considered and dismissed. “Enough,” he finally said with a quiet authority that silenced everyone. “Ye need to let me handle the matter. Heather’s not to go to Edgeware or Wycke, even if they are family and will agree to help. No one’s to go to them. In fact, ye’re to leave them completely out of it. I dinna need their assistance. Heather, even ye have to stay out of the way for now.”
She was not pleased with the suggestion. “It is my life at stake. Shouldn’t I have a say in the negotiations?”
“Ye’ve had it. Ye dinna want the marriage. Thank the Graces ye came around to it in time. I think I would have made an arse of myself if ye hadn’t.”
She tipped her head and eyed him quizzically. “What would you have done?”
“Not sure. For all the talk about wanting only yer happiness, the truth of the matter is that I’m a possessive arse, and I wanted ye to be happy with me and no one else. I dinna think I could have given ye up to another, especially if I thought ye dinna love the man ye were about to marry or he dinna love ye.”
“Which he doesn’t. We all understand this now. You would have stopped the ceremony?”
He nodded. “Aye, lass.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “Possibly stormed the church on Gallant, swept ye up into the saddle, and headed off to Scotland with ye.”
Her eyes widened. “Robbie, that’s absurd.”
“Well, ye asked me. Aye, it is absurd. Barbaric. Scandalous. Bound to have serious repercussions. My imprisonment, for certain.”
Heather shot to her feet. “I’d never allow that to happen. No, Robbie. No matter what happens between now and the wedding, you cannot steal me away or do anything that will lead to your imprisonment. All the more reason why Edgeware and I must be the ones to—”
“No! Ye’re a stubborn lass. Tilbury’s already using ye as a hostage, and ye dinna even realize it. He’s been dangling ye in front of Lady Melinda and her father all this time. Why do ye think Stoke was suddenly our best friend on the night of Tilbury’s ball? It is because he knows his daughter and Tilbury love each other, and now he is running out of time to match them properly.”
Holly frowned. “Tilbury’s the one who put them in this mess by offering to marry Heather. Why hasn’t he broken it off with my sister yet?”
“Because he still needs his hostage. Likely Lady Melinda has no’ accepted him yet.”
Joshua regarded him with some surprise. “The bloody blackguard! Is it possible he’s proposed to Melinda while still betrothed and about to marry Heather?”
Robbie ran a hand through his hair. “Aye. Possible. Probable. And he’s purposely keeping the pressure on Melinda by not breaking off his betrothal to Heather. This is his leverage in the negotiation.”
“Stoke must be livid,” Joshua said. “Do you think you can get him on your side?”
Robbie nodded. “I hope so. Our interests are united in this. Neither of us wants to see the wedding take place.” He turned to Heather. “Lass, ye must keep away from yer betrothed. Stay out of his sight, and let me handle him.”
Joshua and Ronan finally relented and backed him up.
Heather felt bloodied and wounded. “How can you agree with Robbie?”
“Because he’s right,” Ronan said gently.
She had already crossed the parlor to fetch her bonnet and gloves but set them back down and reluctantly nodded. “Robbie, will you promise me not to punch him?”
Robbie smiled at her. “I can promise ye I’ll not be the one to throw the first punch. But if he strikes me, I’ll be defending myself. He won’t hit me, though. This is not Tilbury’s way. As I said, he’s a negotiator. But so am I, and I’m better at it than he is. He’s boxed himself into a corner with all his wily schemes. I’m going to help him out of that corner, give him an opening he can take.”
Heather cast him a stubborn look. “My wedding is the day after tomorrow.”
“Och, lass. I’m aware of every minute that passes.” He studied her face, aching because she was beautiful even when she was obstinate. But when her expression softened, and he saw her vulnerability, he did not think there was a more beautiful woman alive.
“I’m so sorry for creating this mess, Robbie.”
“Dinna shoulder the blame, lass. Had I opened my eyes, had I listened to my heart, I could have fought for ye, courted ye, and avoided all this. But