Easter at Airdfinnan: A Bride Quest Story by Claire Delacroix

Author:Claire Delacroix [Delacroix, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-990879-37-1
Publisher: Deborah A. Cooke

Chapter 4

If Nicholas had felt cornered before, he was doubly so after his interview with Laird Angus. He marched through the hall and toward the stables, wagering that he would be the one to groom a horse with unnecessary vigor this time.

He could offer naught to Margaret so long as the betrothal was not broken, but he could not break it and insult his host. Though Nicholas was glad to see evidence that he did not love alone, he could not act upon it.

If he spoke to Margaret again, she would conclude that he desired only her favors, though in truth he wished for much more. ’Twas beyond belief that all three missives had gone awry when his courier had sworn to their successful delivery. The man carried treaties to the king with complete reliability!

Indeed, Nicholas had never been more vexed in his life.

His squire took one look at him and hastened to complete some task. Burke stared after him with surprise when he marched past that man with nary a word, and Bayard murmured something to his father. The two knights nodded agreement over some matter, but Nicholas did not care.

To his surprise, Ismay had followed him from the hall. Nicholas halted in the stables and turned to find her behind him. There was no one else in the shadowed space and he was aware that she saw more than he might have preferred. His sister in her navy gown with her fair hair looked like a warrior queen, and her cool gaze could not be avoided.

She folded her arms across her chest. “Tell me,” she invited.

“There is no point,” he muttered through his teeth. “All is set against me and I cannot contrive a way to change matters. All will be lost and there is naught I can do to change the course of my fate.” He might have struck the wall with his fist, so irked was he.

“You, the heart and soul of diplomacy, cannot contrive a detente,” she said with a smile.

“Not against my host, who wishes only that his daughter have her desire.”

“Who could fault a man for that?”

“Not me in concept—but me in truth! I do not desire that maiden.”

“But Margaret instead,” Ismay said softly and he nodded. “Why?”

Nicholas flung out his hands. “Because she is not meek! Because she challenges me and provokes me and asks questions that have no ready response. Because she does not let a matter be when she believes it to be wrong.” He sighed. “Because she is alluring and clever and unlike any woman of my acquaintance. There is a sorcery between us, an accord that allows us to speak our very hearts, and yet a thrill in her presence that never fades.”

“You love her.”

“Aye.” He bowed his head at the truth of it. “I thought she spurned me. I thought my regard was not returned, though I could not fathom how that might be.”

“And this is why you accepted the notion of the betrothal.”

“Father was much enamored of the alliance.

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