She maintained her smile, but inside Gretna wanted to push him down the stairs. “Of course, not. I know that ye canna wait tae wed, mah James.”
“Eager are ye?” the laird chuckled, slapping his son on the back. “I donna blame ye. Say yer goodbyes, James. We have much tae hunt.”
The laird wandered off and James kissed her knuckles, his eyes hard as he met her gaze. “Donna get into trouble while I am gone, mah dear bride.”
“Donna get yerself killed,” she countered sweetly. “Tis would be a shame tae mourn yer death.”
His grin was quick. “Wouldna that be convenient for ye?” he yanked her forward and pressed his lips to hers. “I shall think of ye every moment of the day.”
Gretna pressed her hands to his chest, ignoring the snickering around her, and gave him a light shove, hoping it looked more playful than anything else. Truthfully, she, dearly, wished to push him down the stairs “Good luck, mah love.”
He winked at her before moving down the stairs, mounting his horse, and riding behind his da. Gretna didn’t breathe fully until they were out of sight, gathering her hands in her skirts and walking back into the keep.
Since she had been named James’ intended, almost everyone in the keep stayed out of her way. The maids made themselves scarce when she made an appearance. Gretna wanted to find out if they knew of any ways she could aid her in getting away from this place, but it was clear that they wanted no part in helping her.
At least she still had the guards with her, Remy’s most trusted circle. Gretna was grateful that she wasn’t alone in this keep.
Without the laird, James, or the other warriors in the great hall, everything was eerily silent. If their hunts were anything like her brother’s, she surmised they would be gone for hours, which would give her time to pilfer through the laird’s study. The thought had come to her this morn as she was getting ready, knowing that if James or his father were planning something more than just aligning the two clans together, she would find correspondence in the laird’s study. After all, it was where her brother kept all of his important documents.
All Gretna needed was one thing, one thing she could hold over James’ head and get her out of this marriage.
Turning to the guards that were forever by her side, she gave them a warm smile. “I think I will walk aboot the keep for a few moments.”
“We are tae stay with ye,” one spoke, not budging from his spot. “Captain’s orders.”
“And I appreciate ye wanting tae protect mah,” she said easily. “But I need a moment. Besides, the laird and mah intended are gone. I am in no danger now.” It wasn’t exactly the truth. Gretna didn’t know how loyal the maids were to their laird or his son, but she also knew that James wanted to wed her and she doubted that they would go against his wishes. “Please,” she added when she saw the indecision in their eyes. “Surely ye wish tae move outside for some fresh air.”
“Alright,” he finally said. “A few moments alone, nothing more. I prefer tae keep mah head.”
Gretna gave him a grateful smile. “I will be fine. A few moments.”
He nodded and motioned to the others to walk away toward the front doors of the great hall, moving outdoors and leavingGretna alone. She knew they would not be gone for more than a few moments, but that was all she needed.
Walking down the hallway, Gretna peered around the corner, finding the study empty. The fire was banked, but there was enough light coming through the windows that she didn’t have to light a candle as she entered, shutting the door quietly behind her. Unlike Ian, the laird kept his study tidy, just as Gretna preferred.
What surprised her was the leather-bound books that lined the wall. She didn’t think the McCellan Laird to be so intrigued by books.
Shaking that particular thought off her mind, Gretna moved behind the large table that served as the laird’s desk and sat in the worn chair, looking at the stack of rolled parchments before her. Some of the seals she recognized from other clans, having seen them in her own brother’s study. Gretna bit the inside of her cheek and unrolled a few of them that had their seals already broken, finding correspondence that was mundane and not at all helpful. Most were from the clans that bordered the McCellan land, a response from what looked like taxes being levied on the use of the road that ran through the clan land. She had never heard of such a thing before, but if that was what Laird McCellan was doing, then it made sense that his coffers were plentiful. After all, James had threatened to cut off the route, and doing so would cripple not only the Wallace clan but countless others.
Rolling the parchment back up, Gretna moved on to the next, skimming the document with disdain. The laird might not be as conniving as his son, but he was greedy and horribly so. While her brother only wished for peace with his surrounding clans, the laird wanted much more than that.
It sickened her.
Disgusted, she forced herself to continue to read the rest, slumping back against the chair when she finished the last one.There was nothing. The only thing she had learned was that the laird was a greedy Scot, nothing that she could use to get out of this marriage.
Tears sprang to her eyes, but Gretna sniffed them away. She was not going to let her hopes down just yet. Remy was due back at any moment and he would get her out of this marriage.
But what if he had gotten back to their clan and changed his mind about her, about them? Remy had made no promises other than he would be back for her, but when he did, what would it mean? Did he have feelings for her? Gretna hoped so. She hoped that he felt the same burning need inside him as she did whenever he touched her. Her cheeks heated as she thought about his words before he left, how he thought of her touching his member again. His words had been flowery, making her body ache for him, but it wasn’t that of love.
Could Remy love her?
Gretna shook herself out of her thoughts. Once Remy came back, there would be plenty of time to discuss their feelings for each other. Right now she had to find something, anything that would allow her the future she had always wished for.
Pushing herself out of the chair, Gretna arranged everything the way that she had found it so that the laird wouldn’t suspect that anyone had been in his study. When she felt that everything was just as it should be, Gretna moved to leave the study, only to have the door open suddenly.
Gretna froze as Trista, the maid who spilled the wine on her the very first night entered the study, her steps faltering as she saw Gretna.
“Wot are ye doing in here?” she asked, looking around. “Ye shouldna be in here.”
