The Highlander's Unexpected Bride by Nicole Locke

Author:Nicole Locke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-07-10T19:59:20+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

‘Say that again,’ Murdag said.

Beileag was horrified that Murdag asked her sister to tell the tale again. It was difficult to listen the first time.

And that had nothing to do with the fact she was exhausted, the sun was just cresting the sky, that Murdag had yanked her from bed with a finger to her lips to stay quiet, or that just outside her home stood Anna, who looked broken and proud. Her back stiff, her chin lifted, her eyes reflecting pools of heartache.

No words between them as she followed Anna to her bedroom and the door was closed. No words, but shared glances while Anna took the bed, Murdag leaned against the wall and she took the only chair.

Then Anna told the tale of how she’d fallen for Camron during their trip to Colquhoun land, her trust and love in him growing while they’d spent the night under the stars and spent the day playing and swimming together. Of being so excited and not able to fall asleep, so she’d walked the pear orchards. And overheard Camron and Hamilton talking of a bet Camron had made to marry her!

Beileag trembled, sweat broke out on her palms and she clenched her hands tighter and tighter as Anna told her story.

It was as Hamilton had told her, how he’d agreed to the bet with Camron, and Anna was reacting just as she had the first time she’d heard it, with anger and hurt pride, all justified of course—winning Anna’s trust shouldn’t be a game. It was almost cruel for Camron to come up with the bet.

She never would have believed he had done it either, except that Hamilton told her and now Anna recounted it.

She was still upset Hamilton had agreed to the bet and was only somewhat mollified he hadn’t instigated it.

Yet she couldn’t deny that Anna and Camron had true feelings for each other. It wasn’t supposed to be a game, yet that’s all that Anna had overheard.

And Anna, being the prize for this bet, was not only angry, her trust and heart were broken. And her sister wanted her to tell the tale again?

‘Why make her repeat it?’ Beileag said.

‘Why make her repeat it?’ Murdag echoed. ‘Because I can’t wrap my head around it. There’s no reason for it and why have you suddenly gone all pale?’

Beileag put her hands to her cheeks. ‘I’m not pale. And even if I was maybe I’m just...troubled?’

Murdag scoffed and she didn’t blame her. It didn’t sound convincing to her own ears. But it wasn’t that she lied, it was just she wasn’t telling the full worrying truth. Curse Camron for doing this. She wished she had more of Murdag’s fire, then she’d speak her thoughts to both of them.

And yet...hadn’t she agreed to the bet as well because she promised Hamilton she’d stay quiet about it? What would Anna and Murdag think if they knew she knew of the bet before them?

‘Maybe they meant something else,’ Beileag said.

‘I was there,’ Anna said.

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