Page 151 of The Highlander's Princess Bride
“Hold on,” he said, grabbing her shoulders. “What’s the rush?” He narrowed his gaze on Nicholas. “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly.
“Nothing?” Nicholas echoed.
“Well, Lord Arnprior was just proposing to me,” she said.
Alec’s gaze shifted between them. “It obviously went as well as all the other proposals.”
“Gilbride, talk some sense into your cousin,” Nicholas said. “If she marries me, I can protect her.”
She glared at him. “As I told you, that’s not a good enough reason.”
“Sounds like a good one to me,” Alec said.
Victoria bristled.
“All right, don’t bite my head off,” Alec added, forestalling her snippy response. “At least not until I have some coffee. I was up before dawn.”
Her cousin took her arm and steered her back to the table.
Victoria sank into her chair with a weary sigh. She was so tired of fighting—fighting with Angus, fighting to stay out of prison—even fighting the man she loved. She felt like she’d spent the last few months of her life in battle.
“Things have been a bit tricky around here the last few days, I gather,” Alec said, fetching a cup from the sideboard.
“Yes, but we’re out of the woods now, I think,” Nicholas said.
“Except when it comes to Fletcher,” Alec said.
Victoria sat up straight. “Have you heard something?”
“I’ll get to that in a moment. First, tell me how Ainsley is.”
“She’s fine.” Victoria gave him a brief version of events without mentioning Lord Cringlewood. “She has no wish to marry Royal and is quite unconcerned about any damage to her reputation. Ainsley doesn’t care if anyone gossips about her.”
Alec shook his head. “The girl is a complete mystery to me. In any event, I think we’re going to be fine, since you and Arnprior managed to make it up here.” He looked at Nicholas. “And you owe me a considerable debt, old son. Dealing with a pair ofextremelyirate fathers is not my idea of a jolly good time. Braden had the excellent sense to make himself scarce when they showed up, leaving me to face the heavy artillery alone.”
“Oh, dear,” Victoria said. “What did you say to them?”
“Not much, since they were yelling at me. Fortunately, my splendid wife showed up in the nick, and Edie yelled back just as loudly. She assured Mr. Peyton and Mr. MacBride that there was no cause for alarm, and that their precious daughters were properly chaperoned at all times.”
“That’s true,” Victoria said. “Angus traveled in the carriage with them.”
“That must have been fun,” Alec said wryly.
“They all ended up hating one another by the time they arrived.”
Her cousin snorted.
“And the girls’ families are truly not pressing for marriage?” Nicholas asked.
“Mr. MacBride was horrified at the idea of his daughter marrying a hellion like Graeme,” Alec said.
“He’s a vicar. It’s understandable.”
“And Mr. Peyton was equally horrified at the notion of his daughter marrying a penniless younger son.”
“Grant’s not penniless—but never mind.”
