Elle peeked over Blair’s shoulder to see several men standing on either side of Will. She noted that he’d pulled a pistol from his belt. Why would he do such a thing?
“Aye,” Blair repeated, his shoulder’s straightening. “Put yer pistol away. There’s no need fer that.”
He was still shirtless and Elle couldn’t help but let her eyes wander down the length of his muscular torso. She’d like to run her hands over the sprinkling of hair on his chest. How would it feel? She couldn’t get too worried over Will. He’d never hurt his brother. “Why does Will have a gun?”
“He’s defending yer honor, love,” Blair rumbled as he closed the last button and turned to face the other men, still blocking her from their view.
“My honor?” She squeezed her eyebrows together. McKenzie had come in and out of their cottage freely. And though he’d never touched her that way, the entire town believed he’d taken liberties. What honor was left? “There is no need fer that.” She tried to step around Blair, but he tucked her behind him again.
“Ye agree, then, to Stone’s terms?” Will asked. Elle couldn’t see him but he spoke in a low rumbling voice that had an edge of danger.
“I agree. We’ll take care of it first thing in the morning.” Blair grabbed the edge of the door. “Now give me a moment to explain to Elle.”
“Make it quick,” Will said. “Then I’ll escort her back tae her room. She’ll not stay here tonight.”
“Fine,” Blair nearly growled and then closed the door.
Much of the smoke had cleared but a foggy haze still hung about the room. Elle swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat. “Blair, what just happened?”
“Elle,” he reached over and put a hand on each of her arms, gently rubbing up and down them. “We’re to marry in the morning.”
She couldn’t hold in the gasp that escaped her lips. “Marry?” She tried to pull away but his grasp tightened. “We can’t marry.”
“We can and we will.” His hand dropped from her arms.
Now that he wasn’t touching her, an emptiness filled her insides. “But we didn’t even…and my reputation is already…and—”
“Elle.” He bit the word ou
t, his voice harsh. “I’m sure ye don’t want to be tied to me but—”
“That isn’t true at all,” she protested, trying to touch him. He backed away.
“But Will didn’t just come to help me. He came to watch over you. Be a guardian of sorts since ye don’t have one and Stone didn’t trust me to be the gentleman. My brother takes his duties as an overlord very seriously and he’s made himself your and Ailean’s unofficial benefactor.”
Elle closed her eyes and then slowly opened them, trying to make sense of these words. “Why would he get so involved? Take my side over yours?”
“Why would I rush into freezing cold water? Fight for this land against McKenzie? It’s what Sinclairs do. We’re a hard-headed bunch as yer about to learn.” He turned then. “Have yerself ready for the ceremony by nine.”
“Blair, we shouldn’t do this. I can tell by yer voice ye don’t want to. We’ll just sit down and explain to Will together.”
“I am not the one whose voice says we shouldn’t do this. That’s yers. Goodnight, Elle.” Then he opened the door again and swept his arm toward the exit to gesture it was time for her to go.
Not knowing what else to do, she left. But the dread that had been building in her stomach threatened to overtake her completely.
Chapter Twelve
Blair sat on the edge of his bed and held his hands to his head. He was a fool. A bloody idiot who deserved what he was getting. A forced marriage with a woman who didn’t want him.
He had to face the facts. Women, they wanted to lay with him. But they didn’t want to be with him. Look at his past. He’d been too busy to notice in his younger days but it was no coincidence that the two women he’d wanted to be with didn’t want him. For different reasons of course but it was ending the same result.
That wasn’t true either. Elle was without a family to defend her honor, which should have meant that she didn’t have to marry someone she didn’t want. But his family was so bloody meddlesome that she was still being forced into an unwanted marriage. Her situation was worse than his.
Tossing himself backward, his head hit the pillow. He’d like nothing more than to fall asleep. Allow the blissful ignorance of dreams to overtake him. But his manhood still ached and his mind spun in circles.
Perhaps if they did marry, he could change her mind. Prove to her he was kind and caring. As a laird he’d provide an excellent life for her and Ailean. She’d have to see that wouldn’t she?
He got out of bed. These were the words he should have said to her.