Page 47 of A Scot to Wed

The door opened and Evan stepped in. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it. “I apologize, lass. I think I was a wee bit harsh with ye just now.”

“Harsh? I believe the word isarrogant. Or perhapsoverbearing. Maybe evenhigh-handed. Alsopigheaded,bossy, andopinionated.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

A sheepish look crossed his face, and he walked slowly to where she sat. As he got closer to the bed, he didn’t appear to be stopping, so she backed up against the headboard. He climbed onto the bed and joined her, taking her hand in his, linking their fingers.

Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed her softly on her knuckles and said, “Mistress Katie Stirling, will ye do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

She should say nay. She should say she would like to think it over. She should say she wanted to talk about what would come next. She should climb off the bed and leave him sitting there. Instead, she left the bed but turned and stared at him.

“What aboutmyclan. Am I to stay here as land steward when you leave and have a marriage in name only? Or am I to abandon my clan after I dragged them all here?”

He drew back, his brows raised. “Nay. Ye and yer brother will come with me and Alasdair back to Argyll. I need a wife to help run my household. Yer clan can take care of itself.”

She skipped over that last remark and jumped on the first. “Ah, so the only reason yer offering marriage is to gain a nonpaid employee.”

“Ach, lass. Ye ken that’s not the reason.”

“What is, then?”

He ran his palm down his face. “We get on verra well. Ye are bonnie, smart, funny, and have a great deal of loyalty in ye.”

“And?” Would he confess his feelings for her? Did he have the sort of feelings she had always wanted if she succumbed to marriage? On the other hand, what of her feelings for him?

“And I care for ye, lass. I willnae lie and say I love ye. We haven’t kenned each other long enough.”

“What about yer arrogance?” She rested her hands on her hips and tapped her foot.

The daft man actually looked confused. “What?”

She moved closer and poked him in the chest. “Ye have a way about ye that makes everything ye say sound like an order.”

“Aye. That’s because everything I say is an order.”

She threw up her hands and invoked the powers above to give her patience. “I will not be ordered about like a servant. I have managed my clan for years.”

Evan studied her for a minute. “Aye. I will not order ye about like a servant.” He took her hand in his. “Aye or nay, lass?”

Why would she say nay? Marrying Evan would be the perfect detriment to Richard pursuing his claim about their so-called betrothal. She knew in her heart that Evan would protect Gavin and be a wonderful father-figure for him.

When he wasn’t blustering about, Evan was a kind, considerate, man. He was intelligent, verra nice looking, and if last night was an example of what she could expect from the marriage bed, well, that would be just fine.

Although she still had her doubts, she said, “Aye.”

“’Twill be an interesting marriage we will have.” He pulled her back down to the bed and placed his knuckle under her chin. Her eyes slid closed as he touched his warm lips to hers.

Another knock on the door made them spring apart. Katie scooted off the bed and shook her skirts out. “Ye need to leave,” she whispered. “’Twill be a disgrace if yer found in my bedchamber.”

Before Evan swung his legs over the side of the mattress, the door opened and Gavin stuck his head in. “Where were you?” He rushed to Katie’s side, either ignoring or not seeing Evan, who stood and made a quick exit while the lad was busy hugging her.

“I’m sorry if ye were frightened. The laird and I made some calls yesterday to find cottages for all the families who have arrived.” She knelt down to look into his face. “We were forced to spend the night in one of the cottages because of the terrible storm that struck last night. Did you hear it?”

“Aye, I did.” Gavin reached out and touched Katie’s hair. “I ken ye are afraid of the storms. Did Laird MacNeil keep ye from being scared?”

Katie smiled. “Aye. He was verra distracting.” No need to tell the boy how Evan had kept her distracted. She stood and drew him forward. They both sat on the bed. “There is something I need to tell ye.”

“What?” He looked up at her with his childish innocence, convincing her even more how right it was that she marry Evan. He would take them far away, and Richard would never get his hands on her beloved brother.

“Laird MacNeil and I are to be married.”