Page 16 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“About that…” He paused, allowing one more moment of happiness to settle upon him. If he was forced out, it’d be better to leave after the meal when they were fed and rested, but he’d not take advantage. “I’m afraid I didn’t earn his approval yet again.”

As expected, Lach looked at him with his brows raised. “Yet ye stand before me a married man.”

“Aye.” He’d not put the blame on Evelyn’s shoulders, but he wanted it to be clear he hadn’t coerced the woman into becoming his wife. “I was in the stables preparing to leave.” He shook his head. “Nay. I was kicking about in anger over bloody Hugh Stewart’s rejection. Evelyn found me there and suggested we marry anyway.”

“Ye eloped with the Stewart laird’s daughter?” Lachlan shouted.

Cam just chuckled. “At least he didn’t do so accidentally.”

“And I did marry the lass ye intended me to marry,” Liam put in unhelpfully.

“I gave ye permission to ask for her hand. I didn’t give you approval to take her off her lands without her father knowing. Do you realize what you’ve done?”

He nodded once. “I do. And I’m prepared to leave with my family if we’re no longer welcome here, but I couldn’t leave her. It was a selfish thing, I know, but once she said she wanted to be my wife I couldn’t do anything else. And I’ll not apologize for it, because I’m not sorry.”

“Your apology will do us no good now anyway.” Lach huffed and shook his head. “You’re not the first man to think with his heart.” He paused. “Or worse parts.”

“Trust that I’m already being punished.” He frowned. “For the marriage hasn’t been a blissful one so far. I realized right away she wed me only to escape her father, who wouldn’t allow her to be with her daughter. I’m but a means to her true desire to be a mother to Gwennie. In fact, I fear it may never be a true marriage.”

“That seems to be how most of us start out. Don’t despair over it,” Cam said. “Things have a way of changing.”

Liam wasn’t so sure of that. It’d been weeks and he’d not so much as kissed his bride.

“I thought it’d be easier.” He’d spent hours imagining how things would be between them when they married, but so far the reality was nothing like he thought it would be.

Lachlan laughed harshly. “Whatever gave you the notion it would be easy? Did you not stand by and watch while Cam and Bryce made a hash over their marriages?”

“I did. But I also knew they didn’t want to marry, while for me it was the only thing I truly desired.”

“Things don’t always work out the way we desire them, Liam. Sometimes, if we’re very lucky, they work out even better.” Cam gave him a nod before turning to Lach. Cam’s voice was teasing when he spoke. “Do we displease the Stewart laird by allowing the outlaw to stay?”

It was a fact Liam had never done one thing against his laird—either of them—in all his days of residing with the MacKinlays. Not since he was a small lad. He’d never risked being cast out.

He thought he’d lose his stomach on his boots for having to stand before Lachlan now knowing he’d earned whatever punishment the man commanded.

“I’ll think on the best way to handle the situation, but this is your home. You and your family will remain here.” Lach patted him on the shoulder. “Come. We have a wedding to celebrate.”

Liam didn’t feel much like celebrating the end of his dreams with a woman who barely tolerated him, but he followed the men toward the hall.

Chapter Ten

Kenna led Evelyn into a bedchamber that was fair-sized with a large bed, a trunk, a washstand, and another stand by the bed with a few books piled upon it.

“This is Liam’s room. You should’ve seen his face last year when I told him it was his. He’d never had a place for himself before. I’m not ashamed to tell you I cried to see him so excited.” She shook her head.

Liam had mentioned getting a room as if it were a major event. She understood better now. She’d taken for granted her rooms at Scalloway Castle where she was raised. Where her father well knew by now she’d fled with Liam. What would he do? She knew he’d be angry, but angry enough to send for her? To start a war between their clans?

She didn’t think he’d mind the loss of her so much. He’d complained on more than one occasion of how much trouble she was. But he didn’t like to be disobeyed.

Kenna waved to the space on the other side of the bed. “There’s a small bed in the solar I can have brought over. It will fit in that corner nicely for Gwennie.”

“Say thank you to the mistress,” Evelyn prompted her daughter.

“Thank you,” Gwennie said holding out one of her rabbits as a gift.

“Oh my.” Kenna took it with a smile. “You keep this one. I have a bunch of them myself.” To Evelyn she whispered, “He’s still not mastered anything other than rabbits, I see.” With a laugh she patted Evelyn’s shoulder. “He has many other fine qualities. A heart of gold, that one.”

Evelyn couldn’t argue. So far, Liam did seem to have a heart of gold, and she feared she’d made a number of dents in it during their short time together. She glanced at the bed and tried to swallow down her panic.