She groaned, running a hand through her hair. What did she do to deserve this torment?
“Ye ken as well as I do that marryin’ me will help stop the rumors, lass,” he reasoned.
Why was he so bloody determined?
She had sworn to herself to take back her freedom, and now another man wanted to trap her again in a marriage she didn’t want.
No. She wouldn’t allow it to happen to her. Not again.
She was close enough to Yorkshire. If she were to try running now, she could escape him by crying out for help at the nexthomestead. Surely he wouldn’t be able to overpower the angry farmers who would no doubt come to her rescue.
A cold draft blew by, reminding her of her current predicament.
Even if she were to run, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t catch her before she arrived at her destination, and if he let her run, she would probably lose her toes to frostbite before she found a warm fire.
Sighing, she turned to him.
He could offer her protection for a time, but with his determination to marry, she might not have the liberty of the week she would need to gather enough provisions for her journey.
“Alright, Laird McLeod,” she relented. “I will marry you.”
He eyed her narrowly, and she wondered if he could see the plan she had formed in her mind.
“Let us return to the castle, then we can begin?—”
“But I have a condition,” she cut in, causing him to frown.
“What condition?” he asked.
Yes. Her plan was good. She would use his honorable nature against him and stall for time until she had gathered enough provisions to sustain her during her escape.
“I have made a list of things I must do before I wed,” she answered. “Since you are responsible for upending my life, you owe me that much. Help me complete my list, and I’ll marry you without any complaints.”
He furrowed his brow, looking deep in thought.
For a moment, Violet wondered whether he would begin inquiring about the list. But then he nodded, surprising her.
“Alright,” he agreed. “We can wait until yer list is complete. For now, let us return to the castle.”
She nodded with a broad grin and followed dutifully behind him to the stallion, which he helped her mount, the smile remaining on her face on the journey to meet up with the others.
She was grateful he hadn’t asked for the number of items on the list, so it was entirely up to her to make it up as she went. She already had six items, but what was to stop her from adding more? His honorable nature wouldn’t allow him to renege on their deal, and it would give her ample time to prepare.
Yes, indeed.
She had made a good plan.
Still, feeling his hard arms around her, one question lingered in her mind.
What the bloody hell had she gotten herself into?
4
“Me Laird,” Logan called, drawing Ruaridh’s gaze back to him.
He had been watching the English lass and his daughter in the cart they had gotten from one of the farmers' homes at the homestead where they had rejoined his riding party after their agreement to wed.
The discussion still hung over his head like a heavy storm cloud, yet he didn’t know who to blame for the new development.
