She shrieked when he pulled her in, clothes and all, then laughed. They both had been so busy since Rory that they’d had too few lighthearted moments like this.
“This is a new gown that ye got all wet,” she said.
“Now that’s a problem I can fix,” he said, and reached for the laces.
An hour later, she sighed with contentment as she lay on the bed with her head on his chest. There were a couple of topics she had been waiting to raise with her husband, and this seemed like the right moment.
“I’m so proud of all that you’ve accomplished,” she said. “You’ve made allies of all our neighboring clans.”
“Except the Munros,” he said.
“Aye, except the Munros.” She ran her fingers over his chest. “’Tis time ye made peace with them,mo rùin.”
“I’ve tried,” Rory said. “The Munro chieftain knows I did not order that ambush and that I’ve killed Duncan and banished Hector, who were responsible. I don’t know what else I can do to appease the man.”
“Well,” Sybil ventured, “ye might consider the most common means of forging an alliance…”
When Rory gave her a blank look, she stifled a sigh. Men could be obtuse when they really did not want to hear something.
“You could suggest a marriage to bind the two clans,” she said.
Rory pressed his lips together and glared at the ceiling.
“The Munro chieftain is not married,” she said. “And neither is Catriona.”
His eyelid twitched. “Ye can’t mean for me to give my sister to that arrogant, pigheaded Munro.”
“Munro has many fine qualities that will make him a strong chieftain and a good husband.” She refrained from mentioning his fine looks.
“It would be an insult to my sister if I made the offer and he refused.”
“He won’t,” Sybil said. “He has an eye for her.”
That did not seem to please him at all.
“I agree that the match would have advantages for the clan, but I won’t force my sister to wed a man she doesn’t want.” Rory cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “I want her to have a chance for the kind of happiness we have.”
“Ask her if she’s willing.” Sybil could not hold back a smile. “You should do it quickly.”
Rory narrowed his eyes at her. “What do ye know that you’re not telling me?”
“If you don’t arrange the marriage, they’ll go through with their scheme.”
“What scheme would that be?” Rory asked.
“Munro doesn’t believe you’ll agree to give him your sister,” she said, “so he means to steal his bride.”
“What?” Rory sat up in bed. “I’ll—”
“And your sister means to let him steal her,” Sybil said. “After all, it is her plan.”
Rory flopped back down on the bed.
Sybil suspected that the reason Catriona visited Alex’s family so often was because it was easier to sneak away from their house than from the castle to meet her Munro chieftain.
“If that’s what Catriona wants, I’ll agree to the marriage,” Rory said. “But they’ll have to wait a few years, until she’s older.”
“Catriona is old enough.” Sybil rested her hand on his chest. “She loves him, and making her wait won’t change that.”
