She nodded. “Gil would verra much like that, considering his push. He is the only family of mine that will be in attendance, so I dinna need to wait for any guests to arrive. But ye do. What of your family?”
He shrugged, his broad shoulders straining the stitching of his greatcoat. “’Tis just my brother. However, I have sent word to my best friends that I am to be married and would like them in attendance. I am certain that they will appear within the next sennight. Once they are here, any day is fine with me.”
“Ye and your friends are close?”
“Aye, verra.”
“Do they know what we are doing?” she whispered.
“Absolutely no’. I have told them naught other than I have met the woman of my dreams and proposed.”
His eyes clashed with hers, the ice blue bright and fierce. If she did not know any better, she would think he was divulging his truth to her. But this was just a game.
She lowered her voice to ensure no one would hear what she was about to say. “Since none of this is real, what type of ceremony are ye expecting? An actual church wedding with me in a wedding gown? Or Gretna Green?”
His brows furrowed and he actually looked offended at her question. “I only plan on marrying once, Willamina. We will pull out all the bells and whistles and make this the grandestwedding that this city has seen in years. That’s why there is no limit on the budget.”
She opened her mouth in surprise, not able to come up with anything to say to that. Whilst she admired how he was willing to make this an extravagant event to ensure the city thought their union was real, she did not want to be the one to saddle him down. To stop him from finding true love in the future. He deserved better than that.
Better than her.
“I dinna think that is necessary. ’Tis kind of ye to say this is the only time ye will wed, but we both ken that is no’ true. Once all of this blows o’er and my cousin is satisfied, and all the well-meaning, if pushy, mothers leave ye alone, we can have the marriage annulled. ’Twill be entirely possible since we willna have consummated the union.”
His eyes darkened and a flash of emotion crossed his face before he replaced it with a smile. Was that sadness?
She was confused at his reaction.
“Let us no’ fash about that for now. There will be plenty of time for plotting later.”
She placed her hand on his chest. Warmth pooled in her palm. She wet her lips at the touch, then bit her lip and tried to clear her head from the thoughts that were running rampant in her mind.
Glorious, lustful thoughts. But thoughts she should not be having. No matter that he was going to be her husband.
“I dinna want to be the one to stand in your way from finding your true love match, Finlay. Ye canna do that with me and ye being connected forever. When the time comes, we will ken. And we will put an end to our union. Ye can e’en say ’tis me. I willna mind. I can handle another scandal.”
“I will do no such thing, Willamina. Hear me when I say, I will take my vows to ye verra seriously. We will discuss this later, away from prying eyes and ears.”
They continued walking, remaining silent.
Because really, what could she say to such a statement?
*
“Come to RosewoodManor for dinner this eve. Ye can bring Gil, if ye must. Joan is welcome as well.” They were nearing the end of their walk and Finlay was not ready to let Willamina go yet—at least not without guaranteeing their next meet-up.
Her eyes searched his. Mayhap she was trying to determine if he was being sincere. Indeed he was.
“We should discuss getting the plans underway. And ye can verify with your cousin what dates work for him.”
Willamina laughed. “I can guarantee ye, Gil willna put up any resistance to whatever day is chosen—unless ’tis too far in the future. Then he may have something to complain about.”
“I fear ye give your cousin too little credit.”
She stopped walking to cross her arms over her ample bosom and cocked her head at him. “Do ye now? Have ye no’ talked to him of late?” She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively in the air. “He canna wait for me to be out of Buckwood Manor. It doesna matter now, really, does it? I have no doubt that he will accept whatever date we choose, as I said before. As long as ’tis sooner rather than later.”
Laughter bubbled up inside of him at Willamina’s wee rant. “I guess we shall find out. Tonight at dinner. Promise me ye will come.”
They began to walk again and she made a show of mulling the invite over. “I dinna ken. Mayhap another suitor with his own proposal will come knocking on Buckwood Manor’s door and Iwill be forced to entertain him,” she said slyly, a smirk lifting the corners of her pretty mouth. A mouth he wanted nothing more to do than capture with his own. If they were not in the middle of the street and Gil some paces behind them, he might have done just that. To taste her sweet lips. The urge consumed him.
