Page 5 of A Virgin for the Icy Laird
Adair frowned.
This is what they want to discuss?
They had been hounding him for years to take a wife, and he had hoped Callum’s impending nuptials would make them hold their tongues, but it seemed that was not to be.
“I am aware of that,” he answered.
“That isnae enough, me Laird,” Nathaniel Boyd stated. “Ye are more than ready now, and the time has come for ye to take a wife and sire an heir. Ye have been Laird for twelve years, yet ye have no wife or sons.”
Do they think wives grow on trees?
Had he not been busy strengthening the clan and ensuring they survived the long winters with food in their bellies and wine in their cups?
“I have secured a noble alliance through Callum’s marriage,” Adair answered.
“Callum’s children willnae inherit, me Laird, and ye ken this,” Douglas pointed out. “We have come to a decision that if ye willnae choose for yerself, the council will be forced to put forward a name on yer behalf.”
Adair stood, and the force of it sent his chair clattering to the floor with a loud bang.
The councilmen jumped in fear.
“Ye willnae put forward any name on me behalf,” he warned, enunciating every word. “I will choose me own wife in me own time.”
“We only wish to protect the clan by securing the bloodline sooner rather than later,” Nathaniel insisted with a pointed look. “Surely ye can understand that our concern isnae unfounded.”
Stubborn old codger.
They were not wrong to ask that he wed and produce heirs, but he didn’t like how they were pressuring him into doing so,ignoring all the other good things he had done for the clan over the past years.
“I willnae delay in choosing a wife,” he said firmly. “In one month, by the time me braither is wed, I will give ye a name. Until then, this matter isnae up for further discussion.”
“Aye, me Laird,” they conceded.
Adair left the council chambers, needing to work off the tension in his body.
Footsteps sounded behind him, and he knew it was none other than Fergus. His councilmen had no doubt stayed back to speculate amongst themselves about his proclamation.
He didn’t even know what had possessed him to make such a gamble, but now that he had, his mind was quickly trying to come up with ways to escape.
“That was rather interesting,” Fergus drawled, falling into step beside him.
“I ken,” Adair grunted. “I cannae believe those old codgers tried to bully me into choosing a wife.”
“Aye,” Fergus scoffed, shaking his head. “’Tis most unbelievable.”
Adair sensed the mockery in his tone and turned to glare at him. “Are ye mocking me, Fergus?”
“I would never dare,” Fergus answered.
Adair sighed. “Even ye have turned against me.”
“It is rather odd for ye to have remained unwed until now, me Laird.”
“I have had a lot more on me mind than marriage and heirs,” he retorted, hating how he was forced to remind everyone of that.
Winter was almost upon them, and with some parts of his estate crumbling, he needed to see those repairs finished so his people didn’t freeze. Then, there was the matter of visiting the borders, where he hadn’t been in some years.
“We ken,” Fergus answered. “And ye have done well, but ‘tis time to secure yer future.”
