The Highlander's Choice (10 page)

Squeals erupted from three females who all jumped from their seats to hug him. With all the noise he couldn’t hear himself think. “Ye need to quiet down and let me finish.”

His mum was patting her eyes with the edge of her apron and both of his sisters bounced on the settee.

“I asked the lass to marry me, but she dinna give me an answer.” Now that they had quieted down and he had their attention, he once again took his seat. “I asked her to come for a visit to meet everyone and spend some time at Bedlay. ’Tis my hope she will accept me after she spends some time here.”

“Dinna keep us waiting, lad. Who is the lass?” Mum was almost as excited as his sisters.

“’Tis a lass that is a friend to Lady Margaret.”

“The Sassenach?” Mam’s smile faded and her eyebrows rose. “I dinna ken Duncan’s bride had any Scottish friends.”

“Nay, she doesn’t.”

“Doesn’t what? Yer talking in circles, lad.”

“Lady Margaret’s friend is an English woman. A fine lass that I’m sure ye will all love.”

The stunned silence actually hurt his ears. His heart pounded as he waited for the reaction he kenned would surely come.

“Are ye telling me ye asked a Sassenach to marry ye?” Mam’s voice was so low he barely heard her.

“Aye.”

“Nay!” She jumped up and waved her finger in his face. “’Twill be no Sassenach at Bedlay. Ye will send word to the lass that ye came to yer senses and there will be no carriage bringing her here.”

Liam stood his ground and shook his head. “’Tis sorry I am to disappoint ye, but I will not be changing my mind. Lady Sybil will arrive tomorrow and if she decides to have me, there will be a wedding.”

“Nay! ’Twill be a scandal. The clan will never accept a Sassenach.”

Liam drew himself up and faced the woman who had raised him, loved him, and took care of him all his life. “Need I remind ye, I am yer laird and make the decisions for the clan? ’Tis final.” Unable to bear the look of shock on their faces, he turned and strode to the door.

He stopped with his hand on the latch and turned back to them. “And I’ll be expecting ye to be pleasant to the lass when she arrives. Or ye will be answering to me.”

Taking the stairs two at a time, he stomped down the corridor and entered his bedchamber. Going directly to the window, he leaned his forearm against the frame and stared out at the blackness. He’d made up his mind at Dundas. Lady Sybil was the woman for him. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a wife.

Now he had to convince her that marriage between the two of them was the right thing to do. He kenned that she was looking to marry for love. Could his feelings for the lass be love? He’d told her nay, but the more he thought about her, here in Bedlay, in this room, in his bed, carrying his bairn, the more he questioned exactly what it was he felt.

She would arrive tomorrow. Time would tell. If only he didn’t have to fight his family and entire clan to find out.

Chapter Ten

Sybil gave Margaret a hug and headed to the carriage that had arrived to take her to Liam’s home. Her stomach fluttered with nervous tension as the vehicle pulled away. She waved to Margaret, standing in front of the door with Duncan, his arm around her waist. It appeared her friend’s marriage was off to a good start. They would leave today for their wedding trip. With Lord and Lady Somerville departing very early this morning, Sybil was truly on her own now. A frightening prospect.

Bessie slumped on the seat across from her. As a good employee, she would never voice an opinion of her lady’s decisions, but her demeanor certainly told her what she thought of this visit to Bedlay. Sybil, herself, had to fight down the urge to tap on the conveyance ceiling and instruct the driver to return her to Dundas until her brother could send for her.

She drew herself up. No, she would see this through. She had feelings for Liam, there was no denying it. If she didn’t spend this time with him to see if love blossomed, she might regret it for the rest of her life. She’d come to realize in the years after her come-out that the elusive idea of love was not easily gained. All her married siblings had had to fight for it. So would she.

The scenery outside the window drew her in, truly a sight to behold. Hills of deep green rolled before them like waves on the ocean. The color was so magnificent it almost hurt her eyes to view it. The crisp, clean air invigorated her, gave her hope for the future. If love did, indeed, develop between her and Liam, this delightful scene would greet her each day. A burst of happiness replaced the anxiety.

Since the properties of MacBride and McKinnon sat side-by-side, they reached the path to the castle in less than an hour. Trying to see as much as she could as they approached without actually hanging out the window like some ill-mannered chit, she gaped at Bedlay Castle. An impressive structure to be sure. Stone walls seemed to reach to the sky, and go on forever. She leaned over a little bit and caught the battlements, imagining soldiers up there, arms at the ready to defend their home. She shook her head at her fanciful thoughts.

But the most impressive part of the castle was the immediate surroundings. High on a hill of verdant deep green grass, it sat about a half mile from a cliff that dropped into the raging sea, sunlight causing diamond-like sparkles to glisten on the water. It took her breath away.

Within minutes, the carriage slowed and came to a stop, and the door of the castle opened as Liam stepped out. Although they’d only been apart one day, she felt as though it had been much longer. Again she was taken in by his handsomeness. His red hair, golden streaks caught by the sun, flowed free of a tie, brushing his shoulders, stark against his white shirt. His muscled thighs, snug in fawn breeches, made her heart thump.

He looked every bit the Laird and Chieftain of Clan MacBride. She could almost hear the wail of bagpipes in the air, and the sounds of battle as swords clanged and men fell.

He grinned as he approached the carriage, his Hessian boots eating up the distance in no time. “Good morning, lass. ’Tis a pleasure to see you once again.”

No proper Englishman would greet his guest dressed so informally. But on Liam it looked perfect. His deep green eyes appeared to eat her up. She found herself grinning merely because his happiness was contagious. “I am happy to be here. Truly.”

He lifted her out of the carriage as if she weighed no more than a child. But then, next to his size, perhaps that’s how he perceived her. She shook out her skirts, and her attention was taken by two young ladies approaching. One could say they were dragging their feet.

Beauties, both of them. The younger girl had beautiful auburn hair, braided and wrapped around her head. She shared Liam’s green eyes, marking her as his sister. Her perky nose sported a light scattering of freckles—her tentative smile charming. The older girl seemed a bit more reserved, but viewed her with curiosity. Where her sister’s hair was a deep auburn, this girl shared Liam’s hair of ginger with golden highlights, also braided in her sister’s style. And the inevitable green eyes.

“Lass, these two minxes are my sisters.” He patted the younger one on her head. “Catriona is thirteen years.” Then he touched the other girl on her head who rolled her eyes, obviously in adolescent pique. “And Alanna is fifteen years.” He moved next to Sybil and took her by the elbow. “This is our guest Lady Sybil.”

Sybil held out her hands to both girls. “I’m pleased to meet you.” They took her hand, Catriona smiling shyly. While there wasn’t unfriendliness in their demeanor, they certainly didn’t seem enthusiastic in their greetings.

“Mum is surprised Liam wants to marry a Sassenach.”

Taken aback by Catriona’s statement, Sybil glanced at Liam whose lips had tightened. “Ach, and where have yer good manners walked off to, lass?”

Catriona ducked her head, her cheeks flaming. “Pray pardon, my lady.”

“That is all right, dear. I’m sure it would be quite a shock to your mother.” She looked up at Liam as he took her arm to escort her. “Where is Lady MacBride?”

The girls darted a glance at each other and something shuttered in Liam’s eyes before he resumed a bland expression. “My mum will be joining us for luncheon. But now we need to get ye settled.”

Some of her nervousness returned. It was exceedingly odd for the woman of the house to not welcome a guest. Perhaps her “surprise” at Liam’s invitation to her was more than that. Hopefully, the woman wouldn’t be outright unwelcoming.

Her first impression of the castle’s interior was striking. The massive ceiling seemed to go on forever. Tapestries of deep blues, greens, and browns brought the outside splendor inside. A fire roared in the large dining room, which felt good, even though it was early summer. It seemed the Highlands never really warmed up.

“My laird, yer mum asked me to see yer guest and her maid to her room since she is busy at the moment,” a pleasant looking woman came down the corridor toward them.

“Mrs. Gilpenny, this is Lady Sybil, our guest.” Liam turned to Sybil. “Mrs. Gilpenny has been our housekeeper since I was a lad. She will take good care of ye. I need to see to some estate business and will join you for luncheon.”

“Thank you.” Sybil felt a jolt of anxiety as she watched Liam walk away.

“Can we go with ye to yer room, my lady?” Catriona was viewing her as if she was some sort of a bug under a glass.

“Yes, of course. I would love to have you join me while I get settled.” She glanced at Alanna. “Would you like to come along?”

The girl shrugged, but trailed them up the stairs.

Sybil followed the ample hips of the housekeeper to the second landing. They continued on past numerous doors until they came to the very last portal on the left hand side. Mrs. Gilpenny took a large steel ring from her waist and fumbled until she found a key that she inserted into the lock. She swung the door open, and they all stepped back.

It was a very small room, and it appeared it hadn’t been cleaned in quite a while. The windows on either side of the fireplace were so full of soot nothing from the outside could be seen. There was a definite smell of a dead animal, and all five women put their fingers to their noses.

“I dinna understand,” Mrs. Gilpenny said. “I’m sure Lady MacBride said to use this room for Lady Sybil. I thought she said it was ready for ye.” She turned to Sybil. “I am so sorry, my lady. I will have the lasses up here right away to clean it fer ye.”

“Thank you.” Trying to make the best of it, she smiled at Mrs. Gilpenny as she and the girls entered the room.

“Milady, is this your room?” Bessie stepped into the chamber and said, “Oh.”

“It will be cleaned up, Bessie, and all will be fine. Have the trunks brought up, if you please, and we can get started unpacking.”

“You sure you want to unpack, milady?” Bessie asked, looking around the space.

“Perhaps yer maid is correct and ye should wait ’til the lasses clean it up afore you unpack yer things,” Mrs. Gilpenny said.

Catriona stepped forward. “My lady, we can go to my chamber and send for tea.”

“Thank you so much. I think a cup of tea is a wonderful idea. And, please, call me Sybil.” Only too happy to escape the gloomy, filthy room, she followed the two girls back down the corridor as Mrs. Gilpenny hurried down the stairs, Bessie in tow, no doubt to get the maids to cleaning the room.

…

“I told Lady Sybil ye would be joining us for dinner, and ’tis what ye will do.” Liam faced his mother in her sitting room, as she had just advised him she would take her meal in her room.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I will not sit down with a Sassenach.”

“If I have my way, that Sassenach will be yer daughter-in-law.”

“Nay. I will naught allow it!” She banged her fist on the table in front of her, causing an unlit candle to topple from its holder and land on the floor.

“’Tis no matter. Ye have no say, since I am yer laird and the decision is mine.” Ach, the woman was stubborn. How would he ever convince Sybil he would make her a fine husband if his mum acted like a spoiled bairn? He’d kenned for years that she was not fond of the English, but he had no idea her dislike ran so deep.

“If ye would only get to ken the lass, ye will see for yerself that she’s naught like other English lasses.”

“Princesses! All of them. Sitting around on their arses, waiting for everyone to do for them. I spent time in London as a lass, working for a seamstress. They were the meanest women on God’s earth. Always blathering about their clothes, and their beaus, and how much coin their families had.” She shifted her glance from him, and said in a softer voice. “And they hated the Scots. Thought we were all barbarians. Treated me like…”

Liam hid his surprise at her words. This was something he’d never heard before. He’d always thought her dislike of the Sassenach was a result of the way her family had been treated during the Clearances. Her clan had been driven from their land to scratch out an existence as best they could. She’d often told them if his da hadn’t married her when he had, she would have had to leave her beloved Scotland to move to America with the rest of her family.

“’Tis sorry I am for what happened to ye, mum.”

She waved her hand impatiently. “’Twas a long time ago. But if yer guest came from London, she’ll be whinin’ and complainin’ and demandin’ from the day ye are foolish enough to marry her.”

“Sybil is not like that. Ye must give her a chance.” When she didn’t answer, he added, “I’m asking ye to please set aside yer feelings and join us for dinner.”

After a few moments of silence, she took a deep breath. “Aye.”

“Thank ye.” He moved to her and kissed the top of her head.

“Here ye are. I thought ye already headed back home.” Liam grinned as he entered the sitting room between his sisters’ bedchambers.

“We were having tea and a chat,” Catriona said. “Sybil has been telling us all about London and the Season.”

“Nay, lass. Ye should be addressing our guest as Lady Sybil.”

Sybil shook her head. “No. I asked them both to call me Sybil. Lady Sybil seems much too formal.”

By the look on Catriona’s face, Sybil had already won over his youngest sister. She gazed at the lass with wonder, as if Sybil was a princess. Ach, he’d better get that notion out of his sister’s head or his mum would be nodding her head and proving her point.

Alanna seemed a bit more reserved, but it was plain she didn’t hold the animosity he’d seen in Mum.

He plopped into the sturdiest looking chair in the room and stretched out his long limbs. “Dinna be getting ideas in yer head about a Season, lass. ’Tis not the way of things at Bedlay.”

“Nay. Sybil said after the first year ye grow tired of the constant round of balls and that finding someone to love is more important than all the parties.”

There was that word again. Was missing the lass as much as he had the day or so they were apart a sign that his heart was engaged? Aye. ’Twas possible. Every time he glanced in Sybil’s direction to see her sitting here in his home, next to his sisters, looking like she belonged, his heart warmed with more than the lust his body had been dealing with for the past few weeks.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he sat up, slapped his thighs and said, “’Tis almost time for dinner. And our cook, Mrs. MacDougal, daesna like to be kept waiting.”

The three women stood and shook out their skirts. Liam offered his arm to Sybil and they left the room and descended the stairs.

The chattering of the clansmen came to a halt as they entered the large dining room. Dozens of pairs of eyes followed the group as they headed to the main table where Liam was pleased to see his mum already sat. He walked Sybil over to her. “Lady Sybil, this is my mum, Lady MacBride.”

Sybil smiled brightly and gave a small curtsy. “My lady, it is truly a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for opening your home to me.”

Mum’s eyebrows rose, but she never gave a hint of a smile. “Aye. ’Twas what
my laird
wanted.”

Sybil frowned, looking confused for a moment. Liam cast his mum a reproachful glance as his two sisters giggled. He helped Sybil into her seat and darted a glance at the girls. By the saints. Hopefully the meal would not turn into a brawl.

“Ye can all return to yer meal,” Liam said addressing the clansmen who watched their entrance with curiosity. “Lady Sybil is my guest, and ye will all get a chance to speak with her.” After that announcement to the crowd, conversation resumed, but more subdued than when they’d entered. More than a few people darted glances at Sybil, and he caught the word
Sassenach
several times.

“You have a lovely home here, my lady.” Sybil shook her napkin out and placed it on her lap.

“’Tis ancient. And cold. The wind whistles through these walls, making ye feel as though yer limbs have frozen.”

“Mum, ye ken we added wood to the stone walls in most of the rooms to keep out the cold.” He spoke to Sybil. “As ye probably noticed when ye entered, we also divided up the great hall, making a drawing room, morning room, library, and this dining room. Makes it easier to keep it heated.”