Page 19 of The Anguish of the Scottish Lairds
The boy cried and ran away.
Eva’s response had been to smile up at Sloan. That had been the first time he’d known that Eva was going to be more than awee lass living in the next castle. Eva had sent the first stirring to his loins he’d ever had.
Lennox had snorted. “You have half the hour, Eva. Then you go home.”
And she pranced ahead, following the group into the loch.
Sloan had always been drawn to the lass, but sadly, the feelings were not reciprocated. He’d waited patiently for her to grow up. She was two and twenty to his four and twenty, but she still had no interest in him.
Every time he approached her, she shunned him, just as she’d done not long ago at Dounarwyse Castle.
Tired of waiting, he’d approached Lennox and asked for her hand, expecting his old friend to accept with a smile and a congratulatory clasp of his shoulder, only that hadn’t happened. Lennox had told him he would have to ask Eva.
Sloan sighed because he knew what her answer would be. What he was most curious about was her reasons for the refusal he knew would be coming. Was it his looks? His demeanor? Was he not tall enough? Not smart enough?
He’d never gotten the chance to kiss the lass, so he knew that wasn’t her reason.
Miles called down to him. “You have a visitor. MacVey is here.”
Sloan nodded, heading up the hill to accept the refusal, but he was anxious to hear the reason. Being good friends, he felt Lennox owed him that much.
“MacVey,” he called out as Lennox approached, coming down the hill to meet him, he guessed because he didn’t wish to be overheard. His friend would save him the embarrassment of being refused in front of all his guards.
“Rankin. Something draw your attention down here?”
“Nay, I just enjoy the tranquility of the sea and the birds. My favorite place. You have the sound, I have the sea.” He shrugged,not wanting to push the issue, so he waited to see why he was here.
“I came to give you my sister’s answer to your offer. She accepts.”
Sloan couldn’t have been more shocked. Nothing anyone could have said would have surprised him more. “Eva accepted? She agreed to marry me?” He had to admit his heart soared a wee bit, though he’d not say so, but the answer pleased him. Mayhap with a lengthy betrothal, he could help Eva learn to care for him. See his better qualities. It would give him the time to learn more about her and how to make her happy.
The possibilities were endless. He couldn’t stop the smile from breaking out across his face.
Lennox grimaced and said, “Not exactly.” He scratched his beard, a move that his friend often did when he was about to lie.
“What do you mean by that? It’s an aye or a nay. There’s no in-between, Lennox.”
“In this case, I am accepting for her. She will see the wisdom of my decision in time.”
Sloan stepped back. He knew that was the way of it for many. The elders of the clan decided who would make a good match and ordered it. He didn’t want that for his marriage.
No way on this hallowed ground would he want a lass to be forced to marry him.
“Did you speak to her at all or is this your decision?”
“I did speak with her.”
“And?”
“And she refused. Some foolish reason or another about our father choosing her husband, but she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. He’s gone and I’m here, so I’m choosing for her. You’re a good match for her. She’ll adjust.”
Sloan was nearly at the point when he was about to lose his temper completely. It didn’t happen often, but when he reachedthat point, there was no stopping his fury. But he managed to hold it in for a bit longer. “You think to make such an important decision for your sister like that? And you think I want a wife who is forced to marry me? Hellfire, you better think on this again, friend. Or is it about to become enemy, MacVey?”
“What the hell, Rankin? I’m giving you what you want. My sister’s hand in marriage. Why are you upset about it?”
“Because I want her willing. Do you not know your sister? Do you think I wish to see her in chains at the altar? You know that’s what it would take to get the stubborn lass to marry me if she’s not inclined. You are as daft as my sire if you think I wish for that.”
“The hell I am.”
