Page 60 of His Secret Highland Bride

Christ. None of those options seemed good. They were already within the curtain walls. There’d be no way to stop them if they decided to attack. A glance over his shoulder at the men who stood willing to die for him gave him the needed push to find a way that wouldn’t lead to war. What was his happiness compared to the lives of his men? And what could he offer Lindsay if he was struck down today and the clan taken over by the Wallace laird?

“There was a misunderstanding, for I am already wed. I’ll gladly return your daughter’s dowry. However, my stepmother has run off with it, and we’ve had difficulty locating her. As for taking over our holding, I may not be able to stop you, but I’d ask you to hear me out and give me another option.”

“I’ll hear you.”

“Please come into the hall, where we might offer you a meal and drink.”

The laird and his men followed them inside, and Tory came forward quickly to see to their guests.

When they sat at the table, the Wallace laird looked at him expectantly. “What is it you are proposing to satisfy the contract between our clans?”

“I wish for more time to recover what was stolen so I can return the dowry to you.”

“And if ye can’t recover it or not enough to cover it in full?”

“Then I offer a portion of our grain next year.”

The man laughed. “Next year? I’ve already seen your fields haven’t been planted for a harvest, but with no funds, how will you plant them for next year?” He shook his head. “Nay. I’ll not accept this offer. I will be paid now, or I will take Cluny as recompense.”

Shane’s men stirred from their seats at the nearby tables. He knew a word from him would launch them to arms, but he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t lose a single man simply because he was unwilling to do his duty. To give up Lindsay.

He shook his head. “Nay.” There was only one choice left, though it was one Shane could barely speak aloud.

He closed his eyes and thought of the cottage he shared with Lindsay. And beyond that the river where they bathed and made love. It didn’t seem right that he would have to lose another woman he had come to wed. He’d failed to protect Maria, and now he would fail to protect Lindsay. What kind of a man was he that he couldn’t save them?

He would have many memories of Lindsay to savor for the rest of his days. Lazy moments in bed with her. Her smile. The way the sun reflected off her dark hair. And those dark eyes a man could lose his soul in and not care about getting it back.

Clearing his throat, he managed the words he didn’t think his heart would allow him to say. “If you’ll give me some additional time, I’ll have my current marriage annulled so I may marry your daughter and honor the alliance you made with my father.”

Shane watched the other laird, ready for him to draw his sword and launch them into battle right there over their meal, as he had every right to do. The man’s longer hair was white with age, and his dark eyes looked upon Shane with disgust.

He imagined he deserved such a reaction. Going against an oath was a disreputable thing to do. The fact it had been his father who had given his word made no matter. Shane was duty-bound to uphold whatever agreements had been made.

Shane knew this all along. He’d realized it could come to this. He’d tried all manner of ways to get out of it, but while he didn’t want to think of having to leave Lindsay, he’d known this was a possibility.

And now it had come to pass.

Shane would have to give up the only thing he wanted so he wouldn’t lose everything. He just needed to get Wallace to agree, even if deep in his heart Shane almost wanted the man to refuse the offer. The choice of dying there was almost preferred to having to betray Lindsay.

If not for his men and his responsibility to his clan, he might have welcomed the sharp kiss of the man’s blade. But this was what was needed to protect his people. He didn’t know how he might tell Lindsay. Perhaps when she found out he’d lied to her, she might be glad for an annulment. He’d deal with that only after the man agreed. For a tense moment, Shane wasn’t so sure things could end peacefully.

The sound of his heartbeat seemed to fill the space around them as he waited for the man’s reply.

“You’ll dissolve your marriage and marry my daughter as promised?” he repeated with his head tilted as if he were testing the words for a trick.

Silently, Shane cursed his father for leaving his clan with such a poor reputation. “Aye. That is my offer—one that will honor the contract.”

“I will give you no more than a week to see it done,” the man said.

“Two weeks, for we’ll have to have the annulment granted by the church and will need time,” Shane countered, wanting every second he could manage.

“Nay. A week and not another day more. I’ve waited long enough for this to be done.”

“Very well,” Shane said as his stomach twisted in pain. He had no choice. His men would be needed if they ended up in a battle with the MacColls. They couldn’t lose a single man if they had any hopes of winning another conflict. But nothing was well. Nothing would ever be well again.

He was going to have to give up his wife. Give up the woman who managed to warm his frozen heart, who had saved him when he hadn’t known how to go on.

How would he tell her?