will do it if you are still reluctant to marry me. But if you are willing to risk it, I am more so.”
“Do not try to cajole me, sir. You did not come here seeking a wife.”
“Nay, but I did find someone who will suit me if she will just agree to it.”
“I am not unwilling. I am terrified.” To his surprise, tears welled into her eyes. “I don’t want to live amidst strangers who have so long been our enemies.”
“But you would live with me,” he said.
“Only when you were at home. Men are forever going off—to battle, to St. Andrews, to all manner of places. And they always leave their womenfolk behind. I don’t want to live as miserably in Lochaber as Morag lives here.”
“I doubt that you would,” he said. “You are too warm, too competent, and too wise to live so. You also dwell less on your feelings than your good-sister does. I believe that you will make fast friends easily, wherever we live.”
“But I like solitude, too,” she reminded him. “Would I be as free to roam the mountains in Lochaber as I usually am here?”
Knowing that any discussion of that subject would undo the progress he had made, he said mildly, “We can talk about that sort of thing anon. For now, I just want to know if you will marry me, Catriona. I hope that you will say aye.”
“Aye, then, I will. But you don’t fool me, Fin of the Battles. God-a-mercy, but we are going to battle mightily if you forbid me to do the things I most enjoy.”
“All married people battle, sweetheart.” Seeing her eyes widen at the endearment, he wanted to kiss her. But he needed to be sure they understood each other first. “Art truly willing, Cat—even if we must marry tomorrow?”
“Will you have to go away soon?”
“I mean to talk to Davy about that, to request leave so I can take you to meet my family. I promise you won’t have to stay with them if I have to rejoin him soon, though. I’ll bring you back here before I do. I should have other options, too, but it will take time to sort them out.”
“That is what you meant about this complicating your life, is it not?”
“It is, aye. Answer my question now. Art sure?”
“Do you think that anyone is ever sure about such things?”
“I know that I am.”
“Are you?” She searched his eyes. “Then I am, too.”
He kissed her then, and she responded at once, melting against him as she had before, her lips warm and soft beneath his. He kissed her many times, lightly and then more possessively. The thought that she would be his wife on the morrow stimulated every part of him and one in particular.
She felt his cock move, too, because her eyes widened again. When he thrust his tongue into her mouth, she moaned softly, and that moan was nearly his undoing. He wanted to sweep her up and carry her straight to her bed.
Reminding himself that Ailvie would be there, he went on kissing Catriona, stroking her slender body, achingly aware that it would soon be his to possess.
As he eased a hand gently over one soft breast, a double rap sounded on the door. The door opened on the sound, and the Mackintosh walked in.
Fin’s wandering hand moved quickly back to her waist. She had stiffened and would have pulled away, but he held her where she was.
“Forgive the intrusion, lad,” Mackintosh said. “I’ve talked with Rothesay and Alex, and I thought ye should hear what we have decided.”
Again, Catriona stirred as if to step away, and this time, Fin allowed it. As he did, he said pointedly, “I do want to hear what you would suggest, sir.”
“Aye, well, ’tis more of a consensus, as ye might say. Sithee, Rothesay has agreed that a morning wedding will suit him. He also reminded me that Donald will be impatient to get on with our discussions. He’s proving right difficult, is Donald. So I said we should dispense with everyone save the four of us until we sort out what exactly, if anything, Donald and Alex can agree to do for their cousin Davy.”
“I’m guessing that Donald will agree to do nowt for him,” Fin said.
“Mayhap that is so,” Mackintosh said. “But whilst their so-called advisors make more trouble than not, as they have, we cannot know. Now, our James will stay for the wedding, but he wants to leave for