“There ye are,”Ryan grunted as he took hold of Margaret’s wrist and pulled her to the end of the corridor. “Been lookin’ for ye for half the day. I was beginnin’ to think ye ran off.”
“Well,it’s easy to get lost in this castle of yours,” she said, slightly curtly as she didn’t appreciate the way he was yanking her arm. “You wouldn’t happen to have a map that I could study, would you?”
Ryan didn’t laugh.Instead, his grip on her wrist became firmer. He tugged harder, hurrying her into a private area. Margaret didn’t like the idea of that—the idea of being alone with this beast.
Just as thefear her aunt had ingrained in her began to flare, the Laird stepped through the threshold of his study and let her go. As he closed the door behind them, she realized that she had seen this room before. This was where they’d spoken for the first time.
“I havesome rules for this weddin’,” Ryan said, squaring his shoulders as he faced her directly. The fire roared in the hearth behind him, making him look even more imposing.
Margaret stiffened,and her breath stuttered. He was looking at her with the kind of intensity that made her want to cower and hide though she knew better than to show any fear.
A barrageof possible scenarios ran through her head. She imagined different scenes, ones where he proved that all the stories her aunt told were true. Not a single one of them ended well for her. Outcomes ranged from her freedom being taken to her life being violently torn from her.
What if hegives me a rule that I cannot agree to? I’m trapped in his castle. There’s no way I could get out on my own if he wanted to keep me here. I won’t be able to refuse whatever it is he’s about to say. Perhaps heisas bad as the Duke.
“First,”he said, taking a step toward her, forcing her to lift her head slightly to keep her eyes on him, “ye must obey me orders. This is me castle, and I am the Laird. I expect obedience and loyalty.”
Margaret blanched,taking a step back from Ryan. Her thigh hit the back of an armchair, and she nearly lost her balance. Still, she maintained his gaze, unable to tear her eyes away from the fiery brown of his irises. This wasn’t the time to show fear or weakness, no matter how strongly she felt those emotions.
He’s showingme his true colors. Now, I shall find out that he’s exactly like the Highlanders in my aunt’s stories. I should have expected this when I first came to him.
“You… what… I…”she began, tripping over her words. It was only through the grace of God that she didn’t start blushing at her blunder. She took a moment to steady herself. “What about my freedom? Did you not promise it?”
“I didnae promise ye anythin’,”he said, his frown becoming more severe. He glared down at her, and she shrunk away from him a little. The only thing keeping her upright was the chair against her backside. “But ye’ll have yer freedom.”
Margaret feltherself trembling and was unable to do anything about it. She reached back, squeezing the seat, feeling the velvet beneath her fingertips. When she let go, she felt a little more grounded.
Though he was sayingone thing, she was afraid that he was lying. They hardly knew one another. Ryan could be the kind of man who got what he wanted through lies and manipulation. Coming to him may very well have been a mistake, yet what other choice did she have?
“I’m nae lyin’to ye,” Ryan said as though reading her thoughts. He moved back incrementally, giving her just enough space to breathe again. “But this is me castle, lass, and I willnae have people questionin’ me orders.”
Margaret feltas if she were backed into a corner despite the fact that she could easily sidestep him and run for the door. It would never work, though. She didn’t know the layout of the castle. If she tried to escape now, she’d surely be captured.
I doubtthe dungeons here are as nice as my quarters. It’s best if I play along for now.
Unable to findthe words to respond, Margaret nodded. This scenario was so similar to she was trying to avoid. There would be no room to live the kind of life that she wanted. She’d damned herself to following orders and doing whatever a man told her to do, lest there would be consequences. She wondered if perhaps shewouldhave been better off dealing with Duke Cunningham.
He’s the devil,but he’s the devil I know. At the very least, Duke Cunningham would take me to balls. I’d see my family. Laird McGhee could confine me to Scotland.
“Ye’refree to move around as ye wish,” Ryan told her, his stare still intense. He gave her a second to refocus on him. “But ye’re to be the Lady of Clan McGhee. There are some duties that ye must attend to.”
Margaret’s terror waned a bit.Her hands still worked the fabric of her skirt, but she felt like she could breathe again. If she could move about as she desired, she could give a few hours of her time when necessary. That was only fair. She couldn’t expect her new title to come without some sort of work though she hoped she wouldn’t have to follow through with the wedding.
She didn’t knowwhat kind of duties she’d be entrusted with, but she supposed they couldn’t be all that bad. Perhaps she’d be interacting with the people of Clan McGhee. They seemed like a fun lot when they weren’t staring at her as though she were some curiosity on display. She might even get the chance to speak to the little girl who had waved at her.
“Well, then I have a rule, too,”she said, bolstered by the knowledge that she wasn’t being held here as a prisoner.
“Normally,I wouldnae allow ye to impose rules on me, but I’ll humor ye,” he said, amusement evident in the way he quirked his eyebrow at her. He crossed his arms, watching her expectantly as he asked, “What’s that, lass?”
“You will never orderme to sleep with you before I’m ready,” Margaret said, holding her chin high. She said it with more conviction than she felt she possessed, and for that, she was proud. This was as close to going head-to-head with the Laird asshe had come since arriving. “That’s my one rule. I trust you’ll be able to follow it.”
I knowthat Cunningham would give an order like that. No… he would take what he wanted without asking.
When Ryan processedwhat she said, he chuckled, low and gruff. Margaret, indignant, puffed her chest out and widened her stance on the floor, refusing to back down from him. Then, he stepped closer, nearly touching her, taking back the distance he’d given her less than a minute before.
“What’s so funny?”she demanded though her voice wobbled as she spoke. He was staring at her as if he were going to tear her apart. She cleared her throat to steady herself once again. “I’m being serious, My Laird. That wasn’t a joke.”
“Ach,I ken. Yer jokes arenae quite that funny,” Ryan said, tipping her chin up with the tip of his finger. She swallowed, and his eyes tracked the movement of her throat as if he were a predator about to pounce on his prey. “And I never planned to give ye such an order, sunshine.”