A Lass to Love: Brides of Scotland

by Andresen, Tammy

  He pulled away a bit, creating a void between them, and she made a small noise of protest, but he smiled against her lips as he began working the buttons down the front of her dress.

  She shrugged out of the arms, and pushed the fabric down over her hips, allowing it to land in a puddle on the floor.

  With a swift and practiced move, he swiped her chemise down below her breast and dropped his mouth to the rounded flesh. When he sucked in her nipple, she thought she might die of pleasure as she wound her fingers into his hair, holding him closer.

  “Fiona,” he said, his voice rough and scratchy as he lifted his head and pulled the fabric back from her other breast. “You’re so lovely. In every way. I just want-—”

  A loud bang on the door stopped his words. His hands tightened on her middle as a wave of nervousness made her start. “Who is that?”

  “That will be Colin. Get your dress on…quickly.” He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head as she shrugged on the now-wrinkled dress and he began doing up the buttons.

  The knock sounded again, louder. “Tom, open up this door or I’ll break it down,” Colin growled from the other side. “And then I’ll send ye the bill. I ken she’s in there.”

  “I’m coming,” he called.

  Fiona drew in a quick breath. “Should I hide?”

  “There’s no need.” He leaned down and kissed her lips. “But we’d better open the door before he becomes even angrier.”

  Fiona nodded, butterflies dancing about her stomach.

  With two steps, Tom crossed the room and swung open the door. “Good to see you again so soon.”

  Colin stepped in, his eyes narrowing. “I told ye, nothing happens on this ship I don’t ken about.” Then he pointed at Fiona. “What is she doing here?”

  Fiona clenched her hands at her sides. “Why are ye asking him?”

  Colin turned to her, his expression black. “I’ll deal with ye later.” Then he turned back to Tom. “I defended ye to my aunt and this is how ye repay me?”

  Tom started to speak but Fiona stepped forward. “Don’t blame him. This is my fault. I came down here uninvited. I entered his room.”

  Colin banged the wall with his fist. “And I suppose ye wrinkled yer own dress too? He had nothing to do with that?”

  Fiona winced. He had her there. “Try to understand, Colin. Since I was sixteen, it’s been duty and the business of marriage. I just wanted a bit of fun.”

  Colin opened his mouth to answer but Tom spoke first. “I beg your pardon. Is that what I am to you? A bit of fun?”

  * * *

  Tom’s head buzzed with anger and hurt. With startling clarity, he realized that he’d talked of marriage but she hadn’t breathed a word about a making a future with him.

  Yes, she’d said that she wouldn’t marry Exmouth, but she hadn’t agreed to marry Tom either.

  He was just a bit of fun. A Cheapside merchant who was handsome to look at and fun to touch but nothing serious.

  Fiona held her hands in front of her. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “What did you mean?” He put his hands on his hips. “Because I told you that I wanted to marry you. What did you say in return?”

  Her face paled and she stepped closer, her tongue wetting her lips. “Tom. Try to understand. It isn’t a question of not being serious about ye. I just…” She hesitated, looking up at the ceiling.

  Colin stepped between them. “Yer explanation can wait until tomorrow. The facts are as follows. Ye will marry Tom first thing in the morning. As captain, I’ll perform the ceremony myself. Now, return to yer room and stay there for the duration of the night.” His voice had taken on the authoritative ring it held when he addressed the soldiers. “Have I made myself clear?”

  Fiona nodded even as Tom’s stomach clenched. Now he’d be spending the rest of his life with a woman who hurt him like all the others. A bit of fun. His lips curled around the words and he squeezed his eyes shut. There was nothing to do for it now. He’d let her in the room. Taken off her dress, kissed her supple flesh.

  Colin took his cousin’s arm. “I will escort Fiona back up to my cabin and then I’d like a word with ye, Tom.”

  “Of course,” he answered through gritted teeth.

  Fiona gave him a long look, her eyes pleading with him. For what?

  Colin escorted her to the door and she looked at him over Colin’s shoulder. “Tom,” she called.

  He crossed his arms, even as Colin stopped. Fiona spun about and stepped back up to him. Reaching out a shaking hand, she touched his arms. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Please don’t be upset or misunderstand. I just wanted to experience courting without considering the future and—”

  He jerked back. “I don’t misunderstand. In fact, I understand perfectly.”

  Fiona’s face paled and she dropped her hand. Slowly turning, she reached for Colin once again. “I’m ready to go back upstairs.” Her voice shook and he could hear the tears in her voice.

  Hurt churned in his stomach. Was she upset that she was about to be married to the stench of Cheapside? Colin led her out of the room, muttering that he’d be right back. The moment they disappeared, Tom slumped down onto the bed. What had he just done?

  True to his word, Colin returned a few minutes later, entering the room and closing the door behind him.

  “Tom,” he said, crossing the small bit of floor. “Try to understand. After finding the two of ye alone together, I have to do this.”

  He didn’t sound angry this time, only concerned. “I know you do,” Tom replied. “I asked her to marry me this evening. Before you came. I wanted to marry her. I—” He didn’t know how to finish. “It’s Fiona who doesn’t want me.”

  Colin paused, his head pulling back. “That doesn’t sound right at all.”

  “She never answered me when I proposed and then she said I was—” He couldn’t repeat the words. They stuck in his throat.

  Colin reached down and patted Tom’s shoulder. “I think ye’d better have a more detailed conversation with her. My gut tells me there has been a misunderstanding. But all the same, that conversation will happen after the two of ye have wed. I’ve got a family to protect.”

  He dropped his head into his hands. Tom hoped Colin was right and that this was all a huge mistake. But his past whispered that Fiona meant every word she’d uttered and no woman of worth wanted him for anything other than a quick tryst.

  Chapter Twelve

  Fiona listened to her aunt’s snores most of the night as she tossed in her hammock. Fortunately, the wine had kept her aunt from waking even as Colin had escorted her in and left again with hardly a word.

  She didn’t blame her cousin for being angry. And she knew she’d said the exact wrong words in front of Tom. Gads, she’d made a mess of everything.

  She finally fell asleep and woke a few hours later to the sound of Edna banging about the room. Aunt Edna was not normally sunny in the morning but add wine consumption and she was a stomping bear about the room. Fiona sighed. This was going to be a difficult day. Her wedding day.

  “What’s the matter with ye?” Edna snapped, turning toward the hammock.

  Fiona sat up, pushing her hair from her face and straightening her spine. Edna might as well hear it from her. “Tom and I are getting married today.”

  Edna stopped in the center of the room, looking her niece up and down. “I’m goin’ta need ye to repeat that.”

  “We’re getting married. Today.” She slipped out of the hammock, but didn’t cross any closer to Edna. The woman was holding her cane.

  Edna cleared her throat. “Because?”

  Fiona wet her lips, wishing for a glass of cool water. She was suddenly parched. “Because Colin caught us kissing and he’s insisting.” She wouldn’t lie to her aunt now. This affected Edna’s future too.

  In response Edna wilted into a nearby chair. “Well, that’s it then. I’ll have to leave my home, start a new life.” Then her aunt gasped.
“Will we have to move to London?”

  Fiona blinked. “I don’t have a clue.”

  “So ye and the merchant haven’t actually made any plans?” Edna dropped the cane and raised a shaking hand to her brow. “I wish I hadn’t had that poison last night. I’d handle this all a great deal better without it.”

  Fiona dropped her head, guilt making her chest tight. “I’m certain we’ll figure it all out.”

  Edna shook her head. “Mr. Mayweather will support ye. He has to. But if he’s entering this engagement unwillingly then he may very well toss me to the wolves.”

  Fiona crossed to her aunt, placing her hands on her shoulders. “First of all, Colin will care fer ye.” She gave her aunt’s shoulder’s a squeeze. “Second, he’s not unwilling. He’d already asked me to marry him.”

  Edna’s head snapped up. “Well.” She drew in a deep breath. “That does make me feel better.” Then her gaze narrowed. “But if he asked and ye accepted, why is Colin forcing the issue and why do ye look so worried?”

  Fiona’s shoulder’s rose and fell. “I got so excited, I forgot to accept. And then he misinterpreted my comments so now he thinks I didn’t accept because I don’t want him. He’s worried that I think he’s not good enough.”

  Edna reached for her hand, then, covering Fiona’s with her own. “If he’s going to be yer husband, ye best tell him that he is good enough, even if ye don’t believe it. I wished ye married the earl, but if Colin’s made up his mind, there’s no point in lamenting now.”

  “But I’m not lamenting. Callum was never the man for me and Tom is everything that I’ve wanted. In fact, I believe I love him.”

  Edna drew in a deep breath. “I do hope they bring tea soon.” Then she patted Fiona’s hand again. “If ye love him. Ye’d best tell him that too. It’ll make everything better. And also, if ye could put in a word about a small cottage for yer dear aunt…”

  Fiona leaned down and kissed Edna’s head. “I will, Auntie, and I’m sure he’ll make arrangements for ye. It might have been easier if ye hadn’t wacked him with yer cane.”

  Edna gave a loud sniff. “Who is to say that my cane isn’t what put him on the right path to start?”

  Fiona gave her head a shake. “I’ll be sure to add that in when I talk to him.”

  * * *

  Tom paced his room, having given up on the idea of sleep hours before. He was marrying today. That should have filled him with joy but all he could muster was sick dread. Perhaps in time, he’d change her mind? Could he show her his value?

  He hated starting from this point, but there was nothing to do but try and make the best of the situation.

  A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He paused, unsure if he wanted to answer.

  “Tom,” Fiona’s voice called from the other side. “Can we please talk?”

  He straightened, not sure he was ready to hear what she had to say. He was still figuring everything out in his own mind.

  She cleared her throat. “I spoke with Edna this morning. She said that I should tell ye how I feel so I’m going to start by admitting that I’m in love with ye. I’m not certain when it happened but it has and I won’t apologize for it.”

  Her words slammed into him with a force that nearly doubled him over. Recovering, he took a long stride across the room and wrenched open the door.

  Fiona tumbled into the room and he reached out his hands, catching her before she fell, then pulled her against his body. She wrapped her arms about his neck, looking up into his face. Without a word, he kissed her hard, full of the passion and hurt he’d experienced.

  She softened underneath him, molding herself to his front. “Say it again,” he whispered against her lips, his voice rough.

  “I love ye.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut. “Are you just saying that to make the best of this situation?”

  Her fingers danced along his cheek. “Open yer eyes.”

  He did, staring down into her bright green eyes, fringed with dark lashes. “I love ye, Tom Mayweather, and I’d be honored to be yer wife. I didnae mean to hurt yer feelings yesterday. It’s not that I don’t care fer ye, or even that I don’t want to marry ye. It’s that fer the first time in my life I am having fun, enjoying my relationship with ye. I’ve never had that before and I just wanted to savor the moment.”

  Her words hit him square in the chest. This wasn’t about him not being good enough. It was about her being chained to first one man and then another. “I’m such a fool,” he said, kissing her again. “Can you forgive me?”

  She gave him a wide smile. “I can if ye can forgive me. I never meant to hurt ye.”

  “Fiona.” He pulled her further into the room, closing the door behind her. “Of course, I can. For the record, I love you too.”

  She gasped underneath him. “Ye do?”

  “Very much.” He kissed her over and over, not wanting to let go.

  She sighed against his lips. “We don’t want to get in trouble with Colin again.”

  He chuckled. “What more can he do?”

  She leaned back. “Well, that is a good point. But still. I’ve got a wedding to prepare fer. And tea to fetch fer Edna. She’s a bear in the morning. Especially after some wine.”

  “Edna should likely suffer a bit longer,” Tom said, straightening up with his bride still in his arms.

  Fiona quirked a brow. “Is that before or after she moves in with us?”

  He stopped. Bloody hell, why hadn’t this occurred to him? “We’ll have to buy her a lovely cottage in the country.”

  Fiona let out a tinkling laugh. “She’ll be pleased to hear it. Now, I’ve got to go. I’ll see ye very soon.”

  He touched her cheek, stroking her velvety skin. Yes, she would.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Fiona stepped out onto the deck, smoothing her nicest gown. It was a green silk empire-waist custom-made dress that Edna had ordered for her to wear when she met Lord Exmouth. It seemed fitting to wear the dress to her wedding. It wasn’t the future Edna had intended, but it was the one Fiona wanted. More than anything.

  Clouds filled the sky but no rain fell and the breeze that tickled her hair was calm enough as Edna stood next to her, closing the door behind them. “Well, this is yer last chance to change yer mind.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  Edna sighed. “I didnae think ye would.”

  They began crossing the deck to where Colin stood with Tom in front of him and to his left. A few sailors also stood to the side, but Fiona barely looked at them, her gaze fixed on her soon-to-be husband.

  He gave her a large smile and held out his hand toward her. Fiona reached for his and they laced their fingers together even as she still had her other hand threaded through Edna’s arm.

  “Well, isn’t this cozy,” Edna muttered. “Family after all.”

  Tom’s smile slipped. “I hope you’re not too disappointed, Aunt Edna.”

  She swung her cane between them and Tom’s hand tensed but it didn’t touch him and landed with a thump on Edna’s other side. “I expect, as yer new aunt, ye can outfit me in some excellent wool fer the Scottish winter. Fiona sews, ye ken. She’s an excellent seamstress.”

  Tom gave her a glowing smile. “I can manage that.” He looked to Fiona. “We’ll have to split our time between Scotland and England. My townhouse in London will suffice when we’re there but perhaps we can find a little country estate with a nice guest house for your aunt. Then she can keep up the place while we’re gone.”

  Edna’s eyes lit and Fiona attempted to hide her smile. He’d won Aunt Edna over after all. It had only taken real estate.

  “Fine idea,” Edna gushed, finally letting go of Fiona’s arm. “Let’s get this wedding underway, shall we?”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Colin chimed in.

  “Me either,” Fiona answered, squeezing Tom’s hand and he drew her closer, reaching for her other one.

  A soft rain began t
o fall, as Colin tied a ribbon about their joined hands. They each repeated their vows as waves crashed against the boat. Fiona didn’t remember the exact words, but the feeling would stay with her forever, breathless excitement coupled with a calm certainty she’d chosen the right path.

  Tom would be hers forever.

  * * *

  Tom led his new bride back to the cabin for their wedding breakfast. He wrapped a hand about her waist as he tucked her close to his side. They’d be together always.

  He ate a bit, mostly watching Fiona as she smiled and laughed with her family. The sight filled him with warmth.

  Colin cleared his throat. “I’ve got to get back to work, I’m afraid.” He reached out and shook Tom’s hand. “Welcome to the family.”

  Tom returned his friend’s grin. “How funny, the path life takes us on. If you would have told me a week ago, I’d be married…” He pumped Colin’s hand. “And that you and I would be cousins-in-law, I would never have believed it.”

  Colin winked. “Neither would I.” Then he leaned down and kissed Fiona’s cheek. “Congratulations, cousin.”

  Fiona flushed, a beautiful shade of pink. “Thank ye.”

  “How about we take another stroll on the deck?” Tom tucked Fiona’s hand into his arm. “The drizzle has ceased.”

  She smiled. “I like that idea.”

  Truth be told, he was anxious to truly be alone with his bride but he didn’t want to say so in front of Edna. She still held her cane…

  Stepping out, they circled the deck, their hips brushing as they walked, their bodies moving together, neither saying much as they spoke a different language entirely. Finally, Fiona stopped, looking over at him. “This walk is nice but…”

  He dropped his chin close to her ear. “But?”

  “I thought perhaps we might…” She laughed softly.

  “Head to our room?” he whispered and then placed the tiniest kiss just below her ear.