Chapter Thirteen
She said yes.
Liam felt a weight the size of the castle roll off his shoulders. Unfortunately, it landed in the pit of his stomach. She’d said yes—and he believed her—but the moment she understood the magnitude of the problems at his home, she was likely to run back to London in terror. He fought that particular fight daily, and this was his homeland.
“How would you like to start?” he asked. The quicker she became invested in doing something here, the more mired in Scotland she became.
The door pushed open from behind with nary a knock. “Start with making her ladyship presentable,” came Mairi’s dry voice. Knowing her, she’d probably been listening at the door waiting for the right opportunity to burst in. “You’ve got the Aberbeag and others to greet for the wedding breakfast afore they depart. They’re eating through our larder, so the sooner you bid them good-bye, the sooner we can work on filling it for the winter.” She cast a critical eye at him. “An’ she’s not the only one who needs a bath.”
He gotten used to Mairi’s sharp tongue when they were children. He’d deserved it, of course, because he often used her dolls as target practice. But today was about securing Clara by his side, and a harsh female was the exact opposite of what was needed.
“Mairi MacAdaidh, you will knock before entering my lady’s chamber,” he snapped.
“It’s not her chamber, you dolt,” the woman snapped. “It’s yours.”
“And when have I ever given you leave to enter without permission?”
He watched Mairi open her mouth to argue, but she wasn’t a fool. They both knew the tone he took when he had run out of patience. And the last thing he needed was a former lover ruining life with his wife. Which meant he needed to take control before Mairi figured out a retort.
He took Clara’s hands in his. “What say you? Do we bathe and then see our guests away?”
Uncertainty flitted through her expression. She was not a woman who wanted to play hostess. And while she hesitated over her response, her brother spoke up.
“I have a different bargain,” he said coldly. “I will sponsor your whisky to the prince regent. You’ll get your royal mark, and you’ll never say one word to me or my family again.” He took a menacing step forward. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? That’s why you got me so drunk last night.” The turned to his sister. “Damnation, Clara, I failed you. When I most should have—”
“Oh, stop the dramatics,” Clara said as she disentangled her hand from Liam’s. Then she abruptly laughed, though the sound was high and brittle. “Imagine that. Me tellingyounot to be dramatic.”
Aaron wasn’t impressed. “We will leave. I’ll get him what he wants, and we’ll say no more about any of this.”
She nodded slowly, and in that moment, Liam thought she would renege on everything they’d just promised one another. She turned to him. “Did you plan this? Get Aaron drunk? Make me into a ghost bride?”
“You know I did not.”
She didn’t know that. She had yet to sort out who had done what, but the challenge he had issued still burned in her. He’d called her brilliant and told her to put her ideas to the test. No one else—liar or not—had ever said as much.
She turned to her brother, her tone growing stronger with every word. “Dearest brother, you’ve been telling me to grow up for years now.”
“I wanted you to take care of the servants, not harry after a Scotsman!”
She snorted. “That’s rich, given that you have supported his courtship until now.”
“Clara—”
“You are free, Aaron. I cut our ties, I end your responsibility for me, and I bid you go off and have a delightful life with Lilah. Only give me control of my funds and you need never worry about me again.”
He threw up his hands. “Good God, there is no reasoning with you. Either of you!” He pointed at Liam. “He wants a royal warrant for his scotch, and your dowry.”
“And I want to take a bath,” she responded calmly. “Before I meet the guests.” She arched a brow at Liam. “I am to pretend to be your bride, yes?”
Liam sighed. “Youaremy bride, Clara.”
“Yes, well, I shall not consider it truth until I am no longer a virgin.”
“Clara!” Aaron exclaimed.
“Rather like waving a red flag in front of a bull,” Lilah murmured, and Mairi released a short burst of laughter at that.
Meanwhile, Clara continued as if no one had commented. “Please, Mairi, would you show me to the bath house. There is one, is there not?”
