll tell her, as well. Despite what you might think, Lina doesn’t want to believe the worst of you.”

  “Why shouldn’t she? I stole her letters, remember? I tried to keep her away from Castle Kinross. I accused her of chasing a duke all the way to Scotland just so she could become a duchess. If you were in her place, wouldn’t you believe the worst of me?”

  Fitz shook his head. “She’s not like that, Logan. Listen to me. You don’t know her very well yet, but Lina’s as sweet and loving as she is beautiful. She’s not the sort of woman who’ll hold your past mistakes against you. She’s everything a man could want in a wife.”

  “Every man but you.” Logan was ashamed of the words as soon as he spoke them, but he’d hoped over time he could persuade Juliana to trust him, and he was furious with Fitz for putting him in this position.

  Fitz’s face hardened. “You’re wrong. I would have married her in a heartbeat, and considered myself lucky to have her.”

  Logan stiffened. “You sound as if you’re in love with her.”

  “Of course, I love Lina. I always have.”

  Logan snatched up his tumbler and downed the rest of his whisky before he could give in to the urge to slam his fist into Fitz’s jaw. Christ, he was more jealous over his brother’s shared history with Juliana than he’d ever been over Fitz owning the Kinross land.

  What’s happening to me?

  He didn’t think anything could ever mean as much to him as the land, but now—

  “What about the wedding?” Fitz asked. “I suppose it’ll have to be tomorrow morning. You and Lina can leave right afterwards. You should be able to make it as far as Dalwhinnie if you leave by—”

  “No. The wedding has to be this evening.”

  “This evening! But that only leaves us a few hours to make the arrangements.”

  “It’s not going to be a grand wedding, Fitz. Send Stokes off to the Andersons’ farm. Their cousin Fraser is visiting, and he’s a minister. We’ll do it in the castle chapel, with you, Emilia, Craig and Mrs. Craig as witnesses.”

  Fitz was frowning as he considered it. “It could be done this evening, I suppose, but I don’t know that Lina’s in a frame of mind to—”

  “She won’t be in a better frame of mind by tomorrow morning.”

  “No,” Fitz admitted. “But I still don’t see why you insist on rushing—”

  “She’s an innocent, Fitz,” Logan said quietly. “I won’t have her spend her wedding night at some inn in Dalwhinnie. We’ll wed this evening, spend tonight at Castle Kinross, and leave for England tomorrow morning.”

  Fitz looked surprised, but then he smiled. “Good man, Logan. I knew I couldn’t be mistaken in you. You may not believe it, but I haven’t any doubt you’ll take good care of Lina.” He hesitated, then said, “There’s one other thing you could do for me while you’re in England. A favor, of sorts.”

  Logan gave him a wary look. “What sort of favor?”

  “Now I’ve signed the Kinross land over to Juliana, I don’t have any Scottish land of my own. I want some.”

  “You just told me you never wanted to be a laird.”

  Fitz scowled. “I don’t. I mean…oh, for God’s sake. I don’t know what I bloody want, all right? In any case, I’m acquainted with an English earl who might be persuaded to sell his Scottish land, if the price suits him. He’ll want far more than it’s worth, but I’m willing to indulge his avarice to get his land.”

  Logan straightened in his chair. He hadn’t expected this. “Where’s his land?”

  “It borders Kinross land to the south, in Perth.”

  “Clan Murray territory?”

  Fitz nodded. “My guess is this earl of mine is thinking of clearing it. He won’t hesitate to turn the people off if he thinks he can squeeze an extra penny out of it.” Fitz’s mouth pulled tight. “If he does want to clear it and the people resist, it’ll be a massacre. Worse than Strathnaver, even. He’s not a merciful man, Logan. To make matters worse, he bears me a grudge.”

  “Who is he? What’s his name?” Suspicion was gathering in Logan’s chest, cold and heavy. But no, surely it couldn’t be him—

  “It’s Lord Cowden, Logan.”

  Ice filled Logan’s veins. Somehow, he’d suspected it was Cowden. “The blackguard who manipulated Lord Graystone into giving him custody of Grace when Juliana refused to marry him? Why would he agree to sell you his land? He despises you, doesn’t he?”

  “He does. Always has. But he needs the funds—gaming debts, you know—and I’ll give him an exorbitant amount of money for it.”

  Christ. Logan would be far happier bloodying Cowden’s nose than offering to buy his land, but if Fitz owned that piece of Perth it would prevent another round of devastating clearances.

  Save another clan from destruction…

  “You’ll have to approach him carefully, Logan. Cowden�
�s not your average scoundrel. He’s smart, and dangerous. Terrible snob, too.” Fitz smirked. “Like all Englishmen.”

  Logan shot Fitz a guilty look. “I never said you were a snob.”

  Not aloud, that is.

  Fitz laughed. “Of course not. Why would you? I’m no more an Englishman than you are, brother. Speaking of Scots, that little red-headed lad Duncan Munro was here today, looking for you. He wanted to remind you of your promise to take him fishing next week.”

  “Damn.” In all the upheaval, Logan had forgotten his promise to Duncan. He hated to break it, but he’d be halfway to England by next week. “I’ll find him this afternoon and explain why I can’t—”

  “No, never mind. I’ll take him, if he’ll have me in your place.”

  “You will?” Logan asked, surprised.

  Fitz shrugged. “Why not? I like fishing, and Duncan’s a good little lad. Don’t want to disappoint him.”

  Logan studied his brother, a grin on his lips. “Spoken like a true laird, brother. Maybe there’s hope for you, after all.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “No, Emilia. You’re wonderfully kind, but I can’t take it.”

  Juliana stood in the middle of her bedchamber, staring at the lovely cream-colored gown draped over Emilia’s arm. Even as she refused it, she couldn’t keep her fingers from reaching out to stroke the delicate skirt. The gown was simple but elegant, made of a very fine, thin muslin, with dainty puffed sleeves.

  “Of course, you’ll take it. There’s no sense in arguing with me, Juliana. I insist on your having it.”

  A lump rose in Juliana’s throat. “But it’s your wedding gown.”

  “Yes, but today is your wedding day, and we can’t have you wearing your riding habit, can we? My wedding isn’t for several weeks. There’s plenty of time for me to make up another gown for myself.”

  Juliana tried to return Emilia’s cheerful smile, but between Lord Arthur’s letter, her worry over her father, and now Emilia’s heartbreaking kindness, the best she could manage was a dejected twist of her lips.

  “Oh, dear. That smile won’t do for a bride on her wedding day.” Emilia laid the gown carefully across a chair, then took Juliana’s hand and led her to the bed. “I daresay this isn’t how you imagined your wedding day, but I promise you, Juliana, you can trust Logan with your life. He’s a good man, and he’ll take care of you.”

  Juliana shook her head. “It’s not just Logan.”

  No, it was everything. Her father, Grace, the suddenness of her wedding, Alison McLaren—

  Alison McLaren? For pity’s sake, how had that thought managed to sneak in? She wasn’t thinking about Alison McLaren. Of course, she wasn’t. Why, it was utter nonsense.

  Except…

  Wasn’t it possible Logan was in love with the beautiful dark-haired girl? Juliana couldn’t think of a single reason why he wouldn’t be. He’d known her all his life, and he’d been delighted to see her today. No man looked at a woman the way Logan had looked at Alison unless he was in love with her.

  Juliana met Emilia’s concerned gaze. “It’s just…what if we’re too late, Emilia? What if my father…what if I’m dragging Logan away from Alis…from everyone he loves, and it’s all for naught?”

  Emilia gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “You needn’t worry about that. Logan’s not the sort of man who’d allow himself to be dragged into anything. If he’s marrying you, it’s because he’s made up his mind it’s the best thing to do. You can be sure of that much.”

  But Juliana wasn’t sure of that, or of anything else. Everything had become so tangled in her mind she couldn’t make sense of it anymore. “He feels responsible, Emilia, because of the letters.”

  “Well, isn’t he responsible? He never should have taken those letters.” But Emilia bit her lip, and Juliana could see she was struggling between her loyalty to Logan and her innate sense of fair play.

  Juliana sighed. “No, but we both know he didn’t do it for selfish reasons. He was trying to protect the clan. How can I hold him responsible, when I’m sure I would have done the same thing in his place? Yes, it was wrong—I don’t deny it. But isn’t it just as wrong to force him into a marriage he doesn’t want when he was only doing what he felt he must?”

  Emilia rose from the bed and crossed the room. She plucked absently at the folds of her wedding gown, thinking, then turned back to Juliana. “What if he wasn’t being punished at all, but rewarded? Would that reassure you, and reconcile you to the marriage?”

  Juliana blinked. “Rewarded? How?”

  “I told Fitzwilliam I wouldn’t mention this to you. Logan wants to speak to you about it himself, but I think it might bring you peace of mind. You’re going to find out soon enough anyway, so I don’t see that it makes much difference.”

  Juliana’s heart started to pound. “What is it, Emilia? Please, you must tell me.”

  Emilia drew a deep breath. “Fitz is going to give you the land. Indeed, he already has.”

  “The land?” Juliana repeated stupidly. What land?

  “The Kinross land,” Emilia said patiently. “Kinross Castle, as well. It all belongs to you now.”

  All the air left Juliana’s lungs at once, leaving her fighting to catch her breath. “To me? But I don’t…that doesn’t…why, Emilia? Why would Fitzwilliam do such a thing? I don’t want it!”

  “Hush now, and listen to me. Fitzwilliam was never going to keep that land. His uncle, the previous duke, always intended for Logan to have it. Fitzwilliam came to Scotland to give it to him, but then you arrived, and there was all that confusion with the letters, and everything became dreadfully tangled, and—”

  “And Fitzwilliam knew if he gave the land to me, Logan would marry me,” Juliana finished quietly. That sweet moment under the Laburnum Arch when Logan had asked her to be his wife hadn’t truly been a proposal, then. It had been the culmination of a business arrangement.

  Wasn’t that what she’d asked him for? A marriage of convenience? Well, now it would be convenient for both of them. They’d each get the thing that was most precious to them. She’d get Grace, and Logan would get the Kinross land.

  What right had she to begrudge him that?

  If she’d managed to persuade herself there was something more between them, then she’d been a fool. His nervousness that day, the hope she thought she’d seen in his eyes, the tenderness of that kiss between them…she’d imagined it all.

  Juliana closed her eyes against the pain flooding through her. It was so intense she wrapped her arms around herself, afraid it might tear her apart. “I—I see. Well, I suppose that does give Logan a reason to marry me, doesn’t it? Fitzwilliam’s very clever.”

  Emilia came back to the bed and took Juliana’s hands. “I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. Logan just found out about it this afternoon. He didn’t agree to the marriage to get the land, Juliana. He’d already promised to marry you before he knew anything about it. It’s the truth, but if you don’t believe me, then ask Fitzwilliam. He’ll tell you the same.”

  “Of course, I believe you, Emilia,” Juliana said dully, more to put an end to the discussion than anything else. Perhaps it was true. There was a part of her that believed if Logan had agreed to the marriage to get the Kinross land, he would have told her so at once. Oddly, though, that didn’t diminish her pain. Instead it spread from her stomach to her chest until it felt as if her heart were being clawed to bits.

  “I think I’d like to rest now.” Juliana drew her hands free of Emilia’s grip. “I’m to be married this evening, after all. I don’t want to drop into a doze before I can say my vows, do I?”

  Emilia studied her for a moment, then rose from the bed with a sigh. “You’ll wear my gown? Please, Juliana. I want you to have it.”

  Juliana caught Emilia’s hand and pressed it gratefully. “You’re a lovel
y friend. Yes, of course I’ll wear it, if you truly wish me to.”

  “I do wish it. Nothing would please me more.” Emilia squeezed her hand, then crossed the room to the door. “I’m off to see the chapel is made ready, and to gather some heather for your hair. I’ll come back in a few hours to help you dress, shall I?”

  Juliana lay back on the bed and let her head fall against the pillows. “Yes. Thank you.”

  Once Emilia was gone she closed her eyes, but it was some time before her troubled thoughts calmed enough for drowsiness to overtake her. Memory after memory rolled through her mind, almost as if she were flipping through images in a picture book. Grace’s dark eyes, her father’s face, and Logan’s slowly curving lips…

  She was poised on the edge of sleep before the truth came over her, and her eyes fluttered open.

  It hurt to think Logan might only be marrying her to get the Kinross land, but there was more to it than that. Deep down, she’d hoped he’d decide to stay in England with her. Now he was to become laird, that dream was shattered. As he soon as he fulfilled his promise to her, he’d return to Scotland at once.

  Since she’d come to Castle Kinross, she’d told herself time and again all she needed was Grace. That if she could only have Grace, she’d be happy.

  Now she knew the truth.

  She’d been lying to herself the entire time.

  * * * *

  If someone had been peeking through the chapel window during Logan and Juliana’s wedding, they would have described it as a lovely ceremony.

  Emilia had outdone herself with the chapel. It was a small room with a high, wood-timbered cathedral ceiling, gray stone floors, and an arched alcove behind the altar fitted with a beautiful stained glass window.

  As it was an evening wedding it might have been a trifle dark, even gloomy, but Emilia was determined to make Juliana’s wedding as beautiful as it could be. She’d seen to it that every candle was lit. The flames flickered against the stone walls and caught at the bright reds and yellows of the stained glass saints kneeling at the foot of the cross. Only Emilia and Fitzwilliam, Mr. and Mrs. Craig, and Stokes attended. The ceremony was simple, brief, and intimate, with a quiet beauty about it that soothed even Juliana’s frayed nerves.