Chapter 11

Scarlett nearly screamed, but then she realized who the stranger was. "Laird McLaren?"

"Lady Scarlett?" he replied in a calm and even tone.

"Are ye following me?"

"I am," he said simply.

"Why are ye following me?"

"I like to keep an eye on what is mine."

She rolled her eyes. "Why are ye really following me?"

"Ye shouldnae be alone in these woods. I ken well the nature of these trees. Just yesterday, they whipped me off Morag and ripped me through."

Recalling the sight of blood when she saw him yesterday, she stood with her mouth agape and asked, "Ripped through ye?"

"Well, ripped through me shirt," he clarified with a wink, before he started circling her, almost like he was shepherding her back to the castle.

When he was behind her, she said, "I shouldnae be out here alone in the woods with ye. It's nae proper."

"I was sent after ye, lass," Arran revealed and came to stand in front of her.

"Sent? Who sent ye?" Scarlett asked defiantly.

"Mrs. Cameron told me ye were the first one to wake up, and that ye told yer maid that ye were off for a walk."

She told him that I was awake? What does that even mean?

"I was just wandering, to clear me mind. I didnae have a destination," Scarlett said, angry heat rising in her stomach.

A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Nay? Why were ye so frightened, then? It was as if I caught ye doing something ye shouldnae be doing."

"I thought ye were?—"

"Ye thought I was young Buchan?"

"Aye."

"Well, I'm nae him, and he will never come near ye again."

"He's nae dead."

"Nay, he's nae dead, but he's nae awake either."

"So, ye cannae promise that either way," Scarlett pointed out stubbornly. "I wish to walk alone. I have a lot on me mind."

"Well, I'll accompany ye from afar, but ye should stick to the garden." Arran pointed a stern hand behind him.

Scarlett gathered her skirt and cloak and walked past him silently, heading toward the garden. She felt him following closely behind her, but he remained quiet.

"Why did Mrs. Cameron tell ye that I was the first one to wake up?"

"Because I asked her to notify me when the guests started waking up."

"So, ye ken when I woke up yesterday?"

"Ye werenae the first one to wake up yesterday, lass, but I did see ye when I returned from me ride with Niamh."

Scarlett stayed silent for a while longer and kept him behind her so as to not let her flushed cheeks betray her thoughts, but Arran reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Lass, look at me," he said and turned her around to face him.

"I didnae mean to?—"

"I spoke with yer faither last night," he continued.

"Aye, ye didnae come back to the feast before I went to sleep."

"I got yer faither's permission to court ye."

"Really? What did ye say?" Scarlett was shocked that her father gave his approval, having been so set on the match between her and Reuben.

"I told him that I intended to marry ye and that I wouldnae take nay for an answer." He took a step toward her. "I told him how bonny I thought ye were, and how yer quick wit has captivated me. I praised him and yer maither for raising such a dutiful daughter."

Impressed by his vocabulary, Scarlett asked doubtfully, "Ye said ye were captivated?"

"Aye, I did, and then I offered to open trade with Clan O'Neill as well as let him in on some of the other deals I've made so far. After our talk, he accepted me proposal. The papers arenae signed yet, but they're in me study for review."

"Why have ye nae signed them yet?"

"Because I'm out here with ye, am I nae?"

Does he nae get any sleep?

"I see," she muttered skeptically. "And when are ye going to announce it to the guests?"

"Tonight. After the games, while we're all at dinner."

Scarlett's mind started racing, and Arran watched as her face fell. "Do ye think it'll be enough to make Reuben stop pursuing me?"

"Och, aye, I'll make sure of it, lass. Now that ye're mine, nay one will come between us."

"Well, I'm nae yers. I'm only pretending to be yers."

"Aye, ye will ken it well. Everything from here on is a ruse, Lady Scarlett. Now, let's get back, others are sure to wake up soon," he suggested and offered to lead her out of the garden, but she gathered her skirts and walked ahead of him.

Arran smiled widely as he followed her back to the castle.

A maid met them at the front gates of the castle and gave Arran a firm nod, which let him know that among the guests who had started to stir awake, the young Buchan was one of them. Scarlett looked between him and his maid, and she seemed to realize what was left unsaid.

"Lady Scarlett, I'll leave ye here with this maid, Kenna. She'll accompany ye the rest of the way back," Arran offered, quickly handing the maid his cloak, and then bounded away before Scarlett had a chance to reply.

She admired the way the muscles under his shirt rippled with each step he took away from her as she walked back into the castle with the maid. "Was that about the young Buchan, Kenna?"

The young maid stayed silent next to her, but the tension between them was palpable. Scarlett had a pretty good idea that whatever it was, it was about Reuben.

* * *

Arran watched Reuben wince as he tried to sit up.

I wonder if he's faking it.

"Try opening yer eyes first, young Buchan," he advised.

Reuben stilled at the sound of his voice. One eye squinted and then pried itself open by sheer willpower. The other eye followed similarly, and he blinked several times before registering where he was.

"Ye're at Castle McLaren. Do ye ken who I am?

"Laird McLaren?"

"Aye. Do ye ken what happened to ye?"

"I fell down the stairs. I was drunk." Reuben grimaced before yawning and gripping his side.

"Ye fell down the main steps and hit yer head. The healer said ye may have broken some ribs. Yer faither has been worried."

"Has he been through?" Reuben asked, letting his eyes close again.

"Aye," Arran said but then straightened to get the first order of business out of the way. "Ye ken well that ye should stop drinkin' the Rhenish wine here. Yer faither is worried about ye, lad. Maybe take a break for the rest of the week."

"Aye…"

"Lady Scarlett was also askin' about ye."

Let's see how this goes. I might have to knock him out again if he behaves poorly.

"Och?" Even half-conscious, the sedated young Buchan irritated him.

"Well, she kens I was lookin' after ye. We're engaged now, so she asked me to give her updates."

At this news, Reuben's eyes flew open and stared up at the ceiling. Arran carefully watched as the war raged on inside the young Buchan, but he did not say another word. He said all he needed to say and had to let Reuben speak up first.

The young Buchan took a deep breath and winced as he gripped his side again. "What?"

"I was lookin' after ye, Reuben. Is that so hard to believe? It's me castle, after all."

"Nay, after that."

"Och…" Arran stepped forward, and his menacing posture made Reuben lean back instinctively. "Scarlett Paton and I are engaged."

He sat back and watched Reuben struggle to respond without causing himself too much pain. The end result was a disgusted grimace and a painful groan.

"Aye, so every look, every slur ye think about uttering, and every thought ye have for Lady Scarlett will be an offense against me. Ye will do well to remember that. She is mine. She isnae yers. She will never be."

Reuben let out the breath he was holding, and then he relaxed into the bed before grunting out a wretched excuse for congratulations.

Good enough.

"Thank ye, I'll go fetch yer faither now," Arran said as he stood up and walked out of the room.