Page 72 of Seduction in a Kilt

“Like Magnus just said, because we’re yer friends, and we care about ye,” the laird told him.

“So?”

“So, we wantae ken what ye’re playin’ at with Ivy,” Knox replied.

Liam bristled. “What d’ye mean by that?” he asked, though he knew the answer very well.

“Dinnae play the simpleton with us, Liam, we ken ye too well, and we’re nae fools,” Magnus warned.

“Unlike some,” Knox interjected, looking at him pointedly. “D’ye honestly think we didnae hear yer outburst at the table earlier when Ivy asked ye what ye thought of her marryin’ me?”

“And then ye walked off in a huff, like some lassie that’s taken umbrage about somethin’,” his sidekick added.

Liam felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. “Aye, well, like I said back there, what’s it tae me who she weds? It might as well be ye as anyone else.”

“Can ye hear this nonsense, Magnus?” Knox asked his right-hand man, shaking his head in aggrieved wonder. “He thinks he can fool us. He thinks we dinnae ken how he feels about Ivy, even though he’s been so bloody obvious about it.”

“Aye, ’tis plain he’s in love with her,” Magnus said, starting to grin.

“I’m nae in love with her!” Liam lied emphatically, starting to panic.

“Fer Christ’s sake, Liam, ye may be able tae lie tae yersel’, but dinnae try it on us. We have eyes in our heads. We ken ye love her,” Knox stated baldly. “I thought that when I asked her so openly at dinner, ye’d havetae finally dae somethin’ about it and ask her tae wed ye instead of me!”

“But ye said naethin’, and we wantae ken why ye’d dae somethin’ so stupid. What’s wrong with ye? Are ye really gonnae let the lassie ye love marry Knox here? Nae offence, Knox,” Magnus said apologetically.

“In this case, Magnus, none taken,” Knox replied. Then he smiled at Liam and slapped his shoulder in comradely fashion. “Now, if ye truly love Ivy, which we ken ye dae, so dinnae bother denyin’ it any longer, then why will ye nae fight fer her? Are ye honestly gonnae let me wed her? D’ye nae want tae be happy? What is it gonnae take fer ye tae see sense?”

Liam was feeling attacked and very alone at that point. He realized he was going to have to put his fears out in the open to make them understand. “I’ve sworn never tae marry, that’s why.”

“What? Never?” Knox asked disbelievingly.

“Whyever nae?” Magnus seconded. “A love match is the road tae happiness, Liam. I speak as a man who kens it tae be true.”

“Because the minute I start tae care about someone, I ken I’m gonnae end up losin’ them. I dinnae need that kind of pain in me life.” Now he had started, he could not stop. “I ken how it feels, and I dinnae wantae go through it again. I’m better off alone. All right, aye, I care about Ivy, but I cannae protect her. I’m bound tae lose her. I almost lost her last night. I cannae handle it. She’s better off without me. She’s better off bein’ married tae ye, Knox.”

“Is he serious, Knox?” Magnus asked, looking at Liam in obvious bewilderment.

“Aye, I think he is, as a mad man’s serious when he tells ye the moon’s made of cheese,” the Laird responded. “Liam, that’s all nonsense, and ye ken it. I never had ye down as a coward.”

“I’m nae a coward!” Liam protested fiercely.

“All right, let’s say ye’re actin’ in a cowardly fashion. What ye’ve said just sounds like excuses. Some vow ye made tae yersel’ once upon a time is nay reason tae throw away the biggest chance ye’re likely ever tae get fer findin’ lastin’ happiness with the lass ye love. Ye clearly dinnae ken how lucky ye are tae have found Ivy, who clearly loves ye tae death.”

“Ye dinnae ken that,” he argued feebly, wondering if it could be true.

“Aye, we dae,” Knox countered.

“Ye say ye cannae protect her. Well, protectin’ someone is nae just about protectin’ them physically, with yer sword and such like,” Magnus told him.

“That’s right. ’Tis about bein’ there tae support them emotionally when they need ye,” Knox backed up his friend. “It seems tae me that ye’ve completely failed tae take that intae account. And by the way, ye say ye cannae protect her, that ye almost failed yesterday and lost her. But ye didnae lose her, did ye? Ye fought fer her, and ye saved her.”

“That’s right. So, yer argument daesnae have legs tae stand on, man,” Magnus chimed in, nodding vigorously. “And if ye think about it clearly, by nae marryin’ her, ye could actually be puttin’ her in danger.”

“I dinnae see how—” Liam began to argue, though he felt it was a losing battle.

“Look, Liam, ye still have a chance tae put things right. The weddin’s been arranged tae take place the day after tomorrow, in the castle chapel. ’Tis up tae ye now tae decide who’s gonnae be standin’ at the altar waitin’ fer her.”

With that, they walked off and left him standing there, his head ringing with their arguments. After a few minutes, when he was sure they had really gone, he headed back rapidly down the stairs and went to his chamber, craving solitude to untangle his raging emotions.