Page 9 of The Highlander's Auctioned Bride
“Aye, then what should a lass be?” he asked. The women around them had dropped all sense of pretense now, their little group had acquired quite the audience.
“She should be well-read,” Maisie continued. “She should refine her mind with a good education, nae just so she can educate her children but also herself. She should be able to keep pace with her husband, and when he needs her, for whatever matter is perplexin’ him, she will be there to aid him in all things.”
She could tell her words had not been received positively by the fluttering women all about them, but, for once, she had spoken from the heart. The laird was harder to read, his head slightly to one side as though contemplating what she had said with genuine interest.
She did believe a woman should be equal to her husband, know his habits, understand his world, and support him, just as he supported her. She would not apologize for it—although she might have chosen the wrong forum to voice it.
“An interestin’ take,” MacLennan said. “And what is the extent ofyereducation?”
Maisie absorbed the derogatory looks from the other women all about them. She might be from trade, but her father had spared no expense with her education.
“I can read French, Greek, and Latin, and I’m well-read in histories and mathematics.”
“But how experienced are ye with children?” he asked.
Is he tryin’ to trick me now?
“What experience would ye like me to have, m’laird?” she asked archly, and there were a few gasps from behind her. She felt her father bristle beside her.
“I am very good with children,” Lillian interjected proudly. “I have several cousins I’ve helped in the carin’ of.”
“Ah, there ye see, there is a wife in the makin’,” Maisie quipped, and those black irises glanced back at her curiously.
There was some jostling from behind her, and the waspish-faced woman she had seen earlier came forward and asked a question. She looked as though she was a hair's breadth from being dragged away by her mother.
Maisie was glad when that piercing gaze moved away from her and focused on the other women in the group.
“What the devil are ye doing?” her father hissed beside her. “Dae ye want to earn yer bread on the streets?” His voice was so low only she could hear it, but his face was red and angry, his eyes severe as he looked at her.
“Why doesnae he just take Miss Guthrie for a wife?” she asked, bewildered.
“That is nae yer concern. Ye dae as I say and focus on the task at hand, nae more of this frivolity. Ye are here to win.”
“I didnae even ask toplay,” she murmured.
“Be quiet and dae as ye’re told, my girl.”
Maisie gripped the glass in her fingers so tightly she thought she might break the stem. She watched the laird as he conversed with the other ladies, looking as bored and disinterested as he had when he had spoken with Lillian.
I will make sure I am the last woman he would ever wish to wed.
CHAPTER 4
Giveme the strength to get through this day.
James had never been through anything so tedious in his life.
His desk was overflowing with missives regarding the clan and letters from his tenants. He would much rather be seeing to their wishes than standing here trying to woo a bride he had no interest to wed.
But instead, here he was attempting to maintain a mask of polite interest as he listened to yet another forgettable brunette.
His irritated gaze fell on Bram and Marcus, who stood with their heads bowed together against the wall at the edge of the courtyard. He should not have let them persuade him to go through with this. It was pure idiocy to gather all these women together for the sole purpose of vying for his attention.
I dinnae need a wife, and I dinnae wish to choose one who is only here because her mother instructed her to be.
His eyes moved to Miss Brown. She had come with her father, it was true. She did not seem to wish to be here anymore than he did, and that was unusual.Maybe she doesnae think I’m a suitable catch,he thought with a smirk.
He wondered why she had come at all. She seemed an intelligent woman, with a spark in her eyes that held a challenge in it. As soon as he had met her in the gardens, he had felt there was something different about her, but he was not yet sure what it was.
