Page 39 of At the Highlander's Mercy
Was this all about Lilidh, then? Rob had not indicated any interest in her in the years since his departure. Not when matches for her hand were being considered. Not when the first talk of ending the alliance between their clans began and not even now. The demand received was gold for her safe return. No offer of marriage.
So, it would seem that Rob was not worthy of his daughter—not now, not then. Or was he?
Connor let the winds buffet him as he thought about the matter. The moon had risen high in the sky when he stepped from the shelter of the alcove and called out to one of the men below.
This was more than clan against clan—this was a personal matter between him and his foster son and one that he must deal with face to face. He gathered his commanders and made plans to go to Keppoch.
And he would take enough men to finish this once and for all.
Chapter Sixteen
Lilidh glanced at the door for the hundredth time since her return. Nervousness raced in her veins as she waited for Rob’s arrival. How would he confront her about her virginity? Would they be lovers again this night?
From his words, she knew that decision was up to her.
And from the way her body felt right now—arousal and excitement pulsing through her, a slow and easy throbbing in all the places he’d touched last night—she wanted him again.
More than before.
Her perceptions about what could exist between them had been based on her naïve knowledge and hearing of tales, but now her body understood the call of this intimate experience. And the promise of more.
Shaking herself free of the ever-increasing longing within her, Lilidh decided to take a look at another document for clues about how things went so badly between her father and Rob’s. After discovering where the servants had moved things to in this much-larger chamber,she settled at the table and began reading some of the older documents—letters between their fathers.
Thinking back to what had happened, Lilidh tried to piece the events together and compare them to the letters. Nothing explicit in the letters explained the circumstances—Rob’s request for her hand or his shaming disavowal of their love—but those kinds of details would not be for these letters, which could and would be read by others. Many nobles and chiefs and lairds did not read, so their communications were read to them by clerks or others.
Still, even the gradual increase in hostility in these letters did not feel right to her. Rob said his youthful stupidity was to blame for his actions. If that was true, why did her father refer to other matters between them in sending Rob back to his father? Why did Rob’s father not question it?
Digging deeper into the box, she discovered a small parchment, folded and undisturbed. Tucked inside another as it was, she almost missed it. Opening it—the seal had already been broken—Lilidh discovered that it was addressed to Rob, not the laird.
And it was from her mother!
Why had her mother contacted Rob? From the date, she realised it was not long ago. Just before her betrothal to Iain MacGregor was finalised. Reading on, Lilidh felt her mouth drop open at its content.
One sentence long—My husband is about to formally accept Iain MacGregor’s suit for Lilidh’s hand in marriage.
Nothing else but her mother’s signature, written in her own hand, which Lilidh recognised.
Lilidh leaned back against the chair and considered the significance of this missive. Although no opinion was given, it was clear that her mother was questioning the match. Why else send something like this? And that she let Rob know of it after four years’ separation and an ugly ending was stranger still.
Her heart sank as she also realised that Rob had known about her coming marriage and done nothing. Her mother had given him an opportunity to address the situation—matured and past his youthful stupidity, as he’d called it—and he had chosen to do nothing about it.
Laying it aside for now, she continued to look through the other letters there, hoping for some explanation. Certainly these were only one half of the story—her father’s replies and opinions—and she had no way of knowing what Laird Matheson had written or written back...
After reading several of them, all she knew was that something more had happened between Rob and her father to cause this breach. His father clearly stood behind him, illegitimate or not, but he viewed this as a personal matter and not one to bring their clan loyalties into play.
So, how and why had it led to the clans breaking their alliance?
The footsteps coming down the corridor and the sound of his deep voice speaking to the guards ended all thought about letters and contracts, though she was able to slip the letter from her mother into her gown before losing the ability to think completely. For each second that passed before the latch lifted, her body readiedfor him. If she thought what had happened between them would be once for memory’s sake, she knew now she was wrong.
She wanted him for as long as she could have him.
Even as his prisoner.
Even with no promises past this time together.
No matter the outcome—she wanted him.
Lilidh stood as Rob pushed open the door; the hairs on the back of her neck tingled as did her breasts as she watched him enter. Her breath caught as their eyes met and he smiled at her.
