The Highlander Series(30)
He advanced, giving her no opportunity to put any distance between them.
“Don’t you ever, ever question my honor. If you were a man, you’d already be dead. As it is, if you ever speak to me as you’ve done just now, I can guarantee you that you will not like the consequences. You are on my lands, and my word here is the law. You are under my protection. You will obey me without question.”
“Not bloody likely,” she muttered.
“What? What did you say?” He roared the question at her.
She glanced serenely up at him, a bland smile on her face. “Nothing, Laird. Nothing at all.”
His gaze narrowed and she could see his hands twitching again like he’d love nothing more than to throttle her. She was beginning to think it was an affliction of his. Did he go around wanting to choke the life out of everyone or was she special in that regard?
“I’m afraid ’tis an urge that is entirely original to you,” the laird barked.
She clamped her mouth shut and closed her eyes. Mother Serenity had vowed one day Mairin would regret her propensity to blurt out her least little thought. Today just might be that day.
By now the scowls of his men had been replaced with looks of open amusement. She didn’t appreciate being the source of that amusement so she gave them a scowl of her own. It only served to make them twitch more as they battled their mirth.
“I will say this but once,” the laird said in a menacing voice. “I have spoken of our prospective marriage to no one save the men I sent to escort Father McElroy back to my lands and those I charged with your protection. I would give the priest a reason for ushering him here with such haste. You, however, have now broadcast our impending nuptials to my entire clan.”
She glanced uneasily around to see that quite a crowd had gathered. They stared upon her and the laird with undisguised interest. Indeed, they were hanging on every word.
She pinched her lips into a bow and stared unflinchingly up at the laird, who was still bristling with outrage.
“Then how does your son know? And why do I have an escort who informs me his duty is to see to the mistress of the keep?”
“Are you accusing me of speaking an untruth?”
His voice was deathly quiet, so low that no one save her could hear, but the tone sent a surge of fear straight to her toes.
“Nay,” she said hastily. “I would merely like to know how so many people know of a marriage that may or may not take place if you’ve told no one.”
His eyes narrowed. “First, the marriage will take place. Just as soon as you’ve regained your senses and realize that ’tis the only sensible option left to you.”
When she would have opened her mouth to dispute his assertion, he shocked her by clamping his hand over her mouth.
“You will be silent and allow me to finish. I have doubts that you’ve ever been able to hold your silence for more than a moment in your entire lifetime,” he grumbled.
She huffed but his hand tightened on her mouth.
“I can only assume that my son overheard me speaking to my men of our marriage. If you would have but cautioned him to hold his tongue, he would not have repeated it beyond his question to you. But now, you’ve announced our marriage to the entire clan. Some might even consider it a proposal. In which case, I accept.”
He finished with a grin and then stepped back, releasing his hold on her mouth.
“Why … you …,” she sputtered. She worked her mouth up and down but nothing would come out.
A cheer went up from the crowd assembled.
“A wedding!”
Congratulations were shouted. Swords were raised. Men beat on the backs of their shields with the hilts of their swords. Mairin winced from the noise level and stared helplessly up at the laird. He stared back, arms crossed over his chest, a satisfied smile carving his too-handsome face.
“I did not ask you to marry me!”
He was undaunted by her vehemence. “ ’Tis customary to seal a betrothal with a kiss.”
Before she could tell him what she thought of that daft idea, he hauled her against him. She hit his chest and would have bounced off if he hadn’t held her firmly in place.
“Open your mouth,” he demanded in a husky voice that sounded oddly tender given his degree of anger.
Her lips parted and he slid his tongue sensuously over hers. Her senses scattered in the wind. For a moment she quite forgot everything but the fact that he was kissing her and he had his tongue inside her mouth. Again.
And he’d just announced to his clan that they were marrying. Or maybe she had. Realizing that the longer he kissed her in front of God and everyone, the harder a time she’d have denying his claim, she gave him a mighty shove and nearly fell on her behind. To her mortification, Gannon caught her and held her up while she swiped at her mouth with the back of her arm.