Page 19 of Highlander’s Sweet Poison

“Now hold on for just one moment,” Jillian said furiously, and the priest snapped his mouth shut. She glared at Graeme. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Please continue,” he told the father before he looked back at her. “I told ye that I would protect ye, and I meant that.”

“Stop the ceremony.”

“Dinnae listen to her. I hear that bridal jitters are common in young brides.”

“I amnae young, nor am I a blushing bride with cold feet. This isnae my first wedding!”

“So ye consent then. Excellent. Father Thomas?” Graeme nodded at him, and the priest started again.

“I certain dinnae consent!” Jillian roared. “Just because I let ye take some liberties last night...”

A gasp ripped through the crowd, and Graeme grinned. “I dinnae think ye said that loud enough for the people in the back.”

“Bloody hell, Father, if ye say one more word, I will summon the fae and pledge to them my undying devotion,” she swore.

The elder priest moaned. “That is blasphemous, my child.”

“So is wedding a couple when the bride doesnae consent!”

Graeme, winking at her, pressed a coin in the father’s hand. “For the new alter ye have been wanting.”

The father closed his hands over the coin and started again before Jillian could object to the bribery. Taking her elbow, Graeme drew her aside while the father continued as though they were standing right in front of them. “Ye and I both know what will happen if I take ye back to MacSeaver lands. Although I have every intention of taking the power from the council, I havenae done it yet, but I wilnae execute ye or imprison ye, Jillian. I will also not be seen as weak in the eyes of my people.”

“And ye think marrying me will solve everything?”

“I require a bride, so at least it will appease the king. The council will be furious, but they have sworn fealty to me and, as such, must respect my wife.”

“They will hate ye as will the rest of the clan! They will claim that I have bewitched ye! Graeme, this will only end badly!”

“Graeme MacSeaver,” Father Thomas bellowed. “Do ye take this woman to be yer bride?”

“Aye,” Graeme yelled back.

“For the love of the mountains, have ye lost yer mind? If ye are so concerned about me, ye could just let me run!”

Reaching up, he curved a finger around her jaw. “And where would ye go, Jillian? There isnae anyone in the five clans who dinnae know of the rumors, and ‘tis only a matter of time before the lowlands succumb to yer aura. Ye will never be safe, but I can protect ye. I am swearing to it before God.”

The priest cleared his throat. “And do ye, Jillian MacSeaver, take this man to be yer husband?”

She felt hollow inside. She had sworn never to marry, to never let herself hope that she could find love with another man, but the invisible ties between her and Graeme were too much to ignore.

“Ye will come to hate me,” she whispered, and he didn’t say a word. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and faced the father. “Aye.”

11

There was a strange gleam of triumph in Graeme’s eyes as he swooped down and kissed her smartly on the mouth. The small group that had gathered cheered, and the enormity of what Jillian had done hit her. If Graeme hadn’t been holding her firmly against his side as they walked from the church door, she would have sunk to her knees.

Married.

God above, she’d married again, and not only that, but she’d married the man who had hated her for years.

“Breathe,” Graeme told her softly. “Ye must breathe, lass.”

She sucked in her breath and immediately felt lightheaded. Wearing, she slumped against him, and he swore, but they were were not alone. Almost as if they knew she was in trouble, Gemma and Elizabeth were by her side, and they pried her away from Graeme.

“Now then,” Gemma said as she took charge of the situation. “Ye deserve the biggest feast, but we didnae have time to plan that, so instead, we are going to take ye on a picnic by the lake and talk about married womanly things.”