Chapter 4

4

L aird Lochlann's, no, Murdoch's moods, if she was truly going to consider marrying him, seemed to shift from moment to moment. One minute she was certain he was amused, perhaps even teasing her, but in the next, he seemed indignant and impatient.

It was troublesome, and not solely because of the way that his brief whisper had affected her. She had no idea why his words had made her heart race, and her face heat. She didn't understand why her skin tingled, as if she'd been in the sun too long.

She recovered her momentary loss of poise with a challenge, thinking to tease him a little. Instead, his mood changed again, - or so she thought, until she glimpsed the slight upward quirk at the corner of his mouth.

Perhaps he was only testing her mettle, the way she was testing his. Lydia supposed it was only fair.

Still, he kept saying the same things; that he'd create trouble for her clan if she refused to marry him. Aside from that one moment of teasing, he'd yet to offer anything other than to say there would be negative consequences for her refusal. She was growing tired of his intimidation tactics. Time to see if Laird Lochlann had anything better to offer than threats.

Lydia tossed her head and held his gaze. "Since ye're so insistent, suppose ye tell me what yer offer is."

Murdoch's frown this time was more pronounced, and more frank. "What do ye mean? I thought I'd made meself perfectly clear."

"Och, ye've made some bold statements, nay doubt of that, but aside from preventing a war, ye've scarcely given me an incentive to agree. Ye cannae bargain with just that. And ye're hardly the only one to make an offer for me hand."

Lydia squared her shoulders and raised her chin. It was true, she didn't have many suitors, but she also wasn't completely without offers either. She'd simply never met any man she'd felt was worth pursuing. Not that he needed to know either of those truths.

He still hadn't said anything. Lydia pursed her lips in exasperation. "Ye ken, there's other lairds who can make similar claims of alliance and threats of war. So convince me, why should I choose a man who's kent to be a murderer, over one with a less dangerous past?"

She knew the second the words had left her mouth that she'd made a mistake. His expression twisted into genuine fury. Before she could think to step away, Murdoch's hands were gripping her shoulders with bruising strength. "Who told ye such a thing? Who?"

The suddenness of his reaction was terrifying, and Lydia was grateful when Hector shoved his way between them, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Lydia stepped back and laid a hand on Hector's neck, trying not to shiver at the violence of his response. "Good boy, Hector. Ye're the best of dogs."

She looked back up to see that Laird Lochlann, she couldn't really think of him any other way in that moment, had once again composed himself, though his eyes remained dark with anger and his jaw was tense. "Who told ye that I was a murderer?"

"It hardly matters. It was somethin' I'd heard, but I cannae remember where." Her heart was once again thumping quickly, but this time with a fading fear, rather than excitement.

A look flashed across Murdoch's eyes, too fast for her to decipher. His expression then smoothed out and resumed its usual impassive mask. He stepped back, deliberately giving her space, placing Hector's furry bulk between them. "Very well then. Let us speak of terms and conditions, me lady Knox, that we may have a peaceful union between us."

It was strange. One moment, he'd been furious, enraged that yet another person was judging him without ever listening to his side of the story. In the next moment, he met her gaze and the rage cooled.

He'd obviously frightened her, but Lydia stood her ground. Whoever had conveyed to her the rumors surrounding his wife's death, it was someone she was willing to protect, even if it meant facing him down.

Murdoch could respect, even admire that degree of determination and protectiveness. If he could harness that fierce loyalty for himself, for his family, then he might even be tempted to forgive the council for forcing him to marry.

But first, he had to bargain with the lass, and convince her to come home with him.

Murdoch stepped back and slightly sideways, to create some distance and leave Hector between the two of them. She still hadn't replied to his offer to negotiate, so he tried again. "Well, what are yer terms? What do ye want to claim, to be willin' to accept me proposal?"

He'd taken her by surprise. That much was evident by the widening of her eyes and the shift of her stance. Still, she responded by straightening her spine and facing him directly, exactly what he was coming to expect from her. "What do ye mean?"

He sighed. "Me clan is insisting on a marriage. If we wish to avoid strife between our kinfolk, we must wed. I want to ken what will make ye agree to honor the contract, what it is ye want from me in return for yer hand."

She blinked. "Ye mean, what would make me comfortable?"

"Agreeable." He corrected. There was no clever way for Murdoch to guarantee Lydia's comfort, unless she was willing to accept it, but he could provide her the things that would make her less inclined to leave, and more inclined to behave as the proper lady of Clan Lochlann. "I want ye to be agreeable and obedient."

"There's nothin' in the world that would make me become the latter, me laird." Her eyebrow rose once more. "I daenae let anyone order me about, nae since I stopped bein' a wee lass."

Murdoch was fairly certain that Lydia was baiting him. He also knew that two could play that game. He returned her arched stare with a calculating one of his own. "Is that so? Then perhaps ye should try it. Ye might enjoy the experience."

From the brilliant flush that spread over her cheeks, Murdoch saw he'd made an impression. And though the lass might be a maiden, she wasn't completely innocent, not if his suggestion could bring that shade of crimson to her cheeks. "I…I never…"

Murdoch watched in amusement as she visibly gathered her composure. Lydia Knox had spirit, and she was quick to recover from surprises. He found those traits appealing, like many other things he'd already noted about her.

The flush was still present on her cheeks, but her voice was calm and even when she answered him. "Ye wanted to speak of conditions. Very well, I have a few."

Lydia had never encountered someone as confusing or exasperating as Murdoch Nairn. Each time she thought she had a sense of what nature of man he was, he'd surprised her again.

Still, his shifting demeanor did not amend the terms she intended to set, so she offered up her first condition. "Afore there can be a marriage, I want to get to ken ye. So, me first condition is that I must have the opportunity to spend time with ye and learn about ye. If, at the end of our time together, I daenae trust ye, then we'll nae be wed."

He tilted his head in consideration. "I cannae be away from me lands for long, as I've duties to address. If it's time together ye're after, then ye will have to come to me castle and spend yer time there."

Lydia had expected that. None of her sisters had wed without spending time with their betrothed in their homes. Moreover, she didn't trust Murdoch. She didn't want him near her sisters, possibly endangering or threatening them.

She was willing to take the chance, so long as she knew that she'd be able to leave if he was as wicked as the rumors had implied. It was a way to protect her family.

As if he'd read her mind, Murdock's expression darkened. "Ye will come live with me, and a month from now, we will wed. I'll do ye the courtesy of getting' to ken what sort of lass ye are afore I claim ye, but there's nay question of nae proceedin' with our weddin', whether ye like the idea at that time or nae."

Lydia swallowed hard. She didn't like the idea that she might be wed to someone she didn't wish to marry, but she understood it might be necessary to go through with the wedding to keep peace between the clans. Marriages had been made for such reasons for countless years.

Still, there was the matter of his first wife, and exactly how she'd passed. If he'd killed her after she'd borne him an heir, then it was vital for her to impede any chance of the same fate befalling her.

"Me second condition is that I'll be the one to decide when and if we consummate our marriage." She felt heat rising in her cheeks, but managed to lift her chin and maintain her composure. "I ken ye have an heir already, so ye'll nae touch me, unless I permit it."

She saw a spark of amusement in his eyes. "As ye will. I've nay interest in forcing an unwilling lass into me bed." He stepped closer, and his expression sharpened. One hand reached out to tip up her chin. "However, I can promise ye that by the end of the month, ye will be more than permittin' me in yer bed. Ye will be beggin' for me to take ye into mine."

Lydia cheeks burned as she jerked away from his touch. She could feel the crimson flush flooding her face, and yet couldn't stop her gaze from sliding across his broad shoulders, handsome face, and well-muscled form.

She'd read so many stories…how would it be to have this man show her the truth, to teach her what those mysterious encounters were truly like?

Lydia bit the inside of her lip and shoved the thought away. She couldn't afford to think such things about such a dangerous man. She forced herself to stoically meet his gaze as though his brazen promise hadn't affected her. "We will see about that."

Beside her, Hector barked softly, as if in agreement. The sound sparked an idea.

Hector had already proven himself an able protector. With the dog by her side, she would have much less to worry about.

Lydia raised her head to smile at the smirking laird in front of her. "Me final condition is that Hector must accompany me to your home. If Hector isnae welcome in yer household, then I willnae come either."

She'd hoped to fluster him at least a little. After all, he already knew Hector would defend her from him. He wasn't going to be able to harm her, if that was his intention.

Instead, he smiled. It was only a small twist of his stern mouth, but it was a smile, nonetheless. "Yer dog is welcome to come with ye. But in return, ye must agree that I've claimed yer hand."

He stepped forward and laid his hands upon her shoulders and bent down to murmur into her ear. "Ye're mine now, Lady Lydia Knox."