“Here I come again, Papa! Look, I am even faster now!” Her arms swung over her head in her excitement.
They all watched her tear back across the hall toward them, and Brenna and Quade laughed hard enough to make Lily giggle.She stopped in front of Alex and stared up into his eyes, her face beaming with pride. “Do you want to see how high I can jump, too, Laird Grant?”
“Aye, aye, Lily!” Brenna said through her laughter. “We are so proud of you! Keep running and jumping.”
Alex continued to stare at the three of them. He finally bent down and patted the wee one’s back. “Aye, lass. You are the fastest.”
Leaning over, Lily gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Laird Grant. I hope you do no’ take Lady Brenna away from me. She fixed me. See how much better I am now?”
The big laird was conquered.
Chapter Twelve
Brenna is NOT happy with her brother.
Five of them now stood in Quade’s solar. Alex’s arms were crossed in his laird stance—as Brenna oft called it—and Brodie looked equally serious next to him. Quade and Micheil stood against the opposite wall with Brenna somewhere in between.
Alex spoke first. “Ramsay, since you had your tongue halfway down my sister’s throat, I expect you will be agreeable to marrying her as soon as possible.
“Alex!” Brenna could not believe he had said such a thing. Even if it was true, it didn’t need to be said in front of everyone. She blushed a dark shade of red. She had blushed as soon as she had seen the look in her brother’s eye after he caught her in such a compromising position, but it had been dark in the passageway, even with the torches. Plus, after the way Quade had been kissing her, it was hard to think clearly.
All right, she shouldn’t have been kissing Quade, but she wouldn’t change it. She had liked it too much. Her whole bodywould still be tingling if not for her brother’s angry countenance. Brodie wasn’t any better, except she could see his smirk trying to break out. She knew he didn’t dare smile in front of Alex.
Hellfire, what was she to do now? She supposed she could marry Quade. Her feelings toward the lad had grown, especially when he kissed her like that. Whew! How long had they been standing in the hallway devouring each other anyway?
Either way, her brother was just being a big bully. He had promised their mother she would have a say in who she married, and he had promised her the same thing. Alex would never force her against her will. Would he?
“The marriage will take place in two days’ time. Find a priest, Ramsay. I need to get home to my wife.” Alex’s eyes were pinned on Quade, daring him to argue again.
“Alex, stop!” It was time for her to get involved. She would not allow Alex to run her life. “This was clearly a mistake and it willnae happen again. I promise.”
“’Tis too late, Brenna. The damage is done. I did no’ notice you pushing him away, so you should be agreeable.”
“But I am no’ agreeable,” she shouted.
“You were agreeable enough to let him run his hands all over you.”
“I am no’ agreeable to marrying him. I willnae force anyone to marry me.”
“I do no’ care if you are agreeable or no’. This man, chief or no’, willnae shame my sister and get away with it. You will marry him, Brenna.”
“Nay! You promised our mother that I would have my say in who I married. And I say nay!”
“Sorry, but it appeared to me you were saying aye when you had your arms wrapped around his neck and you were pushing yourself against him. You will marry him!” Alex’s bellow shook the rafters.
Quade stepped forward. “I do no’ care if she agrees. I willnae marry her.”
Alex strode forward until he was but an inch away from Quade’s face. “What do you mean you willnae marry her? You had your hands all over her. Or is that how you treat every lass, like a common wench?”
Quade did not back down. “Nay, I do no’ treat every lass as such. Brenna kens how much respect I have for her. But one kiss does no’ force a marriage. I repeat; I will no’ marry her.”
“You have an odd way of showing your respect, Ramsay. You will marry her at the end of my claymore, if you wish.”
“Nay, I will no’ do it, no’ for you or for anyone.”
Brenna suddenly realized what Quade had said. Her brow furrowed. It was one thing for her to deny a forced marriage, quite another for him to react this way, as if marrying her would be the worst fate in the world.
She marched over and stood in front of Quade, her hands on her hips. “What do you mean you willnae marry me? Was everything you said to me a lie?”
