The Runaway Bride by Claire Delacroix

Author:Claire Delacroix
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-988479-57-6
Publisher: Deborah A. Cooke

“You speak of how vexed you would be if your father had taken coin for your hand,” Ross said.

“Indeed!”

Two of my sisters were sold for coin,” he noted and saw Aiofe’s immediate horror. “Alexander auctioned the hand of Madeline, when she refused to wed, and the others refused to wed before she did.”

“What a horrific and unpardonable deed!”

“My aunt ensured that one particular man was in attendance, knowing that he would have no shortage of coin. Madeline is a beauty and no less so when she is angry. She was a sight to smite the heart of many men that night.”

“Including the chosen one?”

“Including the chosen one, though Rhys is not one to confess his feelings aloud.”

Aiofe smiled. “How fortunate I am to know no similarly taciturn men.” She widened her eyes, belying her own words, and Ross chuckled.

“They are most happy and have three children. Dafydd has seen eleven summers and I expect Rhys will bring him to Ravensmuir or Kinfairlie to train for his spurs.”

“They will all be knights then?”

“It is our family tradition, ever since the Lammergeier came from France. My great-grandfather Avery was a merchant, but his trade was divided between his sons, and my grandfather saw fit to ensure that both of his sons earned their spurs. My maternal great-grandmother was a noblewoman, Mary Elise Ross of Kinfairlie, and Merlyn insisted we would follow their tradition.”

“That is a lofty legacy. My connections are more simple.”

“Perhaps not so lofty as that. Mary Elise survived an attack upon Kinfairlie and hid her identity after her family were killed. Her daughter, Ysabella, believed they were common, until the truth was uncovered by her husband, Merlyn. Ysabella made ale herself, and was a most outspoken woman. She never liked to ride a horse alone, and much preferred to ride with my grandfather.” He smiled in recollection. “I adored her.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “And this was her legacy to me.”

“Is she still at Kinfairlie?”

“Nay, Merlyn died when I was eight summers of age, and she was never the same. She died the following winter.”

Aiofe touched his hand briefly with hers. “And what of your parents?”

“My father was their son, and my mother was a noblewoman from Normandy. They wed young, but their adoration of each other never faded.”

“You said they had died some twelve years ago.”

He glanced up, surprised that she recalled the detail. “Aye. And Alexander became Laird of Kinfairlie, as complete a change as might have been. He had been the merry trickster who tormented all of us, then overnight became dour and responsible.”

“And thus defied by Madeline.”

Ross nodded. “It seems that the treasury was empty, although he told us naught of that truth in those days. He knew he had to see my sisters wed and felt compelled to force their choices. You may be sure that Madeline has made him regret the choice, over and over again.”

“But you said another was sold.”

“Aye, that was more like an abduction. In this, Alexander erred mightily.

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