Chapter 6

"Nora, ye"re late. Where on earth have ye been?"

Nora stood before him, a soft rose color on each cheek. She looked at William through emerald-green eyes, glancing only briefly at her father. William"s eyes clung to her every movement. But Nora did not mind. It made for a change from her father"s hateful stare.

Och,she thought, as she pulled away from her father, now finally upright. Is this the only thanks I get?

She tried to smile, but William"s eyes flitted skittishly from her to her father, as if caught by surprise. Nora pursed her lips. If he were not careful, her father would give something away. William had noted his disdain; a little more, and he might become suspicious.

Ensuring he did not notice anything other than her, Nora smiled.

"So ye can drink my father into the ground, eh? What about me?" she hinted provocatively, her hand caressing her thigh.

William"s eyes opened fully, taking in her shape. Again, she smiled. This was good. He was putty in her hands.

"Well, ma"am, I can offer ye a claret, or something a wee bit stronger, if ye"d like? But I promise ye nae to drink ye under the table. Or anything else for that matter!"

William"s eyes sparkled and teased, and Nora felt her heart kicking. Despite her demeanor, she was a bag of nerves. But with her father and the others watching, it would never do to show it.

She had been versed too well in what to do, how to act when she finally met her man. Not by her father, of course; that would be strange. And not by her family; Douglas Castle was a lonely place, and she was an only child.

It had been left to the Douglas clan ladies to help her. Nora blushed faintly at the memory of the horror. Highborn ladies coming down from the local towns to instruct her on the dark arts of seduction. It was just too awful. Sorcha had not been involved, though. Now there was a thought Nora could never let pass. Although not bad-looking, she could not picture the gray lady seducing anyone, ever.

Sorcha smiled encouragingly as Nora made her way through the crowds to William. She was nervous, but William"s touch put her at her ease.

"Och, ye must try this," he said, leaning toward her.

Getting herself straight, Nora rearranged her shawl and allowed her jade-green houppelande to fall freely, then she glanced to see if William was looking.

He was. With about half of the hall.

Fiddling self-consciously with the detail on the wine goblet, Nora tried to pretend she had not noticed their stare and smiled at William. Almost immediately, a whirl of servants spun around them, bringing her this dish and that. There was so much food, Nora felt dizzy.

"Och, this," said William, placing something on a silver platter before her.

Prodding at it unsurely, Nora looked quizzical. "Whatever is it? Some sort o" funny pudding?"

William just grinned as Nora scrutinized the plate. The creation was baked into a mound and smelled sweet, with the consistency of a pudding. But when she put her spoon in it and tasted it, she got a strange surprise.

"Och, it"s rich," she said, as the flavors of whiskey, fruit, and spices filled her mouth. It took a moment for her to calm her tongue down, but then, slowly, she took another bite. "But muckle gusty."

William smiled as Nora ate. But even as he smiled, Nora noticed his eyes spreading to the rest of the table. There, on his other side, was her father, now firmly on his stool, but still rather out of sorts. Surely, he could not fail to notice the sideways swipe he gave her?

Nora frowned, but lightly. Turning her head away, she faced William. Hopefully, he would not notice how oddly her father was behaving.

""Tis a specialty o" the Duncans," said William, smiling.

But out of the corner of her eye, Nora noticed him looking—staring straight at her father.

"Och, really?" said Nora politely. She took another bite. The warm, intoxicating flavor of the dumpling flooded her mouth. ""Tis braw. Ye should get yer cook to tell us the recipe."

Licking her fingers, she grinned at William. He looked as if he already had his tongue out. And, shy as she was, Nora tried her hardest to stay in character. Because that was what this was; it was an act. She was acting. But not about the pudding; that was really rather good. And oddly, not about William.

Nora glanced coyly at his enticing face. He, too, was unexpectedly delicious. She had not anticipated his looks.

His clear complexion drew her in with his healthy hue. It seemed that William liked the outdoors, and it showed in his bronzing. His face was bold, with a pleasing nose and firm cheeks. There was a faint resemblance to his sisters, but he was fairer, his face set with rich flame-tinted hair.

Nora luxuriated in his hair for just a minute. It was a darker red than hers, edging his features with a rusty tinge. Either way, he was handsome. Nora had never met anyone with such flashing eyes. He had a way of looking that made her blush. She did not know why.

His clear blue eyes met with hers head-on. Nora turned away, her cheeks coloring. A strange burn was filling her, and it was not just the spicy dumpling.

"Hark! A toast!"

At last, her father had made it to his feet. Grabbing the table shakily, he swayed. Nora had never seen him so drunk and found it difficult to countenance that he would get himself into this state. Just as she was wondering how, her eye met her father"s.

Then she saw his gaze. Beneath his drunken demeanor, his eyes were gray and cool. He watched her with a tilted face. Nora knew that pose. He was reckoning.

She was not the only one in that room acting. It was a ruse.

Across the room, her father urged her with his eyes. Get on with it, he was saying in no uncertain terms. On with seducing; on with killing.

Nora"s heart gave a massive leap. The walls closed in. Suddenly, there was no escape. She had been sent on this mission and could not fail. Her father"s unexpected frailty was no ally to her qualms. She should have known his all-seeing eye was watching her. He would not let her squander this chance. He was simply playing into the enemy"s hand by affecting a malaise.

Before she could move, another courtier was on his feet, this time from the Duncan clan.

"Aye, a toast!" he called, leading to cheering and the stomping of feet.

Nora looked over. A lithe, blond man she had barely noticed was calling for their union, his goblet raised in the air. Soon, they were all united in cheer, holding their vessels aloft.

"The Duncans an" the Douglases," cried the man. "Natural allies!"

A great cheer went up, but Nora found herself looking unsurely at her father. But the blond man paid no heed. He was beaming. The chamber erupted in drunken roaring. It was so loud that it drowned out all other noise. But through their midst, Nora saw her father staring.

It was cold, and it was hard. There was nothing drunk about him, she felt sure. Then, she tensed as he spoke.

"Aye, to the union between oor two clans," he slurred, but by now Nora knew it was false. He was perfectly in charge of the situation. It just suited him better to pretend not to be.

"To the clans!" called the courtier again, as immediately his voice was drowned out in a hail of cheers.

"To the clans!"

The noise was at a breakneck level. Overwhelmed, Nora did not think she could take anymore, so she was most glad when a hush fell over the table.

William stood up. "An" I would hereby also like to make a toast," tapped William, his blue eyes darting curiously around the room. A deeper silence fell into the hall. "I would like to toast to Nora, the darling o" the land. She is so sweet, there is nay need to look any further for a bride. But there is this..."

He cleared his throat, and suddenly, everyone looked around.

"I believe we should fully an" properly get to ken each other afore the wedding. I should like to postpone the big day until then."

Nora"s heart almost stopped. He was avoiding saying it, but he sounded as if he was skipping out on her. All the same, she did her best to smile as if nothing were wrong. Not so for her father, who had different ideas entirely. Instantly, he sat up, looking far more sprightly than hitherto.

"Och, sonny, there"s plenty o" chance to get to ken the lassie," he said, a big fake grin wrapped around his features.

Nora shuddered. She knew that look. Her father was excellent at pulling it. But she could see beneath it. And at its heart was a rage. An all-consuming furor had built up in him. His spleen was full and ready to vent.

But William just smiled. Nora blinked uncertainly. Had he really not seen it? Was he truly that blind?

"I ken," he said assuredly. His grin was broad and real. William looked for all the world like he had nothing to get upset about. "An" that"s why I think we have time to do it right; to do ourselves justice!"

This was not the answer her father wanted, Nora could tell. But all the same, Nora was not going to be the one to stop him. The Douglas laird stood up.

"Well, we can postpone until the end o" the week?" said Douglas uncertainly.

But William just laughed. "Och, I was thinking o" a wee bit longer," he said, with a grin. "Then plenty o" time to unite the clans."

Nora shared a look with her father. Both of them stared in open disbelief. Finally, Nora said something. Someone had to.

"I...am weary," she complained, although deep down the headache that was building had been with her for some time.

In concern, William turned to her. "Ye should rest," he said genially.

"Perhaps it is time for my bed," she said somewhat bluntly. She had not been lying about the migraine. The aura swirled around her head, making her woozy.

"Allow me to assist," said William, helping her up.

Nora indulged in the warm scent of the man coming off him. His soft touch began to rouse her. But, in an instant, it was gone. Smiling, William backed off, leaving it to Sorcha to help her leave.

Slowly, Nora rose, as all around, eyes clung to her. "Aye, sir. Ye have reason. I must abed..."

Her eyes met his and held there for a while. There was something mesmerizing in them. But she would not get away that quick. To her surprise, her father also scrambled to his feet, feigning his concern loudly.

"Och, I will see the silly wee hen up to her chambers," he said, with a sudden and miraculous sobriety. He ordered Sorcha away with a single glance and sent a guarded smile to the Duncan laird.

"Ensure the lady sleeps well," said William, with a smile. He was curious but beginning to back off. Perhaps it was just as well.

Nora wiped beads of sweat from her cheeks. It was suddenly hot in there, and she was melting. And not just physically.

William had unnerved her. His touch had seeped down inside her, and she longed to feel it again. This was never part of the plan. All things considered, perhaps it was best that her father should escort her.

* * *

Before too long,Nora was back in her room, her father bolting the door behind them with grave satisfaction.

"Nora," he said, wasting no time, "we have to act!"

He glanced around the heavy mahogany bedchamber. It was well appointed, but still lacking in light.

Behind them, a maid hovered, tapering to light the candelabra, but was shooed away. Just as soon as she was gone and Sorcha had been banished from the chamber, he faced her coldly.

"We have to get this wedding back on track," he said abruptly.

Pulling her up close, he held her chin. Nora, feeling his thick fingers squash her, held her breath. She must stay calm—anything to antagonize him could be fatal.

But her father released his grip, allowing her to leave. However, his eyes still glared, waiting for an answer.

Unsure of what to say, Nora simply agreed. It was safer.

"Aye," she said thoughtfully.

Then, before she had time for anything more, her father nodded.

"An" ye are to be the one to do it," he said, staring. "Ye must do whatever ye can, whatever it takes, to get this wedding to happen. Do it quick!"

"I-I will try," she said, shrinking backward.

All alone in the empty room, Nora felt her vulnerability. She was trapped here, in this castle, in this place. There was no one she could trust aside from Sorcha, and she could hardly confide in her about this.

Circling, her father pinned her with his menacing stare.

"Ye will do more than try, my lass. Ye will succeed! I didnae get us all the way here to fall at the last minute."

Her back against the wall, shaking, Nora nodded once more. She had not noticed that she was slowly walking backward through the chamber, but now he had her effectively pinned to the wall.

"Aye, Father," she said, trembling.

After a while, her father relented just a little. Smiling, a glint came into his eye. Reaching his hand, he stroked her hair. As he came near, Nora tensed, unable to let out a sigh.

"Aye, I ken ye will," he said, smiling. Nora hated it when he smiled like that. It was worse than shouting. "Because if ye fail, I will make ye disappear."

Nora did not move. She barely trusted herself to breathe. Her father continued.

"An" lassie, use whatever thing ye have to get him to the altar. Ye get me? Anything..."

Her father"s eyes darkened with meaning as Nora felt her blood run cold. Just the thought of intimacy with William was unnerving. It was risky, unsafe. She might give her true feelings away.

But Nora did not dwell on that. She simply had to get her father away. And the only way to do that was to appease him. Heaven knew she had been doing it all her life.

"Aye, Father," she assented, as he nodded sharply. Then, before she could blink, he was leaving, heavily swinging the dark door shut on her.

At last, Nora sighed, but she was not in the least bit comforted. Her father had put her completely in charge. If anything failed, it would be her fault. She simply had to seduce William and get him to wed her.

Sighing again, Nora sat down on the ample bed. It was warm and soft, but it may as well have been a bed of nails. She felt trapped.

It should have been simple. He liked her, and she liked him. But that was the problem. He was inside her, no longer a faceless foe, but a lover, to be undone. And she had already been undone by him.

Could she really go through with this?