She rol ed her eyes. “Oh, I don’t know—maybe your little announcement that we were getting married, even though I told you we weren’t.” She tapped his chest. Laughing, Rory brought her finger to his lips. “You ken you want to marry me, mo chridhe, yer just too stubborn to admit it.”
“Stubborn? This has nothing to do with me being stub
born. I won’t marry you, Rory. I don’t want a husband who married me because he felt he had no choice, who felt he was responsible for me.” She shook her head. “What kind of marriage would that be?”
“Better than most,” he commented dryly. Rory looked out over the shimmering waters of the loch before he turned to her. “You want me to wed Moira then, is that what yer tel in’ me?”
She averted her eyes. With his finger beneath her chin he brought her gaze back to his. “Answer me, Aileanna.”
“No . . . no, I don’t want you to marry her. There, are you happy now?”
He brushed his mouth over hers. “Aye. The banns wil be read, and we’l marry after we’ve met the MacDonald on the field.”
“I didn’t say yes, Rory.”
“You wil .”
She shook her head, arms folded across her chest. “You know, I have a hard time understanding this feud with the MacDonalds. Why can’t you meet face-to-face and try to work it out?”
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He raised a brow and looked into her stormy eyes.
“We’ve had this discussion before, Aileanna. You doona’
understand.”
“That’s right, I forgot—I’m just a woman. But I’m the same woman who wil be looking after al of you when you drag yourselves half-dead from the battlefield,” she sputtered at him.
“We’l no’ be half-dead,” he muttered.
“You nearly died the last time, Rory.” She blinked, and he saw moisture gather on her lashes. “The next time you might not be so lucky and I don’t think I—” The last of her words came out on a choked sob. He buried his face in her hair, wishing he could take away her worries, wishing he could make her understand that in his time, this was the way of it. Nothing else to be done but stand up for what was right, and fight for what was yours.
“Shh. I’l come home to you in one piece, mo chridhe, I promise.”
Aileanna slapped a hand to his chest. “You can’t make promises like that.” She frowned when he stood up.
“Where do you think you’re going? You can’t just walk away from me when we’re having a fight.”
Rory bit back a smile and shook his head. “I didna’
think we were havin’ a fight, mo chridhe, but someone ap
proaches. Here, let me help you.” He reached for her hand.
“What are you talking about? There isn’t—” She rol ed her eyes when Iain cal ed out to him. Rory laughed at her disgruntled expression. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he tucked her to his side. “We’l continue our talk later, in yer room.”
“Talk?” She raised a perfectly arched brow. “I’m sure we wil .”
“Aye, for a wee while we wil .” He nuzzled her neck.
“Ouch.” She grimaced, running a finger along the stub
ble on his jaw. “You’re rough.”
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“I’l see to it before I come to you.” Their wee chat was putting Rory in the mood for more than talking, and he drew her in front of him to conceal the evidence as his brother came toward them.
“Yer al right, Ali?” Iain asked, grinning at them both.
“My brother hasna’ been browbeatin’ you into givin’ him an answer?”
“An answer?” She frowned.
Iain looked from Aileanna to him. “He asked you to marry him didna’ he?”
With an unladylike snort, she said, “No. He
Iain gave a shout of laughter. “Wait until I tel Aidan this one—but I’m certain he’l no’ be surprised. Mayhap we should have a wee chat after the evenin’ meal, and we’l explain to you how it’s done, Rory.”
“I think I ken how it’s done, little brother.”
Aileanna leaned her head against his shoulder and looked up at him. “I don’t know, Rory. I think it might be a good idea.” She patted his thigh, and from the look in her eyes he could tel she knew why she stood in front of him.
