Page 64 of Highlander's Sinless Nymph
“I’ll nae hear o’ that,” he said. His tone was even, quiet, but it held all the ominousness of an approaching cavalry charge. “I’ll allow ye to voice the option, Mulloy––once––but nae again.”
“It’s damned impertinent of ye to threatenmyadvisors, lad!” the Laird barked. “And it’s nae yer place to make any decisions for this clan!”
Edward spun back to his father. “I’ll nae see her hurt, Faither!” he snapped back. “I ken that ye are aware that the course I am suggestin’ makes sense.”
The Laird considered Edward for a handful of heartbeats; gray eyes boring into brown. Fury matching fury.
“Fine,” he said, shortly.
Edward had learned early on––from the Laird himself––that the most valuable currency a man possessed, when it came to negotiating, were his thoughts. The better you were able to conceal them from the people you were hoping to convince or negotiate with, the more valuable they became.
“So, ye’re fine with the plan?” Edward asked, hiding his surprise. He glanced over at Charlotte and saw the Englishwoman relax noticeably.
“Oh, aye, I think ye are quite correct in thinkin’ that this course of action is one that is most likely to conclude in a satisfactory endin’ fer the clan,” the Laird said. “Seein’ what a mess ye have made o’ everythin’, with yer massive lapse in judgment.”
Edward bristled at these words, but held his tongue.
“Aye,” said the Laird, clapping his hands together. “So. The only question to be asked is;whois to be the lad who weds this Sassenach, to right yer mistakes fer the sake o’ the clan?”
Edward looked up sharply.
“What do ye mean?” he asked, suspiciously.
His father frowned at him. “Well,” the Laird said coldly, “we must find a likely lad that can afford to marry this lass fer the convenience of the clan, do we nae?”
Edward looked over at Charlotte. The young woman was standing by the window. She looked as perplexed at the Laird’s words as he felt.
“Faither,” he said, “I meant thatIshould be the one to marry Miss Bolton.”
The Laird goggled at his son. “GoodGod, lad, have ye lost yer wits? We cannae have ye, the Laird’s son, marryin’ this woman!”
“But––” Edward began.
The Laird drew himself up. Edward knew his father to be an honest, rational, and fair man, but he also knew when he was steeling himself to be Edward’s Laird over Edward’s father.
“Lad,” he said, smoothing his impressive gray and blonde beard, “ye have won me over with yer argument. Me instincts on hearing this lass’s name––and I hope that Miss Bolton will excuse me fer sayin’ so––was to have her thrown straight into the dungeons to await an execution in front of her faither.”
Edward looked over at Charlotte. The young woman had blanched at Tormod MacAlpein’s words.
“However,” the Laird continued, “that was the bile in me heart talkin’. Havin’ seen the lass, and heard yer testimony about how she acquitted herself on the road, I ken now that to have done such a thing would have been just the sort o’ monstrous action that her faither would have taken.”
“Then why––” Edward tried to say.
“Yer plan is a good one, lad,” the Laird said. “It looks after the clan’s interests, the interests of all its people––and this is exactly what a Laird should consider when he makes any decision.”
The Laird patted Edward on his uninjured arm.
“However,” he continued brusquely, and he looked up imperiously at Charlotte, “it does naeneedto be ye that marries her. All that is required is that a man from the MacQuarrie clan marry her to keep her safe. Is that nae so?”
Edward was momentarily speechless. “I…uh….I––aye, I suppose it––”
“Right, so, seein’ as ye have nay connection wi’ this lass, except fer bringin’ her here, it should nae matter to ye that we marry her off to, say, a stable boy?”
Edward found that, despite still being furious after he and his father’s quarrel, he did not have much of an argument against what his father was saying. Not when the Laird’s motive and plan was laid out in the way that it was. Itdidmake logical sense.
There was just one problem.
I find meself absolutely sick to the stomach at the very thought o’ some other random person makin’ her his wife. I like her. I like her very indeed…
