A Highlander's Love

Chapter 3

Crissy couldn’t believe her luck. Of course she had tae go and do something stupid and disrespect the man. Well mayhap he won’t merry me then she thought. She did not want him. She turned on her heel tae march intae the keep but her father grabbed her by the elbow and led her down the stairs.

 When they reached Malcolm, he looked down at her. Gods he was bigger close up. He looked delicious. No she scolded herself. You don’t want tae marry him. He is going tae take ye from yer home and possibly kill ye when he finds ye lacking.

After a short second he reached out tae take her hand and when she did not give it her father did. After her hand was place in his unwillingly he brought it tae his lips. “Please tae meet ye Lady Crissy and I am terribly sorry fer giving ye a fright out thaer.”

His lips were warm on the back of her hand. She almost melted intae a puddle. But then she reminded herself tha’ he was only acting like this until after the wedding. Then he would change and so would her life.  

Crissy didn’t care that they were tae be wed. She snatched her hand from his and looked intae his eyes defiantly. She would just have tae change his mind about marry’n her. Even if tha’ meant go’n against her nature and being mean.

Something in the back of Crissy mind kept remind’n her of how handsome she thought he was. And Crissy firmly told that voice tae shut up, that marriage wasn’t based on looks.

She saw that Malcolm’s gray eyes had narrowed and were look’n at her curiously. It almost made her squirm, but she had her pride and wasn’t backing down.

Her father then decided tae invite the laird intae the keep tae discusses the marriage contract. And when the devil agreed she could almost weep wi’ frustration. So much for him changing his mind. It infuriated her that she had tae marry the giant oaf. 

She turned on her heel and marched right up the stairs intae the keep and straight tae her bedchamber. Just b’cause her da’ want’d tae sit around wi’ the barbarian did not mean she had tae subject herself tae the savage’s company. And it was then that she decided she wasn’t even going tae go tae dinner.

……….

Malcolm watched the lass barge off and his eyes were immediately drawn tae the sway in her hips. Malcolm felt the tighten in his groin tha’ made him want growl wi’ frustration. Why was the lass act’n as if he were a demon spawn here tae rip her clan tae pieces. The woman did agree tae marrying him. ‘Twas not like he were forcing her. Not tha’ he wouldn’t like tae force her over his knee for the whole rude display he just witness’d. And why did her behavior make him lust after her.

Hear’n a sound off tae his right, he saw tha’ the laird had clear’d his throat and raised his eyebrow.

“Are we tae be off now? Or are we go’n tae stand ‘ere all day?”  The laird asked with humor in his voice tha’ touched his eyes. Eyes tha’ looked just like the eyes of his daughter.

“Aye, we be off.”

Once inside the main hall of the keep, Malcolm noticed the two long tables running the room. Why did the laird need two tables for just his family and his warriors.

Alasdair noticed the confusion on Malcolm’s face and decided tae answer the question before he asked it. “Everyone in me clan eats here. Not just the people who live ‘ere. That’s how their mother wanted it. She said it would bring our clan closer as a whole and that’s what it had done.”

Malcolm still looked at the lord with confusion. How was a great warrior reduced tae the look and emotion roll’n on the laird’s face as he spoke of his wife.