Chapter 9

9

M urdoch sighed as he settled into a chair across from his uncle and cousin. Supper wouldn't be for a candle-mark or two yet, and they'd elected to have a quick meeting about what should be done next. He couldn't help feeling tired, though the day hadn't been all that long and he'd done little more than usual.

"So, I heard yer bride arrived." Gordon was the one to break the silence. "With a guard dog and an escort even."

"She dinnae ken I was coming to meet her, when I dinnae ken meself until Wilma near threw me out the gate, and she couldnae very well travel between our lands unescorted, ye ken that. Nay matter how hard any laird may try, there's always the dangers of bandits and brigands." Murdoch retorted. "Her kinfolk are looking out for her, as is proper. Tis the same with the dog, and seein' as how he's taken so quickly to Finn, I've nay objections to him either."

"Then that would be the dog?" His uncle Arthur pointed out the window, to where a now-familiar hound was allowing Finn to tug happily on his fur while Wilma snickered at him.

"Aye. His name is Hector, and he's fair keen on watching over the lass."

"She has a name, I'm assuming." His uncle spoke dryly. "And I'd like to think ye ken it, since we'll be having a council meetin' tomorrow to announce that ye've chosen a bride to fulfill the contract."

Murdoch grinned. "Aye. Her name is Lydia Knox. From what I ken, she's the younger sister to the woman Father originally contracted for, but that's all to the good, for it means her children arenae like to ever be in line for the Clyde lairdship."

"And what of the woman ye were contracted to? Why did ye nae bring her?" His uncle frowned.

Murdoch grimaced. He wasn't sure of the full details himself, but he'd gathered from Lydia and her sister's comments that the previous laird hadn't been the most honest or savory of individuals. He offered up the only scenario he'd managed to piece together that made sense; or at least, the most likely one his uncle would accept.

"Seems the previous laird offered Faither a lass who was already promised to another. I daenae ken if he did it out of ignorance or some other reason, but the man's dead, and the new laird dinnae ken anything about the matter. Since we'd made nay claim and I'd married another, tis nay surprise that they'd settle the matter by allowing the lass to fulfill the other promise."

"The new laird dinnae bother to take a proper look at the obligations the previous laird left him with?" Arthur's frown deepened.

Murdoch shook his head. "If I've a guess, from what his wife told me, the previous laird wasnae the sort of man we should have been allying ourselves with in the first place. I'm nae convinced the current laird ever had a chance to learn of the matter." He tipped his head to look at his uncle. "Ye did say Father chose to renege on the contract because the laird died and the clan was leaderless, with all the living relatives being unwed lasses."

"Aye. I did." Arthur sighed. "But ye said the lass is of the proper family?"

"Aye. Younger sister." Murdoch hated repeating himself, but at least his uncle had gone from stewing in disapproval at the actions of a man long dead and had shifted his attention to the matter at hand.

"And the weddin' will secure an alliance with the new Laird Clyde?"

"Acting Laird until his wife bears him an heir, or there's a second son among the other sisters, but aye." Murdoch smiled. "And the council should be pleased, for will also tie us to Clan Rothach and Clan Buckhan, and mayhap another, for the lass said all her elder sisters were wed."

"Rothach and Buckhan?" Gordon's eyebrow rose.

"Aye. The Acting Laird Clyde is also Laird Rothach, and the sister the contract was originally written for is wed to Laird Buckhan, or so says me newly betrothed."

Gordon smiled. "Yer right. The Elders will be pleased. One betrothal to secure three, mayhap four alliances. They'd be fair fools to even consider tryin' to unseat ye now." Gordon chuckled. "I cannae wait to see the faces of some of those grumblers when they hear of this."

Murdoch was about to respond when the door to his study slammed open and sent all three of them scrambling for their swords. Murdoch scowled as he realized who the intruder was, but he waved a hand to the other two men to stand down. "Tis only me betrothed."

Lydia blinked at the three men, then flushed. "Och, I am sorry. I was looking for Hector. I dinnae realize…"

Murdoch groaned. Trust Wilma to have borrowed the dog without warning its master. Or had Lydia just let the hound wander off? Either way, this was not how he'd wanted to introduce his betrothed to his cousin and uncle.

"Lydia, I'd like ye to meet me uncle, Arthur Nairn, who also serves as me chief advisor and aids me steward. And this other gentleman is me cousin and second-in-command of the warriors, Gordon Nairn."

He gestured to each of the men, and Lydia flushed, but managed a reasonable curtsy and a "Good noontide to ye."

He stepped forward to take Lydia's arm. "Uncle, Cousin, I present to ye me betrothed, Lydia Knox of Clan Clyde."

His uncle gave a short, sharp nod, clearly disapproving of the way she'd interrupted their meeting. Gordon gave her a small bow, his expression reserved. Murdoch couldn't blame either of them for their coolness toward Lydia. They'd both known his previous wife, after all.

To Lydia, he said, "Yer dog is with me other cousin and son, in the garden there." He pointed. "If ye like, I can show ye the way."

Lydia flushed a bit, clearly able to read the irritation in his tone. "I can find it. I wouldnae want to interrupt yer meetin'…"

"Ye've already done that." He turned toward his uncle. "If ye will excuse me, I'd like to have a word with me betrothed while I get her to where she needs to be. In the meantime, please inform the Elders and other council members that there will be a meetin' tomorrow, directly after the mornin' meal."

With that, he led her out of the room and shut the door firmly behind himself.

It was obvious she'd annoyed Murdoch, but nonetheless, Lydia could feel her own temper spiking as he politely but firmly escorted her from the room.

It wasn't as if she'd known that particular room was his study, or that he was holding a meeting with his advisors. She'd simply been concerned with Hector, who'd disappeared while she was unpacking and trying to find the best place to put her books. She hadn't meant to intrude.

Yes, she could have knocked first, and if she'd paused a moment before opening the door, she would most likely have heard voices and realized the room was in use. But then, if the meeting had been that important, he could have locked the door or called for a servant to escort her, instead of taking her himself.

Murdoch finally slowed down and pointed towards a door. "That door there is the fastest way to the gardens from the family wing."

"Thank ye." She tried to tug her arm free, but he held her fast.

"I willnae have ye bargin' into meetings and embarrassin' me in that manner again. I could have been meeting with any number of folk, and such behavior doesnae reflect well on either of us. I'll nae have me betrothed, or me wife, randomly interruptin' important gatherings."

Lydia's temper sparked at the rebuke, and she jerked her arm free with a hiss of anger. "Ye should have locked the door, if it was that important, Laird Lochlann."

"Murdoch. Ye ken me given name, and I'll thank ye to use it."

"And so I will when ye're nae being a temperamental boor, and trying to act more like a laird than a suitor." She snapped back.

His scowl deepened. "I'd think the daughter of a laird, and the sister o' one, would ken how to use proper courtesy, instead o' barging into random rooms."

"Youngest daughter and sister-by-marriage! And if ye're so concerned about that, perhaps ye shouldnae have demanded a random lass to fulfill yer need for a bride and a Lady of yer clan!" She emphasized the word, remembering how he'd said he'd take any Miss Knox. "Ye wanted a Miss Knox as yer lady, now ye will have to make do with what ye've chosen."

She started to turn and walk away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back round to face him. "A younger daughter or sister ought to ken how to listen to her laird, as well as minding her tongue and her manners. A Lady of a clan should strive to do the same."

This close, she could feel the heat of him, see the smolder in his eyes. It was oddly intriguing to think she had that much control over this Murdoch's moods. Lydia knew quite well that the wisest course of action was to nod, look away and answer with an agreement and perhaps a soft apology.

However, she wasn't interested in being wise. If Laird Lochlann, if Murdoch Nairn, she corrected herself, wanted to claim her as his bride, then he'd take her as she was or wed her not at all. She wasn't going to play the demure, timid maiden for him, or cower in the face of his temper. She might be the bairn, the protected child of her family, but she was far from weak or spineless.

Instead of an apology or agreement she smiled challengingly up into Murdoch's face, her cheeks flushed with her own anger and daring. "Is that so, me Laird? And what if I daenae agree? What are ye going to do then? Decide nae to wed me, or…?"

She got no further than that before his hand grasped her chin, and his mouth fastened over hers in a searing kiss that drove all her words away.