Taming the Wild Highlander 04 (16 page)

"
Nay!" Edana shouted, yanking her hand free of Angus's and ran with all haste for the keep.

Una raced
after her, but Angus caught up with Edana and took hold of her arm. "'Tis all right, lass. We are married. We had witnesses. He canna have you."

Allison joined
them. "I would prefer no' to see my half-brother," she said in a small voice.

"
Una, can you take Allison up to my chamber? I will be there forthwith," Edana said, half expecting that if her da was angry with Edana before, he'd be twice as mad when she said she had married another man when he had arranged for her to wed Keary in her absence.

"
Aye," Una said, and hastened to take Allison up the stairs.

To
Seumas and Kipper, Edana said, "You dinna have to go with us. Mayhap it would be better if you didna see my da just yet."

Casting each other a look and appearing relieved, the
y nodded to her and headed for the barracks.

With her back stiff, she stalked toward the great hall, her heart pounding, her face hot with anger
as Angus stayed close by her side—which she appreciated more than she could say. When she entered the large hall, everyone was talking and eating until a few at one of the low tables saw her and Angus. Then the voices died down, first at one table, then at another as heads turned to look in their direction.

Her father rose from his table, a leg of squab in one hand, his knife in the other.
"Edana," he said, his voice a whisper.

She swore he had a few gray hairs
mixed with his dark brown locks since the last time she'd seen him, his blue eyes widening to see her. She couldn't read his expression. Shocked to see her, aye. He didn't appear to be angry, and for that she was glad.

Keary quickly jumped to his feet, all smiles.
"My bride to be."

Was that why her da wasn
't upset with her? He'd already offered her hand in marriage to Keary? And he thought she'd accept?

She narrowed her eyes at her father.
"I am married to Angus. We both pledged ourselves to each other," Edana said, stalking toward the high table. "As soon as I have packed my things, we will leave for Craigly Castle and you will never have to see me—"

"
A word with the two of you—Angus, Edana," her father said, cutting her off. "In private." His face and eyes darkened, but Angus's hold on her hand gave her strength.

"
I wish to join you," Keary said.

"
Nay," Edana said, knowing full well her father would not like her deciding who he would speak with, but she didn't want Keary in on the discussion.

Keary directed his comment to her father, but he still kept his eyes on her.
"The lass will be my wife. I will speak in this matter."

Angus shook his head.
"We have well consummated the marriage. The lass is my wife. Keary, we told you this already, before you imprisoned my cousin and me in your dungeon."

Her father looked from Angus to Keary.

"'Twas a slight misunderstanding. You were freed."

"
No' by your orders. If we hadna found a way to escape, we would still be there. And Edana would have been forced to take you as her husband."

"
In…private," her father said.

"
I am a laird. You have naught to give the lass," Kearly said. "You are the youngest brother to James and have no land, no title, naught at all."

Her father suddenly motioned to four of his guards. Afraid they were going to take Angus and lock him away in the dungeon, Edana stood in front of him.

"If we dinna move this discussion to my private quarters, I will have you, Edana, locked in your chamber, and Angus and Keary locked away elsewhere."

She ground her teeth, glowering at her father. She
saw Zeneva smirking at her from a lower table, licking her fingers and though Edana would like very much to pull her hair out, she wanted more to ensure Angus remained her husband.

Edana turned and
tugged Angus with her, her father and that impossible Keary following behind. Keary said, "She is young and impressionable but you shouldna trust in her—"

"
Enough," her da said. "We speak in…private."

When they reached her father
's solar, he motioned to a wooden bench where Edana took a seat. Angus stood beside her, arms folded, looking like he was ready to do battle with Keary.

Her father sat on his chair while Keary stood nearby, glowering at Angus.

Tibold said, "Now, first—"

"
My brothers are locked in a dungeon somewhere and Angus and I need more men to accompany us because
he
," she said and motioned to Keary, "stole our horses, Angus's and Niall's clothes and weapons, and we had to return here first."

"
You left your horses behind, rather," Keary said. "I didna make you run off like that."

"
His sister, Lady Allison, helped me to free Angus and his cousin, Niall, who were locked in his dungeon. Da, you asked Angus to find me. He did. We agreed to marry one another. You canna undo what has been done."

"
Have you truly consummated the marriage?" her father asked Edana.

Her whole body warmed with embarrassment. She would not have told him such
a thing except in the most dire of circumstances. That being that it was the only way her father would allow her to remain with Angus.

"
We need a word in private with you," Angus said to her father.

Her father nodded.
"Keary, wait outside, if you will."

"
They havena consummated the marriage," Keary argued.

"
Outside," her father said, his voice darkening.

Keary stalked out of the solar and slammed the door.

"Does your husband know why you left here without my permission?" her father asked, his tone gentled.

Tears filled her eyes and she nodded.

Angus swallowed hard and put his hand on her shoulder.

Her father observed them for a moment.
"How do you know your brothers are in a dungeon?"

"
They have told me…in that special way," Edana said.

"
Angus knows of this?" her father asked.

"
Aye, and Keary doesna," Angus said quickly. "'Tis dangerous to force her to wed such a man. Besides, she is well and good married to me."

"
But the marriage hasna been consummated," her father said.

"
It doesna have to be for it to be legitimate," Angus insisted.

"
I wish it to be. And to have the wedding. About that night…," Tibold said, his stern face softening.

"
I am sorry I walked in on you," Edana said, her eyes downcast. She could not look at her father. "I…I was worried about my brothers. I wanted to give you word. I…I tried to wake you from the doorway of your chamber. I called to you before I reached the bed."

"
Aye, Edana. I am sorry I snapped at you when we broke our fast." He reached his hand out to her.

She hesitated.
He was offering a truce and she wanted things between them the same as they had been before. But there was no going back.

"
Edana," he said softly.

She rose to her feet and walked across her father
's solar. He stood and gathered her in his arms and hugged her tight. "You are your mother's daughter, my one and only sweet young lassie. 'Twas a mistake I made, but I willna make it again. I feared I would never see you alive again."

She sobbed and hugged him back.

"Shh, dinna cry, lass. Your husband doesna wish to see your tears."

"
Why did you betroth me to Keary without my say?" she asked, wiping her wet cheeks.

"
I thought you wanted to leave me for good. He has a title and was enthusiastic about making you his wife. I thought you would be pleased." He shook his head. "But I wished Angus to take you for a wife."

"
Why?"

"
Edana, I saw the way he watched you when you were younger. The way you had enchanted him. He and his brothers had gone to your aid that day, and Angus had pestered the maids continually about how you fared after that until he and his brothers left. You dinna know how much that meant to me. I hoped if the two of you saw each other again now that you are both mature enough, you might discover you still felt something for each other. When we had no word of you…" He wiped away some of her tears. "I am sorry for what you saw. It was a mistake, no' one I am willing to make again. You may live wherever your husband wishes, but I hope that you will both spend some time here with me."

"
Aye, if Edana wishes it," Angus agreed wholeheartedly.

She nodded.

"The truth is I have turned down five offers of marriage for you over the years and I…" He smiled a little when she snapped her gaping mouth shut. "I dinna tell you because I feared the men would mistake your abilities for something evil. I couldna allow you to come to harm."

"
Why Keary?"

"
I must admit when he said he had fallen in love with you from the moment he had met you, that I wanted to believe he would be the right man for you. His title helped, but I believe Angus is the one for you, lass. He has proven he cares for you."

"
Thank you, Da. He is the only one for me. Can you convince Keary to give back our things, my horse?" she asked.

"
Aye."

"
And can we have men to help us rescue my brothers?" she asked.

"
Have you any idea where they could be?" her father asked.

"
Oppida is the only name they shared that might give a clue."

"
Dunbarton's mistress," her father said.

Angus
explained more about what had happened as far as they knew.

"
I will make inquiries and go with you," her father said to Angus. To Edana, he said, "Wash up and make yourself presentable, lass. You will marry Angus in the kirk this eve if that is what you both wish. Keary can witness it for himself."

She
gave her father a warm embrace.

"
Quit your crying, daughter," her father said, running his hand over her hair. "Angus may change his mind."

"
I willna change my mind," Angus said, smiling at her, giving her a heartfelt embrace also and a quick kiss on the lips before she left her father's solar. "She only cries happy tears now and they are most welcome."

She loved Angus for being so supportive all along
. And she loved her father just as she had before. Now if only they could free her brothers. She had to admit she still wanted to pay Zeneva back as well.

***

Angus, Niall, and Gunnolf quickly washed. The whole time, Angus thought about his own wife bathing in a tub and helping to scrub every bit of her before they shared a bed. He had to get his mind on wedding her in the kirk first before he embarrassed himself in front of his companions.

Dressed in cleaner garments, Gunnolf said,
"Didna I tell you so?"

Angus shook his head.
"'Twas the lass and my doing and no' her da's. He was right about one thing, getting us together again made all the difference in the world."

Niall said,
"Do you think James will have assumed such? Or will this be a surprise to him?"

"
James is hard to figure sometimes. He was the one who, after we left for home that time so many years ago, chided me the most for not having spoken to the lass. He might have come to the conclusion that I would see her, grown, a bonny lass indeed, and want her for my own."

"
If you hadna offered, I would have. She would make a fine warrior wife," Gunnolf said, and they headed out of the chamber and down the corridor to the stairs.

"
Aye, which is another reason she would be mine. You would make her help fight your battles. I wish to keep her safe and love her every chance I get," Angus said.

Gunnolf and Niall laughed. Niall let out his breath as they headed down the stairs.
"Looks to me like 'tis only you and me now, Gunnolf, who will be ready for more adventures."

***

Once again, Angus stood in a kirk waiting for Edana to join with him and say the vows to make them husband and wife. Only this time, her father was there, and as many of the Chattan clansmen and women also who could pack themselves into the kirk. Gunnolf was able to witness it, too, this time. Niall was nearby, smiling and shaking his head. Angus wished Edana's mother and the rest of his family could have been there also.