with a glance stop an argument or quiet a rumor,” she said. “She is formidable. If she says she can help, I think we should believe her.” She shrugged. “At the worst, we travel for another week back to London and then up here again.”
“I dunnae ken if my backside can take that,” Niall said with a faint grin. “I didnae expect this, though, and I reckon I like the idea of it.”
Amelia-Rose nodded. “As do I.” The idea that she might gain London again, be able to visit every so often, didn’t mean as much as it once would have, but having the freedom to go if she chose to do so—that appealed to her.
“And that’s our next dilemma,” Aden put in. “Hurst. Back in England. Heading for London, I imagine, on the same road we’ll be taking.”
Niall rubbed his chin. “Wait here, lass.”
She grabbed his arm as he turned away. “You are not going to murder him. That will follow you wherever you go.”
“I’m nae that cold-blooded,” he returned. “I’d at least make it a fair fight.”
“N—”
“Come and listen, then,” he interrupted. “I’ll nae have ye worried that ye’ve married a lunatic.”
Without waiting for her, he walked back to Hurst’s tree and stopped in front of it. Amelia-Rose hurried after him, lifting her skirts over the long grass. Lionel didn’t look any happier, but his face had returned to its usual shade of pale.
“Hurst,” Niall said, his hands on his hips, “I’m feeling generous today. Mrs. Baxter offered ye ten thousand to take her daughter. I’ll give ye five thousand to keep yer mouth shut about ye getting yer coach borrowed, this chase up to Scotland, ye getting tied to a tree, and my brothers wanting to cut yer balls off for insulting my lass.”
“I—”
“If ye see any way this story would make ye look the better, I’d like to hear it, because all I see for ye is being laughed at and nae having any blunt to make up for it.”
The marquis frowned, his eyes narrowed. He glanced at the two men who’d accompanied him, neither of whom would meet his gaze. Whatever the MacTaggerts had said to them, they wouldn’t be talking about anything.
“I don’t seem to have much choice, do I?” he finally snapped.
“I’d agree with that. Ye stay here for another day, then head back to London. Say ye had business somewhere. We’ll see it all sorted, and ye’ll nae have to do a thing but nae have any idea why that engagement announcement appeared in the newspaper.”
“And the money?”
“Will be at yer door within a day of ye returning to London. Do we have an agreement?”
“How do I know you’ll abide by it, you heathen?”
“Because if I wanted to do someaught permanent to ye, I reckon people go missing up here all the time. Like Amy said, ye got pulled into this. So at the end ye’ll be a bachelor with an extra five thousand pounds ye wouldnae have had a fortnight ago. I ask ye again, do we have an agreement?”
Hurst took a breath, wincing as the ropes tightened around his chest. “Yes. We have an agreement.”
Niall pulled the knife from his boot. With a swift cut he sliced the ropes, then walked over to do the same for the other two men. “The blue inn there, The Copper, has a fine kitchen. They’ll put ye up for the night, as well.”
“Don’t expect me to thank you, MacTaggert.”
“I dunnae. Just go.”
When he turned his back, Amelia-Rose joined him, wrapping her hands around his arm. “You are a very good man,” she whispered.
“I’m a man who doesnae want blood spilled on my wedding day,” he returned, lowering his cheek to her hair. “Ye heard me, aye?” he asked his brothers.
Aden nodded. “Ye’re assuming Francesca will hand that rat over five thousand quid, though. And that he’ll nae ask for more later.”
“Once our mother does whatever she’s promising, I’ll deal with him again if I have to. He’ll nae like it as much, though.”
“I wanted to eat at The Copper,” Coll stated, scowling.
“Come along, lads,” Niall said, heading them back toward the village well behind Hurst and his men. “I reckon I know a place where we can get some fresh bread. It may cost us a fortune, though.”
So this was her married life. Amelia-Rose sighed as she walked beside her tall, handsome husband. Her Highlander. She’d expected to find marriage to be a dull duty. Judging by her first hour of being married