He finally cleared his threat. “I believe that we got off on the wrong foot, lass?—”
“Do you even know my name?” she blurted out in frustration, and then stiffened, shocked at her own daring.
The Laird blanched, scowling at her, before taking a deep breath as he rocked on his heels. “I ken yer name is Lilliana Ashcombe. I believe ye and I have gotten off on the wrong foot. I will start by introducing meself. I am the Laird of Clan McGill. Kayden is me name. Ye may call me Laird McGill, or Me Laird, whichever ye prefer.”
She stared at him wide-eyed, slightly embarrassed at her abruptness in interrupting him, even as she was thrown by his response and reluctant to apologize for her actions.
“Very well. You may call me Miss Ashcombe or Miss Lilliana, whichever you prefer.” She lifted her chin, giving him a challenging look.
His mouth twitched, as if he was tempted to smile, but then he was back to giving her a blank face, devoid of emotion. “Yer faither didnae tell ye why he sent ye here?”
“I have told you what I believed I was here for. I was told that your people were ill, and since I am a nurse?—”
“A healer would be more appropriate to care for the ill. Nae a nurse… for the bairns.”
Lilliana flushed. She felt the heat spread through her body, and she fumbled for words to recover. “For bairns—oh golly, no. Not a nurse. Ahealer,then.”
“That is unfortunate. I was promised a bride. We have redcoats garrisoned nearby who make a habit of invading me lands and harassing me tenants. I cannae have that. The plan was for ye and me to get married, so the redcoats would stop harassing us. Yer faither told me that ye need a husband, and I, in turn, need a wife. The agreement has been made, and there is nay going back on it now.” He gave her an apologetic bow, as if he regretted it all.
Lilliana folded her arms, torn between an irrational feeling of rejection and anger. “But I was not consulted! I do not wish to marry you!”
“Ye realize that yer da is nae obligated to consult with ye about marriage agreements.” He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if she were acting ignorant on purpose.
She drew in an angry breath, exasperated in a way she rarely allowed herself to be by anyone. “I am not a bag of grain to be tossed about all willy-nilly. I have the right to make my own choices!”
He snorted, shaking his head. “Can ye save the theatrics for after-dinner entertainment? Our bard is leaving us soon, and we will need a replacement.”
She huffed as her annoyance grew. “Begone with you and your dinner. I do not appreciate you making light of this situation. If I am to be your wife, then I am entitled to your respect,” she challenged, moving closer to look him in the eye.
He stared back at her, unimpressed. “Aye, ye are. But will ye earn me respect, lass?”
She blinked at him, taking him in with every breath. He smelled of peat smoke and manly sweat. She could feel her nipples peak beneath her folded hands. Something about him stirred her body like no one else she’d ever encountered.
“You call yourselfLaird, but are you planning on earningmyrespect? I see no evidence that you have given it much thought.”
He gave a small smirk, his eyes dropping to her bosom for a moment before rising to meet her eyes, as if he knew how he affected her.
“Time will tell, will it nae?”
She took a deep, shaky breath. “I suppose we are at an impasse. We had different expectations of my arrival here. Perhaps we can both get what we want. I will stay in this godforsaken land with youifyou allow me to treat your villagers.”
“I didnae tell yer faither about me villagers’ troubles in order for him to send a mere chit of a lassie to treat them.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Then whydidyou tell him?”
“I merely wished to impress upon him the magnitude of our worries. It hasnae got anything to do with ye.”
“Well, I am here, and I wish to help. I am a trained healer, and you have none.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “I cannae let ye out on yer own to prey on me tenants. What do ye take me for?”
“Ihaveto assume you are an intelligent man who realizes that he needs help with this illness, and I have the knowledge to help you!” she shouted.
He grunted in disagreement. “Yer English remedies arenae needed here. We have our own medicine.”
“Deny me, and you are surely signing their death warrants.”
“I will have nay more talk of this.” He waved a dismissive hand. “The subject is closed.”
