Chapter 4

4

A challenge.

Thalia sucked in her bottom lip under her teeth and bit down. Her eyes went alight as thoughts raced through her mind. Finn watched the expression on her face shift from shock to contemplation, and something in his groin tugged.

Say something.

Finally, she spoke with confidence in her decision, “I will give you an heir as your wife, Finn Morrison.”

He was sure that she would disagree, and he would be rid of her, but she agreed.

She actually agreed?

Finn had thought about her counteroffer only for a brief moment until he finally straightened his arm. Thalia’s eyes fell as he extended his open palm toward her. “Agreed, Miss Thalia Sinclair. I will marry ye. Ye will give me an heir. I will protect ye and help save yer kin.”

Thalia let go the grip she had on his arm and gently placed her opposite hand in his. Finn’s hand loosely encased hers, but he let her shake their grip once, firmly, solidifying the deal between them. “Agreed, Finn Morrison.”

He intensified his loose grip around her hand and leaned into her touch as they agreed on the details of the arrangement. Hearing his name on her lovely, plump lips sent blood into places in his body that had not felt the sensation in a very long time.

“Ye need to go, now, lass,” he growled in the narrowed space between them and let her hand go.

Thalia withdrew her hand slowly, her fingers lingering on his for a moment longer before she stepped back. “Goodnight, then,” she murmured, her eyes locked on his.

“Aye,” Finn replied, his voice was rough as he turned away to leave.

What have ye gone and done now ye dolt…

He retreated into the comforts of his large bed and quickly fell back asleep. The scent of her arousal lingered throughout his rooms. He thought of her hard nipples pressed against his chest and how her breath caught in her throat when he tugged on her ear. She haunted his dreams that night. How easily he could have gripped her ass and wrapped her legs around his waist as he took her relentlessly until her begging was for more instead of what it had actually been for. Granted, hearing her begging was a delicious sensation that tugged at his groin.

He woke with the first light, his thoughts consumed by Thalia, driving him mad. His own arousal was painful. The bath drawn for him in the next room was too hot. The fire roared loudly. Everything was off.

He threw the boot he was fighting with across the room. “Ach! This room is stifling — ” He unlatched and violently pressed open the window. The cold morning air invigorated him as he inhaled deeply to clear his mind.

An heir. Where did that even come from?

He shook his head and growled loudly. The clansmen heading out to the field inclined their heads at the noise as he smacked his palm against the windowsill frustratingly before disappearing back into the room.

Nearly tripping over the felled boot, he cursed aloud and snatched it out of his way before pulling it on quickly and storming out of his bedroom. He navigated through the passageways and down to the main hall to meet with his housekeeper.

“Missus MacKinnon, I need all of the travel gear packed for England. Cillian will be coming with us.”

“Aye, Me Laird. When are ye leaving?”

“As soon as ye are finished packing.”

Without another word or further explanation, the woman disappeared into the bowels of the castle, and Finn stepped outside into the garden.

Christ, I needed to tell her about Brian and his son!

He halted in his tracks and abruptly turned to head back inside the castle. Brian Buchanan was one of Finn’s most trusted clansmen. Brian and his three sons were renowned throughout the Highlands for their elegant brutality and severe loyalty. If there was any anticipation of violence, Cillian and the Buchanan’s were brought along, and he had forgotten to tell Missus MacKinnon to notify them.

With such short notice, he has every right to tell me off — Where is your head today, Finn? Get it together!

His steps were heavy with frustration and hastened as he climbed back up the moss-covered stone steps. Suddenly, a flash of sapphire blue crossed his path, catching him on the shoulder and effectively moving him from where he stood.

“Ach!”

“Oh my!” Her impatient voice caressed his spine and rung in his ears, successfully knocking the wind from his lungs.

“Laird Crawford, I’m terribly sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was walking,” she said quickly and hastened toward him. He was grateful that his jacket served as a barrier between his instantly heated skin and her soft touch. The formality she placed between them was a stark reminder of the agreement they came to the night before.

“Miss Sinclair, good morning.” He stepped back from her and offered a curt bow which she quickly returned, and he continued, “I also wasnae paying mind to me surroundings.”

“Where were you off to in such a hurry?”

Finn pointed toward the castle behind her, “On me way to find Missus MacKinnon.”

“Oh? I see.” She clasped her hands behind her back mischievously, and he was urged to ask her the same question.

“And yourself, lass?”

Thalia’s smile was contagious, and he couldn’t discern if her flushed cheeks were due to her enthusiasm for the flowers or seeing him. She met his eyes boldly. “Oh, I saw a few flowers over there.” He followed her finger as she pointed over to the white bell blossoms in the corner of the garden.

“Oh, yes, the Lili na Gleann. Lily of the Valley.” His voice was more gruff than he intended, but he cleared his throat and gestured for her to pass.

“A great name for a beautiful flower,” she said gleefully as she slowly crossed his path. Her wool skirts billowed behind her, and he caught a scent of flowers and also an intoxicating hint of lemon.

Saint Columba give me some damn self-control.

“Um, lass —” She twisted to look over her shoulder at him.

“Yes?”

“Did Missus MacKinnon find ye this morn?”

“Oh, yes, she told me about our journey.”

“Aye, will ye be ready to depart soon?”

“Yes, I’d like to get these blooms, and I’ll be ready. Will that be all right, Finn?”

“Aye,” he said and stalked off toward the castle to meet with the housekeeper again.

By the time he reached the castle, he noticed the carriages were already drawn, and Missus MacKinnon was busy ordering staff to stack the traveling luggage. Brian, his sons, and Cillian all embark on a carriage after nodding in his direction. When the housekeeper noticed him, she pushed her way through the commotion to meet him. “Aye, Laird Crawford, we are almost ready.”

“Ta, Missus MacKinnon. How was Brian?”

“Oh, he’s fine. Surprised, but fine. Elspeth packed his travel gear as we were talking.”

“Good, we may need him in more ways than one.”

Not pressing the issue, she continued her report, “Miss Sinclair has gone to the garden, but she is ready and will go in the second carriage. Cillian is in the first carriage to ride with Brian and the lads.”

“Aye, ta Missus MacKinnon. I’ll ride alongside.”

“I thought as much. So, I’ve saddled Cairngorm for ye,” she said and pointed down the procession to the large, brown stallion. “Cillian and Brian’s steeds are all saddled, and they ken that well.”

She knew, without him saying anything, that the possibility for a battle was high. The travel gear had been visibly stocked with their weapons of war and reinforcements from Saoirse.

Good and all handled.

The tempting blue skirts flashed by on the far side of the courtyard and then a carriage jostled. Finn worked his face into a straight line and gave the housekeeper final instructions before mounting his steed and leading them down the route toward England.

The Crawford lands were bordered by several of his comrades from the five-years war, and the plan was to stop at the inn in the far villages of the McAllister lands. As if on cue, Thalia leaned her arm out of the carriage window and rested her head on it, watching the rolling green highlands.

Thalia’s eyes bounced between the sky, the rolling hills, and Laird Crawford. Finn’s face was stern and focused; the sound of hooves and wheels on the road surface filled the air. His arms were relaxed and gripped the reins lazily.

His arms ? —

Heat built low in her hips thinking about how sturdy his muscles felt under her touch last night as they stood breathless together in the darkness of his room. She yearned for his firm grip on her heated hip and his mouth dangerously close to hers.

Thalia shook her head quickly, clearing her mind of the incessant inappropriate thoughts, and then she adjusted to sit on the opposite bench seat, her view now clearly unobstructed. “Have you ever been to England?” She sighed, her voice carrying over the sounds of their journey.

“Twice, aye,” Finn answered laconically, his eyes fixed ahead. Her eyes shifted to locate the object of his focus and then back on his stoic face.

“What did you think of it?”

“It’s loud,” he replied, offering no further elaboration or desire to carry on the conversation.

Careful not to make known her boredom and frustration in that moment, she smiled over at him and then simply rested her head back onto her arm.

The clouds built, and the open highland fields gave way to woodlands and rivers. After some time, Finn finally decided to break the silence again, pulling his stallion closer to her. “We should be in England tomorrow, lass.”

“Oh? Are we scheduled to rest somewhere, or will we drive through?”

“We will be stopping in the McAllister lands at one of the village inns tonight.”

“Oh, an inn! How fun! The last time I stayed in an inn was with my father and sisters. We — We stayed up late and cast shadow figure on the wall,” Thalia said, recalling the lovely sounds of her sister’s giggling. The memory pulled on her heartstrings harder than she could almost bear.

I’m coming back for you all, my dears.

“We need to talk about our arrangement,” Finn said roughly. His suggestion was more harsh and abrupt than expected, but she looked up at him anyway, thankful for the distraction, her eyes wide.

“All right, what about?”

“Our arrangement will only for the sake of the heir,” he started to explain, and she nodded her head silently. He continued, “Ye will have anything ye want, but this will never be a true marriage.” His voice was steady but firm.

At this clarification, she raised an eyebrow defiantly. “And in return?”

“I’ll protect ye from anything,” Finn promised, his eyes locking onto hers. “Nay harm shall come to ye as long as ye are mine.”

Thalia considered his words carefully, the silence between them impacted by the jostling of the carriages. “That seems fair,” she said finally, her voice measured.

“Good,” he replied, his tone final as he pulled his stallion back, giving her space.

She rested her head back on her arm and let the warm breeze of the day caress her cheeks. They continued the journey in silence, the weight of their conversation hanging in the air. Occasionally, they exchanged glances. Her mind was clearly still working through the implication of their arrangement, but Finn remained focused on the road ahead.