To Marry McKenzie

happened once in the ten days since she had last seen Logan. What was it

about him that made her so angry all the time?

'Hardly,' Brice was the one to answer dryly, smiling down at her

reassuringly. 'But if it bothers you that much, Logan, you can always come

along to Darcy's sittings...?' he added challengingly.

Darcy looked frowningly up at Brice. Why on earth should it bother Logan

what she did? Unless Brice was simply mocking Logan's future role as her

stepbrother? Well, he could forget that; she was far too old to welcome the

protection of a reluctant stepbrother. Especially when that stepbrother was

Logan!

It was obvious from Logan's darkly scowling expression that he did not

appreciate his cousin's mockery.

They really were an extraordinarily handsome family, Logan, Fergus, and

Brice, although Fergus didn't appear to be present this weekend. But Logan

and Brice were enough to cope with at one time!

'I doubt that will be necessary,' Logan rasped. 'You—' He broke off as the

dinner gong sounded.

Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. This meeting with Logan was turning out as

difficult as she had imagined it might; they obviously had nothing to say to

each other. But one look at him had told her that her feelings for him hadn't

changed; she was in love with him!

But her relief was short-lived once they reached the dining-room. The

volume of guests meant that there was no set seating arrangement at the long

dining-table, and once Hugh McDonald and the guests of honour, Meg and

Daniel, had been seated, everyone else just found a place for themselves.

Darcy found herself seated with Brice McAllister on one side, and Logan on

the other, Francesca on Logan's other side. Wonderful!

'How are you?' Logan said softly as the butler moved discreetly about the

table filling wine-glasses.

'Very well, thank you,' she answered awkwardly, not quite able to meet his

gaze, suddenly shy in the renewed realisation that she still loved him.

It hadn't been easy this last ten days, but at least she had been spared seeing

him and knowing she could never have him. Being near him like this,

Francesca at his side, was torture for her.

'You?' she asked politely.

'The same,' he replied tersely. 'Are you going to accept Brice's suggestion?'

She shook her head, smiling ruefully. 'He was only being nice.'

Logan's mouth thinned. 'Brice is never nice where his work is concerned.'

She swallowed hard, still slightly overwhelmed by the talented company

she found herself in. 'I think in this case he was,' she persisted.

'Do 1 hear my name being taken in vain?' Brice interrupted interestedly.

Logan glanced across at his cousin, eyes a glacial blue. 'Darcy seems to

think you aren't serious about your suggestion of painting her.'

'Oh, but I am,' Brice McAllister instantly assured her. 'Very serious,' he

added determinedly. 'In fact, I have a feeling that Darcy's portrait will be the

central focus of my next exhibition.'

'But maybe Darcy doesn't want to be painted,' Logan told him. 'Do you?' he

said flatly as he turned to her.

It seemed incredible to her that an artist of Brice McAllister's calibre should

even consider her a suitable subject for one of his paintings. Flattering too.

But as Logan had so rightly pointed out, she wasn't sure she wanted to be on

show for thousands of people to sit and look at.

Just as she didn't particularly want to be a subject of contention between the

two cousins. She had hoped to remain very low-key this weekend, do her bit

for her father, be visually supportive of his future marriage into this family,

before fading back into her own world of obscurity.

Brice McAllister's interest in painting her was making that very difficult to

do.

'I'm sure it's something that can be discussed another time,' she dismissed

lightly. 'I believe your grandfather is about to propose a toast to the engaged

couple.' She had realised this with some relief as Hugh McDonald had got to

his feet at the head of the table.

As far as Darcy was concerned, the lengthy dinner that followed was not

enjoyable. Oh, the food was wonderful, definitely worthy of Chef Simon's

standards. It was just the company that made it unbearable for her. Despite

what Logan had said about his cousin, Brice was very kind, the two of them

had talked amiably together on numerous subjects. It was just Darcy's

awareness of Logan talking with Francesca that made it a nightmare for her.

Would the other couple be sharing a bedroom in this vast castle later on this

evening? Just the thought of it made Darcy feel physically ill. In fact, it

meant she could barely eat any of the delicious food that was put before her.

'Are you on a diet?'

She turned sharply to look at Logan, realising as she did so that he had been

watching her as she pushed the strawberries and cream around in her bowl,