Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Once Finn assumed she had righted herself, he pulled her forward and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "‘Tis my fault, my laird."

"It doesna look that way to me," The Sinclair said. "The lass looked like she was verra much a part of this activity."

Her da glared in her direction. "Remove yerself, daughter. Stay in yer bedchamber until I send for ye."

She looked up at Finn, who gave her a curt nod.

Once she was gone, the men all followed The Mackay into the keep, past the great hall and into his solar.

Finn leaned against the wall next to the door, his arms crossed. He knew what he'd done was a mistake. Unfortunately, his cock hadn't cared. Especially when Alison practically begged him to make love to her.

She was distraught and turned to him. As an honorable man, he should have turned her away and marched out of the stable with his—and her—honor intact.

The fact that he'd been lusting after her practically since he'd arrived, he chose to ignore. The woman was a pain in his arse, always getting herself into trouble, or trying to.

He no doubt had saved her from a horrible marriage and a life of misery. He was certain The Sinclair would break the betrothal.

If the man didn't, then he was prepared to grab Alison and return to Dun Ugadale with her. Even though they had been interrupted, as far as he was concerned, she was still his, a pain in his arse or not.

"Finn, ye and me will have a private conversation after we deal with this, but I want ye to stay now."

Finn nodded.

Archie threw the first dagger. "Yer daughter is a whore, Mackay."

Finn roared and jumped over two chairs to get to Archie. They flew to the floor in a crash of chairs and bodies. He got in two good punches before Robin pulled him off.

"Stop it, brother. Ye are in enough trouble already," he shouted as he pushed him back to the wall where he'd been standing before he attacked the bastard, Archie.

"Nothing will be solved by fighting," Foster Mackay said." He turned his attention to Finn. "As yer laird, I order ye to stay exactly where ye are until this is finished."

Finn nodded.

"How long has this been going on?" The Sinclair asked Finn.

Finn ran his hand over his hair. "Lady Alison is a virgin." He had no idea why he said that since he didn't intend to let Archie marry her. Perhaps he wanted to make sure her reputation was not sullied.

There wasn't much more to say with all of them there, so Foster dismissed everyone except The Sinclair and Archie Sinclair, then turning to Finn said, "Wait until I send fer ye, Finn."

The summons from the laird came quicker than Finn had expected.

This time the only one in the room was The Mackay. As Finn went from his bedchamber to the solar, he'd noticed the sounds of orders shouting in the great hall and preparations being made to leave. Hopefully, it was the Sinclairs.

The Laird didn't look happy but waved to the chair in front of his desk. He folded his hands and said, "What do ye have to say for yerself, Finn?"

Expecting this question, Finn took a deep breath. "First I want to say that I am sorry?—"

"—For what ye did or that ye were caught?"

He wanted to smile, but decided ‘twas not the best thing to do. "Both."

‘Twas not his place to tell the laird that his daughter had been crying. She was a very proud woman and might stab him with her dagger if she knew he told her da that.

He cleared his throat and continued. "I admire Lady Alison a great deal and I believe I have feelings for her. I agree that I should have kept my hands off her since she was betrothed to another mon." He shrugged. "Sometimes these things happen."

He knew that was a very poor excuse but there wasn't really anything else he could say. They went too far and got caught. Hopefully it saved Alison from a bad situation.

"The Sinclair broke the agreement. I might add that I did not attempt to discourage him from doing that. Ye might believe I don't pay attention to what is going on around me, but I kenned my daughter was unhappy, but I coudna see a way out of it for her."

He was tempted to tell the laird he actually did them a favor, but kept that idea to himself.

"Ye do understand that ye must marry Alison?" the laird said.

Finn shivered for a moment. Life with Alison would most likely be difficult, but he knew this was the result of their actions.

"Aye, my laird. ‘Tis my privilege."

He swore the laird snorted. "Since we are all set for a wedding tomorrow, prepare yerself to stand before the priest in the morning."

Of course that made sense, it was just that it all happened so fast he didn't have time to think about it.

"Aye, laird."

"Go tell one of the servants to fetch my daughter. And then return."

Finn did as he was told, then returned to the solar.

If it had been possible for the floor of the stable to open up and drop her through, Alison would have paid any price. That thought kept going through her mind as she paced in her bedchamber, going back and forth, the skirts of her gown swishing as she turned. What a mess!

Yet, deep down inside, she knew there was very little, if any, sorrow in her predicament.

Would her da dismiss Finn? Would The Sinclair break the betrothal agreement? Or given the lack of regard Archie Sinclair had for her—how little he actually cared—there was a good possibility that he would just shrug and continue with the wedding.

The wedding that she now knew she could not go through with. Just the slight bit of passion she'd experienced with Finn told her she could not have passion-free marriage. She might not want to fall in love, but she would need more of what Finn had done to her.

It had been almost two hours since the catastrophe. She was anxious to know what was going on, but at the same time she didn't wish to face any of the men who had walked in on them.

What were they all doing in the stable, anyway?

A soft knock drew her attention. She opened the door to Brenda, looking wide-eyed at her. Apparently her disgrace had been spread around the keep. "Yer da wishes to see ye in his solar."

The muscles in her stomach tightened and she nodded. The walk to her da's solar felt like she was going toward her execution.

She was relieved to see only her da and Finn in the room. Da sat behind his desk, his arms resting on the wooden surface. Finn stood as she entered, then sat in a chair in front of the desk. At least she was not going to be given her punishment and lecture in front of all the men who had been in the stable.

Her da took a deep breath. "There will be a wedding tomorrow, as planned, daughter."

She jumped up. "Nay, Da. I can't marry Archie Sinclair. I will jump from my window if ye make me."

He shook his head. "Ye can stop the dramatic threats, Alison. Ye will be marrying Finn Mackay here."

She looked over at Finn who stared straight ahead, not looking at her.

"I doona think he wants to marry me, Da."

Her da waved his hand in dismissal. "It doona matter. He took advantage of ye. The Sinclair has withdrawn the betrothal agreement and the family is packing up to leave as we speak."

"As much as I willna marry Archie Sinclair, I doona understand why they would break the agreement since he showed up for his wedding with his mistress!"

"Ye agreed to it, daughter."

"Aye, and I was a fool."

Finn leaned forward toward her da. "May I have a private word with yer daughter, my laird?"

He placed his hands on his desk and pushed himself up. "Aye. But the door will remain open."

Alison flushed and tamped down the desire to point out that the damage to her reputation had already been done. And witnessed by a group of men, and most likely spread throughout the keep. And soon the entire Mackay clan would know.

Once her da left the room, Finn turned toward her and took her cold hands in his warm ones. "I am sorry for this mess, Alison."

"Since it keeps me from marrying that horrible mon, I can't say that I'm sorry. However, I doona wish to marry ye. Not anyone. Now that the agreement is broken, why can't we just forget it all and let me be?"

He leaned back and blew out a breath. "‘Tis no' possible, lass. Yer da would ne'er allow it. Plus there is the matter of my honor."

"Yer honor? Why does it always come down to what affects the mon? Da says I agreed to the betrothal agreement, but I was verra much pushed into it. Now that it is broken, I would prefer to remain single and live my life the way I want to. No mon will have me now. I am free."

"Nay, lass. I want ye. And it's not only a matter of honor. As long as ye do what you're supposed to do, we can get along quite well."

"What I am supposed to do? Ye mean what ye tell me what I'm supposed to do?"

"Aye. As yer husband, there are certain things I canno' allow ye to do."

"Like leave the castle walls, doona ride anywhere without yer permission?"

He nodded. "And stay away from the lists."

She actually growled. The benefit of him ordering her about is what caused her dislike of him and would no' diminish. At least she had no cause to worry about falling in love with the arrogant oaf and getting her heart broken.

Rather than hitting him over the head with something heavy, she stood and took a deep breath. "I am retiring for the night, Mr. Mackay. I will see ye tomorrow morning in time for me to receive my life sentence."

He rose and reached out as she swept by him, but she pulled her skirt close to her body and left the room.

"Ach, life would be so much better with no men in it," Alison whispered through gritted teeth.