“Ah dinnae ken ye or yer family. Ye dinnae even huv a clan that I can check out,” he said calmly, in a matter-of-fact way.“I promised ma brother that I’d look after his weans like they wur ma ain.”
I nodded solemnly.
“My family does have roots here in the Shetlands. I believe our name was Wulverson before it became Wulverton. Surely you can’t hold it against me because some of my family, historically, went to live in England?”
“And how wud yer family react tae huvin’a Scotswoman married tae their only heir?” he asked, leaning over my desk.
The chair creaked beneath his bulky weight.
“My mother has already sent her some gifts,” I said softly.
“And if ye had a daughter,” he pressed,“wud ye let her marry someone like yersel?”
Wulfric began to growl, and I coughed to smother the sound.
I closed my eyes and imagined a red-haired, brown-eyed child.
My daughter.
My blood.
With a slow sigh, I shook my head.
“No one would be good enough for my daughter.”
His lips tugged at one corner.
“So ye see ma dilemma?”
I did—and I did not like it.
Not one bit.
“She chose me,” I said, unwilling to yield.“This is something we both want.”
“Aye, an’that’s no’like her,” he muttered, his bushy red brows nearly colliding.“Ah dinnae ken what kind o’dark magic ye spun.”
“Mayhap there’s more to me than you know,” I replied evenly.
He leaned back in his chair and studied me.
“Perhaps.”
It was the only concession I won—but I would take it.
Chapter 28
Euphemia
My eyes kept drifting back to the window. Aunt Flora had told me Thaddeus had asked to see my uncle, and he still hadn’t returned. My mind filled with macabre images I couldn’t quite chase away.
“Och, it’ll all work oot. Dinnae be frettin’,” she murmured, stroking the back of my hair.
“I’d never seen Uncle Callum so angry before.”
“He thought the worst when ye didnae return.”
I jumped when I spotted Uncle Callum through the window. The door opened, but his face gave nothing away. He set a box down on the table. His hands weren’t bloodied—which felt like a very good sign.
