Page 6 of Her Accidental Highlander Husband

“Your wife? Are you mad? You’ve only been gone three hours. How did you take a wife?”

“She simply ran out of the woods and we married,” he said, enjoying himself a little too much. It was a funny story to tell, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be all that fun to live with the consequences.

Especially after Lach found out.

Chapter Three

Two little boys ran up and grabbed Cam’s legs, squealing in delight. He picked up the one on his right and held him up to inspect his face. Damn if he could tell them apart, even though Kenna and Lach knew at a glance.

“Are ye wee Douglas or the other one?” Cam asked.

His only answer was laughter. The lads were a little over a year and didn’t say much yet.

“You guessed it right. ’Tis Douglas,” Lach said, following behind. “What is this?” He scooped up Roddy and then took Douglas.

Cam didn’t know how the man managed to hold two squirming boys and still look imposing and in charge, but he’d mastered it when his sons were but wee babes.

“I thought I told you to gather rocks until nightfall.”

“Aye, but I had a run-in with an English tracker, a MacDonald, and a fugitive from the crown’s justice, whom I married.”

As with Bryce, Lachlan’s response was amusing. He looked from Cam to Mari and then over to Bryce who shrugged and made another choking sound.

“I don’t know where to begin,” Lachlan finally said.

“Perhaps with introductions,” Cam suggested and turned toward his wife.

“Mari, I’d like to introduce the laird of Clan MacKinlay, Lachlan MacKinlay. Lach, my wife and your sister by marriage, Marian Fletcher MacKinlay.”

“My lord,” Mari said with a curtsy. “We’ve met. I was present at your wedding to my sister.”

Lachlan’s eyes went wide before narrowing in close examination. His appraisal seemed to land on her bare feet. “You married a duke, as I recall.”

“Yes. However, as Cameron mentioned, I murdered him and have fled London to end up here.”

Cam’s lip twitched at her casual explanation. He nodded and added his part. “She was being chased by the tracker and the MacDonald I spoke of. I had to stop them from taking her back to England where they planned to hang her. I thought Lady Kenna would not like that overmuch, so…”

“You married her,” Lachlan said flatly.

“Aye.” Cameron nodded. “Though not intentionally. It just worked out as such.”

“Of course.” Lach turned to Bryce. “Would you please fetch Lady Kenna from the kitchens?”

Bryce hurried away as Lach turned back to face Cam. “Your order for the day, if I recall correctly, was to gather stones for the curtain wall until nightfall. I do not remember telling ye to save damsels in distress by wedding them. As you may remember, you were contracted to wed the McCurdy lass at the end of the summer to secure an alliance with their clan.”

“I do remember, but I canna marry her now as I’m already wed.” He held out his hands innocently. He hadn’t wanted to marry anyone; however there was some enjoyment in not being forced to marry someone merely for a questionable alliance. “We still have the chance to take the McCurdys by force so ye can gain the port you want. While I’m not available to wed the lass, I am capable of training your men to take over their clan.”

“And how many MacKinlays will we lose in a battle of that size? Do ye think our enemy will just scurry off and give up their lands because we wish it?”

“Nay, but with training, and a good plan—”

Lach groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Surely there is some way to correct this misunderstanding.” Mari came forward with an elegant smile on her lips. It might have even looked regal if not for the dirty hair and ragged dress.

“Misunderstanding?” Lach raised a brow at Cameron. “Are you wed or not?”

They were legally wed, though Cameron was determined it would be in name only. It wouldn’t matter to him that a woman shared his name to stay out of a noose. So long as she didn’t carry expectations of him being a true husband.