Page 3 of Married to the Icy Highlander
If she had known that…
Ceana chewed on her bottom lip, knowing that there was a clear solution in front of her, no matter how much she did not like it. No wonder her mother had spoken to Blaine. Oh, she felt like such a fool.
“Dinnae worry, Maither,” she soothed, holding her mother tightly and smoothing down her hair. “Dinnae cry, I’ll take care of it. Ye’ll never have to do that again, I swear it.”
For a long moment, her mother was silent. “Ye shouldnae have to worry about such things…”
“Hush now, Maither. I’m goin’ to fix it. Ye ken when I set me mind to something, I get it done.”
“How can ye?”
Ceana paused, the weight on her chest growing heavier. Once she said the words, she would not be able to take them back. “I’m goin’ to marry.”
Ceana meant what she said. Once she put her mind to something, she accomplished it.
It had only taken her a week to finalize the details.
She had humbled herself enough to take Blaine up on his offer. Marrying her was the only thing he could do to help her family. It would be nothing more than a white marriage—just a convenience and nothing more.
Blaine had been reluctant to agree at first, given that there had never been even the slightest hint of romance between them, butshe had not been willing to take no for an answer. She had even begged and pleaded.
Perhaps she should not have.
If she had been a little bit less desperate… a little bit less in a hurry or perhaps more understanding of Blaine’s reluctance when she had asked him, then she would not be standing here, alone, waiting for her betrothed, who had apparently jilted her on their wedding way.
Despite such a short amount of time, she felt that she had pulled together quite a handsome wedding. Her dress was lovely—a stunning pale gray and yellow piece that was prettier than anything she had ever laid eyes on.
Blaine had been clear with her—he had never wanted to marry. He didn’t want a wife. He had agreed because she was desperate.
And now? He wasn’t here.
She should have believed him.
Whispers rippled through the gathered guests. Her chest heaved, her panic increasing with each passing second as she remained there alone. She could not bring herself to apologize for wasting their time.
There was no way that she was ever going to live down the humiliation of being jilted at the altar. She couldn’t fathom what had happened to have made Blaine go back on his word.
She didn’t have to look at the villagers’ faces to know that there was pity in their eyes.
Slowly, they started to leave.
Ceana had no idea how long she was standing up there, waiting for a miracle that wasn’t coming. She continued to hold her bouquet even after her hands started to shake. She refused to cry, blinking back tears as, one by one, they all left.
What was she supposed to do now?
Despite all the covetous men who had approached her over the years, seeking filthy arrangements with her, Blaine was the only man who had actually agreed to marry her. She had been promised riches as a mistress, a lifetime of security and jewels, but she had no interest in things like that.
Before her mother could reach her, Ferguson shoved his way through the crowd leaving the pretty clearing where the ceremony was supposed to take place. He was the last person she hadanyintention of speaking to.
“Pity,” he taunted, his beard twitching with what was likely a smirk. “If ye were so desperate, ye could have just said so. I’ll take care of ye like I always have.”
There was pure, unadulterated hatred in Ceana’s eyes as she glared up at him. Only then did a single tear roll down her cheek. Her jaw clenched, and her grip on her paltry bouquet was so tight that she could feel the flowers being pulped between her fingers.
“Ye ken I willnae ask for much in return… ye ken what I want,” Ferguson whispered, leaning in.
“Ceana?” her mother called from behind him.
Ceana ought to go to her. She ought to go back home, where she could figure all of this out. She would just have to make a new plan. Just because this didn’t work out the way she wanted it to, didn’t mean that it wouldn’t work. She could still escape Ferguson and the greasy hold he had on her family.
