“Missed their chance?”
“I am not the only man who wants to gain control of these lands and castle, just the first to act,” he said. “If it were not me, lass, it would be someone else.”
Alison leaned her head against the stone wall behind her and stared at the ceiling. It had been a foolish dream to believe she could have her freedom. Why had she not seen it? She was the granddaughter of chieftains, the sister-in-law to the queen, the widow of Blackadder and the mother of his heirs. A woman with her blood connections was valuable property. Wedderburn was right. If it were not him forcing her into marriage, it would be someone else—if her brother did not barter her away first.
She would never be allowed to remain unwed or to choose her husband, never have the chance of finding true love. Not that she believed in true love, though she had once, a very long time ago. Her girlish hope for love had disappeared like a wisp of smoke in the wind when she married.
“I know this is not fair,” Wedderburn said, “but let’s make this arrangement as agreeable as we can.”
Wedderburn startled her by laying his hand over hers. His was so large that only the tips of her fingers showed beneath it. She did not jerk her hand away because she did not want to chase away the unexpected kindness she saw in his eyes.
A tiny light of hope began to burn in her chest. But then the kindness left his eyes like a door slamming shut, and the light of hope flickered out.
***
David cursed himself for his momentary lapse. Lady Alison’s soft and sweet femininity brought out a dangerous longing in him for something he should not want, and most definitely could not have. He could never permit himself to be weakened by a woman the way his father had. Never.
Men spoke of his father as a great leader, but his mother had been harder, colder, more determined. David took after her.
He reminded himself that he was not marrying Lady Alison because he wanted to or because she was breathtakingly beautiful or because she needed protection, though he could give her that. And it did not make one damned bit of difference what she wanted or how she felt about becoming his wife.
He was marrying her for the sake of his brothers and clan and to carry out his promise of vengeance. She was a means to an end, and that was all she could be to him.
“I hope we can have a cooperative union and be useful to each other,” he told her.
“A practical arrangement, then?” she asked.
“Aye.”
“I’ll ask the servants to prepare a bedchamber for ye,” she said, and stood as if to dismiss him.
“You’ll ask them to prepareourbedchamber.”
She arched her eyebrows. “That is beyond the practical arrangement ye suggested.”
“’Tis exceedingly practical,” he said. “I am the chief of the Humes, and I need heirs.”
She dropped her gaze to the floor, and her shoulders drooped on a slow exhale.
“There are benefits to marriage that we shall both enjoy.” He brushed his knuckles against the softness of her cheek and brought her eyes back up to his. “I’m looking forward to them verra, verra much.”
“Well, I am not,” she said with a flash of anger in her eyes. “This is far too soon. Ye must respect that I am newly widowed and grant me time.”
Her rejection stung more than he wanted to admit.
“What Imustdo,” he said, “is wed and bed ye before anyone attempts to thwart me.”
“How dare ye be so indelicate as to speak of bedding me,” she said.
“I dare do more than speak of it.” He let a slow smile curl the corners of his mouth. “And while no lass has ever accused me of being delicate, I’ll try to be gentle,ifthat’s how ye like it…”
She slapped his face. While she did not have the strength to hurt him, the lass did put all she had into it.
He grabbed her wrist to prevent her from slapping him a second time and leaned down until they were nose to nose. “We shall be husband and wife before the sun sets.”
“I shall not do it,” she said, holding his gaze.
“Did ye hear me say ye had a choice?” he asked. “Be in the hall in one hour.”
