That would certainly be hard for her do once she was at the Sinclair keep.
“Hamish, I need ye to answer one more question for me. Ye are certain that ye have no plans to marry any time soon? Ye said ye would never find yerself chained to me. Did ye mean that?”
He stared down at her in bewilderment. What did his marriage plans have anything to do with Maggie’s death? “I think yer head injury might be paining ye, lass.”
“Just answer the question!” she whispered fiercely as she turned her head. Moira and Connor were gaining on them.
“Aye. I have no plans to marry any time soon.”
“Certainly not to me?”
“Grace.”
“Say it, Hamish!”
She was working herself up into a frenzy now, and all he wanted to do was soothe her. “Aye, Grace. Not to ye.”
“Then I am about to do something that ye are not going to like, but I need ye to trust that I willnae follow through. Just play along, and I will handle the investigation of Maggie’s killer myself. Ye doonae have to lift a finger.”
“What the devil are ye talking about?”
Connor and Moira reached their side. “Grace, is everything all right? Connor said that ye needed to speak to me.”
Grace cast him one last anxious look, and her eyes were filled with questions. After assessing him silently, although for what, he had no idea, she seemed to make a decision and nodded her head. “Aye. I needed some advice. I meant to speak to ye earlier, but with everything going on, it wasnae as important. But now, seeing that we are leaving in the morning, I can put it off no longer.”
“Put what off?”
Grace took a deep breath and sent Hamish an apologetic smile. His gut churned. Just what does she have up her sleeve?
“Advice about my upcoming marriage. Hamish has asked for my hand, and I have agreed.”
11
Hamish looked thunderstruck, and Grace held her breath. This was her one and only chance to find Maggie’s killer. As Hamish’s betrothed, she would be able to stay on Hamilton lands and launch her own investigation. Since Hamish didn’t want to marry, it was the perfect scenario.
If only he played along.
“Hamish?” Connor asked, looking just as astonished as the Hamilton laird. “Is this true?”
Sending up a silent prayer, she turned back to Hamish and pleaded with her eyes to agree. There was no telling what was going on in his head, but with a single word, he could ruin everything for her.
When the shock faded, a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, and for what felt like forever, she held his gaze. She could see the wheels turning behind those shrewd eyes, and her gut clenched. This was when he would finally get his revenge. He would out her plan, and her brothers would never let her leave the keep again.
Oh, I am a fool to think that Hamish would do anything for me!
“Aye,” he said finally. “‘Tis true. I would like a more formal alliance between our two clans, and I believe Grace and I suit.”
Her knees went weak, and if he hadn’t still had a firm arm around her waist, she would have sunk right into the ground.
“Suit?” Moira’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head, and she turned to look at Grace suspiciously. “Is that so?”
“I did tell ye that we have been spending time together,” Grace started nervously. She’d also told Moira that she found Hamish irritating, but hopefully her friend would not bring that up now.
“‘Tis true, ye did.” Moira nodded. “I will be more than happy to have a private word with ye. Why don’t I walk ye back to the keep?”
“I will go with ye,” Connor said quickly.
“Nay, this is a woman’s conversation,” Moira smoothed over. “Perhaps ye and Hamish can discuss details.”
“Of a long engagement,” Grace interjected before they got any ideas and she found herself wed tomorrow. “Of which I will spend here getting to know Hamish better.”
A crease formed on her brother’s forehead as he studied her, attempting to decide if she was jesting with him or not. “Ye cannae stay here alone.”
“Then leave a guard or two,” she said airily. “And my maid.” Wanting to sell it, she glanced up at Hamish with what she hoped was an adoring look. “I know I will be completely safe with him.”
Hamish snorted.
“Aye, because yer maid has been so effective,” Connor muttered. Grace released Hamish and took Moira’s arm and walked back to the keep. She didn’t want to admit it, but she really did need to sit down. Her ribs were burning, and her head was aching. Another day of feeling weak, but she would not be helpless. No, she would find the killer and get justice for Maggie.
“And what kind of game are ye playing?” Moira asked when they were out of earshot. “I know that ye cannae stand Hamish, and he certain doesnae want a wife that he thinks might cause trouble.”
It felt terrible to lie to Moira, but if she told her friend the truth, Moira would feel obligated to tell Connor. Grace was risking her reputation by staying here, but the plan would have an unintentional goal. Once she spent however long it took to find Maggie’s killer here alone with Hamish, she could call off the wedding. Her reputation would be ruined, and Connor and Alec would never force her to wed then.
“I thought perhaps his amazing feats were puffed up, but he saved my life, Moira.” Grace almost faked a swoon to help back up her story but thought better of it. Moira wouldn’t believe it anyhow. “He really was the hero, and I began to see him in a different light. Plus, he is most handsome.”
“That he is,” Moira said, but her voice was still tinged with suspicion.
“Ah, vera well. I suppose I will tell ye. He kissed me the other night when he escorted me back from the tavern.”
Stopping suddenly, Moira nearly caused Grace to trip. “He kissed ye?” she demanded. “Did ye kiss him back?”
“Aye.” Her heart skipped a beat at the thought.
“Did ye think it nice?”
Nice? Nice was a word that was reserved for a pretty bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table or perhaps a perfect executed stroke of the sword. No, there was nothing nice about the kiss. It had turned her inside out until she hadn’t even recognized herself. There had been others who had dared to steal a kiss, but for some reason, Hamish was the only man she’d wanted to kiss her.
“Intense,” Grace decided. “Breathtaking. I felt as though I could barely stand when it was done.”
Slowly, Moira smiled. “Aye, then perhaps he is the man for ye.”
“Just because a man is a nice kisser doesnae mean that he will make a good husband,” Grace snapped before she remembered her goal. “But in this case, I do believe that ye are right. He will make a fine husband. And ye and I will be able to see each other often.”
After taking another step back to the keep, she groaned and pressed a hand to her side as pain pulsed. “Perhaps we should take this conversation back to my chambers.”
“Back in the bed for ye,” Moira agreed. “And I will fetch Cora. I think it will take both of us to provide advice to wooing yer husband.”
“Wooing? Nay, that isnae what I want!” Grace said in alarm. “I mean to get him to let me do as I please! Ye made a bargain with Connor before ye wed, remember? That ye will have a quiet life in a cottage?”
“And I’m sure ye can see how that is working out for me.”
“Aye, but ye fell in love. That willnae happen to Hamish and I,” Grace said resolutely. Of that, she was absolutely certain.
“Then why did ye just announce that ye will marry him?”
“Why else?” Grace told the truth. “For freedom.”
Sitting at a table in one of the small private meeting chambers across from Connor and Alec, Hamish had a vague notion that he was facing more pressure now than when he was managing a peace between five bloody powerful clans. A headache formed at his temples, and he stared dully at the brothers. They had accused him of everything from blackmail to witchcra
ft, and now they were challenging his honor. He’d fought battles that were easier. “For the last time, I havenae stolen Grace’s virtue in an attempt to force her to wed me.”
Connor and Alec exchanged a look. “She wouldnae tell us the truth, but she may tell Moira and Cora,” Connor said softly.
“Have ye two lost yer minds? Ye brought her here with the hope that she would wed someone. Is it so hard to conceive that it might be me? Just yesterday ye were telling me that I was a good leader and a good man.”
“Aye,” Alec nodded. “Ye are, and ye would not be the first to hope to wed our sister, but she has never agreed to marriage.”
“She did suffer a brain injury. Perhaps it made her addled in the head,” Connor mused. “I think we should take advantage of it.”
Now at least they were getting somewhere, but Hamish narrowed his eyes darkly. “Are ye saying Grace is only agreeing to marry me because someone hit her upside the head? I am a hero around here. I have rushed into burning homes to save entire families, and once, thanks to a crying little child, a goat. I fought for peace and took control of a wayward clan. I have just united five clans under a peace treaty within one year of my leadership, and ye dare question why a woman would want to wed me?” At this rate, he was going to have to challenge both of them for a sister whom he was certain had no plans to actually marry him.
“Calm yerself, Hamish. Ye have to admit that we’re a bit blindsided by all of this. After all, Grace spent most of the journey here complaining about ye. I didnae even know that the two of ye were acquainted, and now, after just several days, ye have decided to get married,” Alec grumbled.
“How long did it take ye to decide to marry Cora?” Hamish demanded, knowing very well that Alec had all but blackmailed her into marrying him when he realized that she was Duncan MacKay’s daughter.
“‘Tis different,” Alec insisted, but he reddened and closed his mouth.
“And ye?” Hamish asked Connor.
“We were already in love,” Connor began.
Hamish snorted. “Ye exiled her. She spent a handful of years hating ye, or have ye forgotten that I acquainted myself with yer wife after ye had exiled her and left her to rot?”
“I havenae forgotten that ye proposed to her,” Connor grunted. “But that is neither here nor there.”
“The truth is that Grace has gone too long being able to do whatever she damn well pleased. She is spoiled to the point of being a danger to herself, but she is still a great asset. Ye both need a man who can keep her safe, and I am that man.”
“Aye, but will ye protect her heart as well?” Connor asked quietly. “Her spirit? Or will ye kill both in an attempt to mold her into the lass ye think she should be? Grace has a fire in her, and I wouldnae do anything to see that fire extinguished.”
“There need to be limits and boundaries to her recklessness, or have ye forgotten that she was nearly killed just yesterday?” Hamish argued.
The brothers exchanged another troubled look, and Hamish knew that he’d won although he wasn’t certain what he’d won. He’d willingly gamble his position in the Hamilton clan that Grace had no intentions of marrying him, but for some reason, she also had no plans of leaving. So just what was she up to?
It wasn’t until that evening that Hamish managed to steal a quiet moment with Grace. Knocking briefly on her chambers before dinner, he crossed his arms and waited. She must still have been in some pain because it took a little too long for her to open it.
Or maybe she knew that he was on the other side.
“Good evening,” she said pleasantly. She actually looked at him like she was puzzled that he would be there.
Just like most of the time he spent around her, he didn’t know whether to throttle or kiss her.
With an arched eyebrow, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. She didn’t even fight him. “Good evening? That is all that ye have to say? I want to know what kind of game ye are playing and I want to know right now, or I will march down to yer brothers and tell them to pack ye up and take ye home.”
To his astonishment, she threw her head back and laughed. He grew even more uneasy. “Honestly, Hamish, I had no idea that ye were so easily riled! Of course I have no intentions of wedding ye, but since ye arenae going to investigate Maggie’s death, then I will do it myself. I just needed a reason to be able to stick around, that is all.”
“That is all?” Did the daft woman not think of the future at all? “And what happens when we are supposed to wed?”
“I will simply say that I have changed my mind. It will no doubt damage my reputation, but since I doonae want to marry, that is fine with me. There might be a scandal, but honestly, no one is going to care. I am the hellion after all.”
Hamish regarded her closely. Apparently, he was wrong. She had thought of the future and seemed to have it all figured out. There was just one problem.
Now that Hamish had her, he didn’t want to let her go. Memories of that kiss they shared rose to the surface, and he nearly groaned. He wanted to take her in his arms and stroke her body until she forgot all about her silly plan and agreed that they should just wed before they both went mad from desire.
Aye, Grace is mine. She can play her games, but I can play mine as well.
“Yer brothers have spent most of the afternoon interrogating me. I have had life-threatening wounds that were less painful. We are going down to dinner tonight to celebrate our betrothal, and ye had better put on a good front, my dear, because they are going to be watching us vera closely.”
She paled just a little. “I was thinking that since I am injured—”
“Ye marched yerself outside the keep and claimed that we were engaged,” he told her. “I think ye can make it to dinner.”
12
Grace was so nervous that she wasn’t sure she could stomach any food. Everyone was in an uproar about her sudden betrothal, and the exchanging of lost wages beneath the table was hardly subtle.
Across from her, Brodie Armstrong glared at her openly. It was a little insulting that so many people had assumed that she would marry him. After all, he wasn’t nearly as charming as he and everyone else seemed to believe.
He didn’t realize it, but she’d studied him and others from the tavern. It was telling to see what a man would do when he had a little ale in him. Connor and Alec had stopped short of drinking too much, claiming that they always needed their wits about them, and she expected other men to do the same. Brodie, however, drank to excess and tried to fondle any woman near him. His remarks were nauseatingly crude, and she would join a nunnery before she married someone like him.
“I had heard that ye werenae in the market for a wife, Hamish,” he said sourly, no doubt echoing everyone’s thoughts at the table.
“It wouldnae be a smart move to let all of my competitors know that I was also competing, now would it?” Hamish said easily. It was all Grace could do not to glare at him.
“In any case, the decision is mine to make,” she said coldly as she glared at Brodie.
“Aye, of course, my lady.” His sour face instantly brightened as he smiled sweetly at her. “And I hear that ye are wanting a long betrothal period. ‘Tis an intelligent and insightful decision to make.”
“That doesnae mean that she plans on changing her mind,” Hamish said. He’d been so quiet that Grace wasn’t even certain he was paying attention. A mistake on her part. If she’d learned anything about Hamish, it was that he was always paying attention.
Brodie grinned. “Worried about that, Laird Hamilton?”
“Even if he were, I doubt he’d be worried that ye would be the contender,” Theo snorted, surprisingly coming to her aid. “Anyone with eyes can see that Grace is far too intelligent for the likes of ye.”
“Are ye still holding out hope, MacDougal?” Brodie said easily. “Hoping than an heir will mean yer father cannae reclaim his title? He is still alive, is he not?”
“Had we not just signed a peace treaty,
I would think that was a charge that I murdered my own father to be laird,” Theo growled.
“I would never suggest such a thing,” Brodie said with a grin, and his brother frowned and elbowed him in the stomach.
The air around the table grew even more fraught with tension.
“If ye wanted to come see us before bed, Lady Grace, I’m certain my wife could give ye some pointers about being a new wife,” MacSeaver suggested as he hiccuped. Next to him, Beth widened her eyes and turned a little green. She had spent most of the trip hiding in her chambers, and Grace didn’t blame her.
Her husband was a lecher.
“My betrothed willnae be going anywhere near yer chambers,” Hamish growled and started to stand. Before a fight could commence right there at the table, Grace put her hand on his arm to stop him. There was no reason for him to be so possessive and take things too far. He glanced at her with a frown and retook his seat. Before she could move her hand, he reached for it and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
Immediately, she narrowed her eyes and contemplated slapping him, but her body’s response was beyond her control. It almost liquified at the touch of his lips on her skin, and she squirmed in her chair wondering if anyone else could see how this was affecting her.
Hamish knew. His eyes darkened a little, and he skimmed his fingers over her knuckles all while giving her a little smirk. Furious, she pulled her hand away and faced the table. Everyone was giving them their rapt attention.
Clearing her throat, she folded her hands back into her lap and hoped her cheeks weren’t as inflamed as they felt. “Just so everyone is clear, my decision to marry Hamish is based on the heart and not for a political alliance.” She almost couldn’t get the words out. The very idea of her being in love was absurd. “But as I have much to learn about the Hamilton clan and wish to win their affections before the wedding, I am asking for a long engagement.”
She wanted to use Maggie’s death as an excuse to delay the wedding, and she was mourning, but Hamish shut that idea down. He didn’t want it even known that the two of them were friends.
Highlands’ Forbidden Deeds Page 44
