Page 16 of Her Scot of the Morrow
In fact, when her gaze lingered on my cock, and how ready it was for her, I thought I would burst with need. A sensation I’d often felt in my youth, fearing I couldn’t control myself, and it surprised me that the same remained true to this day, but only with Willow.
“This way,” the guard grunted after I finished dressing, assured her all would be well, and opened the door.
“What do you think this is about, anyway?”Willow wondered, still ethereal beside me as we headed for the Sutherland’s private dining chamber.
“I couldnae say other than ‘tis likely nothing good.”
And I suspected that was truer still when I entered the chamber, only to discover Dugal and Elspet at the heads of the table, with Lorna and her father sitting across from Lilias. I was directed to sit beside her, putting me directly across from the woman I was to marry.
Meanwhile, Willow hovered near the paintings of the four trees, as if drawn to them, before her eyes homed in on Lorna, and I felt, rather than saw, her conflicted emotions. Jealousy, anger, and distrust were at the forefront, and I didn’t blameher for feeling any of them. I would, too, if our positions were reversed.
Rather than say anything to Lorna and her father, I held back and waited for Elspet to speak first, so I could properly gauge the situation, as I suspected this had everything to do with their secret arrival. Mayhap even Dugal’s request to see me out of MacLeod colors.
Lorna appeared as haughty as ever, despite being born to a mere warrior. Her dark blonde locks were pulled back into a becoming style that suited a station she had yet to achieve, and she wore a dark crimson dress made of a rich material, clearly provided by the Sutherlands. Many considered her beautiful with her unblemished ivory skin, large bluish grey eyes, and proper mannerisms, but I had never seen it. How could I, considering Willow’s free spirit, darker complexion, and sun-kissed beauty?
“As ye can see, MacLeod, we had an unexpected arrival overnight,” Elspet began, taking the lead when, again, it should be Dugal doing so. As if providing them with a great boon, she nodded once at Lorna and her father. “And I cannae blame them for seeking us out, all things considered, as we are fair to those who have been wronged.”
“Oh, this should be good.”Taking in the situation, especially Lorna, Willow’s eyebrows swept up.“Why do I have a feeling she’s going to take advantage of your situation?”
“Because that’s exactly who the woman to whom I have been betrothed for far too long is,”I muttered, wondering where this was all leading.
“And I cannae thank ye enough for being so gracious,” Lorna said to both Elspet and Dugal, speaking as though she were good friends with our king. “King Robert will be most pleased.Mostpleased.” She offered a very slight and proper nod to her father. “Will he not, Father, for we will tell him our Sutherlands knownobounds when it comes to king and country and our beloved Scotland, being here for me in my time of need.”
“Her what?”Willow narrowed her eyes at Lorna, and I didn’t blame her.“What’s she talking about, because if anything, she should be here for you in your time of need, right?”
“One would think, unless they knew Lorna,”I replied dryly, glad Willow was seeing firsthand that I only agreed to marry this woman for the love of my father and king and country. Lorna was, if nothing else, haughty, selfish, self-centered, and willing to do whatever it took to improve her station.
“Of course, we Sutherlands would be here for ye in yer time of need,” Dugal assured dutifully, if not with a touch of smug superiority, looking from Lorna to me before nodding at her graciously giving her permission to carry on. “So please, lass, I encourage ye to share with Sloan how we helped as ye so rightfully deserved given yer blasphemous circumstances.”
“Blasphemous?” Willow mouthed, rolling her eyes and offering a touch of humor as only she could to a daunting situation. It had been a long time since I experienced her sense of humor or the humor she could draw from me, and it felt good, despite how tense I had become.
“Many thanks, m’laird,” Lorna said graciously, turning a rather wounded but snotty look my way. “As ye can imagine, Sloan, when I learned ye had been speaking to another lass for years despite our betrothal, I lost a great deal of respect for ye and yers.” Despite no tears, she dabbed at the corner of her eye when Dugal handed her a handkerchief. “’Twas soverrahard to hear.” She pressed a hand to her chest, ever the actress, her gaze more wounded by the moment. “Ye broke my heart, Sloan MacLeod.” A pout pulled down the corners of her painted lips. “Howcouldye?”
Before I could counter, her wounded, teary expression fled as fast as it had come, and she sat up straighter, peering down her nose at me, and continued.
“To that end, I must announce before all that the agreement my father so graciously made with yer father back when honor still meant something is no more,” she declared, again nodding graciously at Dugal and Elspet before her cold gaze landed on me. “Therefore, I will be marrying into the Sutherland clan instead, and I cannae say with good conscience that I wish ye well, for ye are a traitor in more ways than one.”
Where every bone in my body and most certainly my dragon prompted me to smile because I had never been so happy to hear anything in my life, I had long cultivated how to behave by keeping king and country first, representing not just the MacLeods but my good friend, King Robert, in all things. So rather than look at Willow so she might see in my eyes how relieved and elated I was by this turn of events, I knew better.
Rather, I tightened my jaw as if truly upset by this news and turned troubled eyes to Lorna’s father, who was not just one of Robert’s best warriors but was supposed to be a good friend too. “Should I assume our king has approved this? That ye carry a decree stating the arrangement is nullified and yer daughter will be marrying a Sutherland?”
Although concern flashed in his eyes, Elspet smoothly redirected the conversation her way. “Rest assured, it has been seen to, and our king understands poor Lorna’s reasoning.” Her beady black eyes seemed to grow more dull and hateful the longer she peered down her nose at me. “Moreover, as ‘twas done with yer wardrobe this eve, the MacLeod stain will be wiped from our clan once my son and Willow come together, and the pact is fulfilled at last.” Her eyes narrowed. “A pact that only exists because yer ancestor betrayed mine.”
I had no chance to respond before the Sutherlands surprised me with just how bold they intended to be, and Elspet motioned to the guards standing at the door. “I thought, mayhap seeing him out of MacLeod colors would improve my mood, but it has not, so take him to the dungeons and let us see if that is enough to bring Willow home to her rightful mate.”
“Nay,” I denied firmly, standing when the guards tried to yank me up. Ignoring Lorna’s haughty, righteous look, her father’s wariness, and Dugal’s smugness, I kept my eyes trained on Elspet, and my voice level and calm when I wanted to roar at her and tear her throat out with my dragon teeth. “I can walk myself down to yer dungeon, but mark my words, King Robertwillhearof this, and I cannae see him thinking highly of it.”
“Something we will worry about when the time comes,” Elspet cut back, gesturing at her men to lead me out. “Although I suspect ‘twill never be of concern.”
That told me all I needed to know as I was paraded past Lilias, who kept her head down, staring at her plate, and past Willow, who was fuming mad, then down a long, dark corridor. Elspet and Dugal were confident Willow would arrive and was the key to the pact. I suspected Lorna and her father were involved in all this beyond the obvious in ways we hadn’t foreseen, but I couldn’t quite place how yet.
“I agree,”Willow said, right there in my mind, no doubt following me down the numerous winding torchlit stairs I eventually ended up descending.“There’s something seriously smarmy about them. Well, Lorna anyway. I’m undecided about her father.”
“As am I,”I concurred.“I’ve battled alongside him numerous times, and he protects his countrymen fiercely. Just as much as he does his king, so this doesnae suit him. He would never betray Robert like this, and ‘tis a betrayal. Dinnae doubt it.”
“I don't because I agree.”
She went silent after that, but I knew she was still close when I was locked in a small, cold, dank cell with nothing but moonlight streaming through the bars of an equally small window, and I was left alone.
