The man met her gaze with an obvious confusion, but, before he could question her sudden enthusiasm, she pulled him out to dance with her. Fortunately, he seemed cheerful enough with the ale not to think much of it or make any move to stop it.
Over his shoulder, she caught glimpses of Tavish. She silently willed him to find some other woman to dance with, someone other than her. To turn that gaze, that touch, on someone new. Because she could still feel it dancing traitorously in her body, like a brand that had been planted there against her, whether she liked it or not.
She could have sworn to herself that it was just because he was the closest thing to the man she was going to marry who still stood alive on this earth, but she knew—sheknew—it was nothing even close to that.
She forced a gale of laughter as the man trod on her toes, brushing it off like the simple mistake it was, and he stared at her with some bafflement, parting his lips to try and makeconversation. But her gaze was drawn behind him, as she realized that Tavish had vanished from her line of sight. She wanted to know where he was at all times. A prey never took its eyes off the predator, not if they could help it, and she was no different.
And then, she caught sight of him, his dark hair a head over everyone else blaring through the crowd like a beacon. And she realized, with a gasp, that he was talking to her parents. She broke away from her partner at once, not bothering to so much as explain her sudden exit, and took off towards him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
There was only one thing that he could have been talking to her parents about; only one thing he would have come to this place looking for, and she knew that her family would be all too quick to take him up on it.
They knew little of the man he was or what they would be condemning her to if they agreed to whatever twisted plan he had managed to string together.
As she approached them, Tavish turned to her, covering her from her parents’ view for a split second.
“What are ye?—”
“Enjoyed the dance, did ye?” Tavish whispered. The smile he had on his face showed all of his teeth and none of his kindness. “I hope ye did. It’s the last time ye’ll be dancing with a man other than me.”
Her eyes widened, her lips parting to shoot back some retort to undercut him, but before she could so much as get it out, he clapped his hands together, commanding the attention of the room. All eyes turned to him, as though everyone had been half-watching him this whole time, fearful of what he might do if their backs were turned.
“By MacFadden custom,” he announced, his voice lifting over the remains of the chatter in the Great Hall. “And before friendsand kin, I claim Ailsa Kerr to be my bride; our clans are already in accord.”
Chapter Two
Ailsa did not botherto respond to the voices calling for her to remain as she stormed off down the corridor and towards the room where her parents would be staying. Her head felt fit to burst, anger and terror and something darker and deeper twisting in her guts in a way she couldn’t describe.
Marriage. She was tomarryTavish? And her parents had agreed to such a thing? After Tavish had made the announcement, her parents had retreated to their chambers as the celebrations had taken place, and Ailsa had been too shocked to think of following them, instead heading for the nearest balcony for a breather. But now, she needed answers, and she’d not settle until she had been given them.
She burst through the chamber doors and found her mother brushing her hair while her father sat on the bed. Both looked up in surprise as she entered, though she could not imagine for a moment that they had truly thought she would have let something like this slide.
“You agreed to Tavish’ proposal?” she exclaimed, her voice quivering as she stood there. Her mother rose to her feet, stroking her daughter’s arm gently.
“Sweetheart, ye must understand. It’s the best choice ye can make.”
“For whom?” she retorted furiously. “For ye? Because it’s no’ sensible for me, not by a long shot!”
“Ailsa, calm down,” her father ordered gruffly, and she rounded on him, her eyes narrowing.
“Ye would hand me over to a man like that? Before ye discuss it with me?” she demanded.
“Ye were engaged to his brother,” her mother responded, shaking her head. “The family has already accepted ye, and?—”
“And he is nothing like his brother”" she replied, her voice catching at the back of her throat. “Callum… Callum was my friend. A good man! He would have taken good care of me. Tavish can do none of that!”
“What makes ye so sure?” her father asked, furrowing his brow, some concern suddenly springing to his face.
“He’s a brute,” she replied, hardly even sure if she were exaggerating. “When he hasnae been ignoring me, he’s been trying to intimidate me. Or annoy me. Or-or threaten me!”
“Threaten ye? What on earth are you talking about?” her mother replied, waving a hand. “Ye must stop saying such ridiculous things, Ailsa, there’s nothing to them. He came to us and offered to take over where his brother had been unable to fulfill his duty. He’s clearly a good man with a fine sense of family, and ye’d be hard-pressed to find much better out there than that.”
She could tell from the tone of her mother’s voice that there would be no arguing with her, no getting her to see sense. A lump leapt into her throat as she remembered the way he had pinned her to the parapet the night before, the way he had warned her about what would happen. Ailsa knew it as a possibility, but she had hoped she would have time to find another suitor to introduce to her parents.
“Ye’re really going to make me do this,” she muttered, looking between them, imploring either of them to see that she meant it when she pleaded for their help. But her mother simply crossed her arms over her chest, raising her eyebrows at her, and shook her head.
“Ye must be married, Ailsa,” she replied firmly. “And he’s a fine match for you. That’s all there is to it.”
Ailsa turned on her heel and stormed from their room. If they were not going to have a conversation with her on this matter, then she’d no longer bother them with her presence. She could feel tears of frustration stinging her eyes, the weight of it starting to get the better of her.
