Page 27 of Highlander’s Lust

Not for All the Gold in the World

When Laird Brisbane woke with his wife’s arm over his waist, he had to admit it felt good. He had imbibed some whisky at the tavern yesterday, but not enough to make him wake up with a splitting head. If only he could do more than roll over and stare at her as she slept. Some of the ringlets had escaped her braids, and they cascaded over the pillow casing like fiery curlicues.

He sighed and moved to get out of bed. She moaned softly, her hand reaching out for him in her sleep, but then a small frown marred her countenance as though her dreams had reminded her to hold off.

Charlie slouched to the dressing room and rang the bell for his manservant. He tried not to bite off the man’s head with an acidic reply when the servant said he hoped the master had had a good night’s rest. From the look on his manservant’s face, Laird Brisbane could tell that the gossip in the housekeeper’s parlor was all about the state of his marriage.

He allowed the man to shave him and tie his hair back with a thin, black velvet riband. After pulling a light linen shirt over his head, he waited impatiently for the man to pleat the plaid above his hips and fasten it in place with a leather belt. He took the great plaid out of the man’s hands, saying, “Leave it. ‘Tis too warm for it to be draped over me shoulder,” and allowed the surplice wool to fall down behind the back of his legs. After carelessly shrugging on a pair of dark brown, soft leather boots, he loped down to eat breakfast.

He found Sorley waiting for him there.

“Och man, ye ruin a good mornin’ wi’ yer doleful face, Sorley!” Charlie growled, grabbing a bannock and accepting a bowl of porridge from the footman before waving the man out of the room.

Sorley looked over his shoulder to check the footman had closed the door after him before saying, “If I look doleful, Charlie, I have good reason...if the rumors I’ve been hearing are true.”

“Rumors! I thank ye kindly to keep yer nose out o’ me business, Cousin!” Charlie snarled, tearing the bannock apart with his sharp white teeth.

Sorley shuddered and gave a haughty sniff. “If ye have to eat like a wild animal so early in the morn, Charlie, at least don’ do it to me face.”

Laird Brisbane gave a sharp laugh and ignored him.

Sorley was used to Charlie’s megrims and continued, “I have checked the Brisbane book of Annals and Oaths. Yer marriage is in violation of the rules written therein, and so have yer actions been contrary to the sacred office ye hold. Ye’re the Brisbane laird, but that does no’ exempt ye from the consequences of yer actions!”

This got Laird Brisbane’s attention. “What the hell do ye mean?”

Sorley looked smug. “Ye sent gold to yer wife’s family before the marriage was consummated; that is a clear breach of the oath ye swore on taking yer faither’s office.”

Charlie froze, allowing the bowl of porridge in front of him to cool. “But her faither would nae have agreed to our betrothal if I had behaved scaly towards him! Ye yerself agreed the match was beneficial for the clan.”

The steward said in a superior tone, “I did not, however, sanction yer dispatching gold to her faither before the girl had even proven herself fertile. As yer only surviving relative and clan representative, Charlie, ye needed me approval and the sanction of the elders ‘fore doin’ that…”

Laird Brisbane swore a long curse. His cousin remained unperturbed.

“Ye effectively stole gold from the clan, Charlie, which would only be acceptable if we had something to show for it—like a stained sheet, for example. So, me advice to ye, Laird, is for ye to get busy makin’ yer wife pregnant before the chieftains rip yer title away from ye!”

Not bothering to reply, Laird Brisbane flung out of the room and ran upstairs to the master bedchamber.

He burst into the room, only to find it empty. Like a man possessed, Laird Brisbane rushed into the dressing room, hoping to find Jean there.

She startled at his entrance.

“Charlie, what’s to do? Is there bad news from the lodge?”

Not bothering about Eby, who was dressing her mistress’s hair, Charlie said, “We need to join our bodies together—now! I’ve already paid for it! That is to say, the clan has already paid for it! I sent the money to yer faither.” Here, the infallible Laird Brisbane, such a hit with the ladies, faltered, embarrassed to say it in front of the maid.

Jean said calmly, “Eby is a soul of discretion, Charlie.”

He gave Eby a hesitant look, then continued, “Because...because I did no’ think for one moment that ye would say no to me. To be honest, I thought we would enjoy each other’s company even before the wedding! I was so sure. That’s why I sent the gold. But it was wrong of me in the eyes of the law of our clan. The only way I can make it right is by…”

Jean looked at her husband with a shrewd gaze.

“I need more time, Charlie. I beseech ye to grant it to me.”

“B-But, the gold—”

His wife shook her head. “Gold might be enough to buy ye a tavern wench, Husband, but all the gold in the world cannae force me to bend to yer will if I don’ see more proof that ye’ve changed.”

There was nothing more he could do, at least, not with her maid standing there. Laird Brisbane turned on his heel and walked out of the room.