“Precisely, lass. Truth be told, the Gunnsare forever at battle with the Campbells to the west of us, buttheir warriors are inferior to mine so they only act up everra oncein a while.”
“Why do they act up at all?”
He shrugged. “Mayhap their laird is stillinsulted that I refused to take his daughter to wife.”
Veronica hadn’t considered that Lachlanmight be married. The thought was more depressing than it shouldhave been.
“Leastways, he married her off to thechieftain of another clan when I wouldna have her.”
She was afraid to ask her next question, butcouldn’t seem to stop herself. “You married someone else then?”
“Not yet.”
Notyet. Was a wedding in the works?Again, the thought was a downer. “Are you marrying soon?”
“Verra soon. Within the next sennight Ipray.”
So he was in love with this mysterybride-to-be. His urgency to marry her underscored as much. “She’s alucky woman.” Veronica forced a smile and a cheerful tone. “I’msure you’ll make her very happy.”
“And she will make me verra happy as well.I’m certain of it.”
Her heart fell, though it had no right to.It wasn’t the big guy’s fault that she’d been thinking abouthim—more like dwelling on him—since their last conversation. Shewondered why he was taking the time to talk to her when his planslay with someone else. Perhaps it was just the novelty of speakingwith a person from the future. She was an oddity, like Victor, butwithout the science lectures.
“I hope she does make you happy,” Veronicahalf-lied. Damn, but this conversation had taken a disappointingturn. “One thing I’ve learned from living day to day, moment tomoment, is to never take something like love for granted.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You have loved amon in the past?”
“Aside from my father and brother?”
“Aye.”
“No.” She sighed. “Never.”
There hadn’t been time, not really. She’dbeen with men before the pandemic, of course, but it had only beenpassing physical satiation, nothing more. For the first time inever it occurred to her that particular reality was a bit on thesad side. Aside from her parents and one platonic friend who’d beenkilled by DR-71 early on, she didn’t have anyone in her life tomourn the loss of. Once upon a time—like five minutes ago—that hadfelt like a bonus. Now it just felt pathetic.
“Good.”
Lachlan’s unexpected response took her bysurprise. Why would he not want her to have loved another man? Itmade no sense. Unless…
“With all due respect, Laird Gunn, I am notgoing to be any man’s mistress,” she sniffed. Her eyes narrowed.“Not now and not in 1155 A.D.”
‘’Tis a boon to hear that, lass.”
She blinked. Was something getting lost intranslation? This conversation was confusing her.
His eyes grew heavy-lidded, but hisexpression stern. It was a peculiar combination. “Did your brothernot tell you who I am marrying?”
She shook her head, both to clear it and toanswer him. “Why would he? It’s not like I’m going to know who sheis.”
“Mayhap you might.”
Veronica frowned. Perhaps his intended wassome famous figure from antiquity, but she had been as interestedin world history back at the university as she had been in science.In other words, she’d paid it only enough attention to get an A andforgotten it. “I doubt it,” she muttered, her gaze flicking to theboat’s ground. “I’m not a history buff like Victor.”
“I dinna ken what a ‘history buff’ is, but Ithink you know my bride verra well.”
“How is that possible?” She wanted to switchtopics or leave the conversation altogether. This verbal exchangewas turning out to be a giant downer.
“My bride-to-be ‘tis you.”
