married until I say so.”
Damn it, he hated her condition. He wanted to proclaim his marriage across Scotland and England and the whole bloody world. He wanted his mother to weep with joy and embrace Annie in a long, relieved hug. He wanted his father to clap his shoulder and congratulate John on making such a fine choice. He wanted Annie to meet all his sisters and all their husbands and all the nieces and nephews who would doubtless worship her as much as Ronnie Cleghorn did.
As much as he did.
But she wanted to wait to tell them. He’d agree to anything to have her, so he would comply with her wishes. However, if she thought to escape the marriage later through annulment or divorce, she could think again.
“Once you’re mine,” he grated, “you’re mine. Our marriage will not be undone.”
She scoffed. “Dinnae be daft. Of course not. No sense in marryin’ in the first place if ye’re goin’ to be weak-kneed about it.”
“Good.”
“Fine.”
“We’ll marry tomorrow, then.”
“Ten in the mornin’. Let’s hope it doesnae rain.”
“Annie?”
She blinked up at him.
“I love you.”
She held his gaze for a moment then dropped hers. A breeze lifted the curls around her face. A faint, bittersweet smile curved her lips. “I love ye, too, English.”
Her words were precisely what he’d hoped. He only wished she hadn’t spoken them with such sadness.
Chapter Nineteen
TlU
When Mrs. Baird arrived a wee bit late from Inverness, Angus was pacing the entrance hall with a scowl. “What took ye so long, woman?” he barked the moment Annie opened the door. “We’ve a wedding to get started.”
Annie winced as the fair Mrs. Baird stared up at Angus as if he was about to leap upon her and take a bite. And no wonder. He was a foot-and-a-half taller than the dressmaker, at least twice her width, and ten times her strength. He could lift her over his head and toss her in the kitchen hearth, if he cared to. Of course, he’d sooner dive head-first into the hearth himself than hurt a woman, but Mrs. Baird didn’t know that.
Annie stepped between them and practiced her manners. “Mrs. Baird, how kind of ye to make the journey. Will ye come inside and have a bit of tea while I finish dressin’?”
“Aye.” Her smile was weak and trembling. Her eyes flickered cautiously to the looming giant behind Annie’s shoulder. “I brought the items ye mentioned.”
Angus glared outside at the one-horse gig parked in the drive. “Is that trinket what ye traveled here in?”
Annie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Da, we dinnae have time for yer complaints about transportation.” She glanced at Mrs. Baird, who still wore an expression of cautious dismay. “I apologize for …well, him.”
“It’s a bluidy miracle ye didnae crack one of those spindly wheels in half, with the ruts on that road.” His glower shifted to poor Mrs. Baird. “What were ye thinkin’, woman? Have ye no proper vehicles in Inverness?”
Before Annie could warn her against it, Mrs. Baird cleared her throat and replied, “I prefer the gig, actually. It is light and manageable.”
“It’s an invitation to be robbed and left for dead.”
Annie closed her eyes, breathed, and prayed for patience. “For God’s sake, Da.”
“First thing that happens is yer wheel strikes a wee pebble, and crack! No more wheel. Next thing that happens is ye’re tossed out of yer seat into the muck. Yer skirts are over yer head, yer trinket is broken, and ye’re alone in the middle of bluidy nowhere while—”
“I should think riding my horse to the nearest village would be step three, Mr. MacPherson.”
“Suppose ye could do that before the thieves find ye, eh?”
Mrs. Baird was no longer pale. In fact, her cheeks had a bit of a blush to them. “I’ve managed quite ably to avoid such catastrophes thus far. But I do thank you for your concern.”
Annie noted Mrs. Baird’s speech grew primmer when she was vexed.
Angus, on the other hand, grew louder. “Well, ye didnae manage to arrive here on time, now did ye?”
That was it. Annie did not have the patience for this. “Stop yer bellowin’, auld man! It’s my weddin’ day!”
Angus emitted a half-growl-half-grunt and muttered something about whisky before stalking into his study and slamming the door.
Sighing, Annie gently looped her arm through Mrs. Baird’s