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That night hadn’t been terrible. Awkward, yes, and the deed over so quickly it had surprised her. Roddy had been kind, however, and she’d needed that kindness.
But it had beennothinglike her experience with Logan. Their time together was imprinted on her body and soul.
“Roddy—”
“Donella, ye have to marry me to set it right, or both our families will be dishonored when the truth comes out. I’ll nae be responsible for that. We’ll get married, just like we should have done all those years ago.”
When he beamed at her, so pleased with his solution, she knew only the blunt truth would serve.
“Roddy, I never wanted to dishonor you or your family, and I will speak to my uncle and try to make amends for what I’ve done to the Murrays. But Icannotmarry you.”
“But why not?”
“Because I’m already married.”
Roddy’s expression went completely blank. “Uh, what’s that ye say?”
“I married Logan Kendrick on Boxing Day.”
“Are ye sure?” he asked after an excruciatingly long pause. “Because I heard not a word about any such thing.”
She had to resist the impulse to bash him over the head with the pitcher.
“Of course I’m sure. We decided not to tell anyone because it was, well, very sudden. And my family wished to have a formal betrothal party on Hogmanay, and then a big clan wedding at Blairgal Castle. We didn’t wish to ruin the fun for them.”
He stared at her as if she’d sprouted a writhing pile of snakes from her head. Donella couldn’t blame him. Even to her ears it sounded exceedingly lame.
She and Logan hadn’t set out that day to get married—at leastshehadn’t. But Logan’s curricle had somehow ended up in front of a kirk in a nearby village, and somehow he’d convinced her that getting married immediately would be a grand idea. He’d pointed out that it had been her suggestion in the first place, one that would nicely serve to eliminate the fuss and bother of a large wedding later on.
The idea had made a crazy sort of sense at the time. Before she’d had a chance to truly think about it, he’d rustled up the parson, who’d rustled up a few witnesses, and Donella had found herself transformed into Mrs. Logan Kendrick in short order. It wasn’t a wedding across the anvil, but just-barely not.
As soon as they left the kirk, she’d begun to panic. Not about marrying him. The moment when she’d sworn her vows to Logan, she’d felt incandescent with joy. She’d panicked about her family’s reaction, especially her uncle’s. Their families hadn’t even formally announced their betrothal, and yet she and Logan had snuck off like thieves in the night.
Donella had lost her nerve and made Logan promise to keep it a secret until after Hogmanay. Then everything had turned into a complete disaster, which only served her right. If they’d told the truth in the first place, none of this would have happened.
The wages of sin were very unfortunate, indeed.
She braced for Roddy’s fury. God knows she deserved it.
Instead, he simply frowned for several long moments before sighing. “Well, ye did seem taken with Kendrick that day I ran into ye. I suppose it’s nae surprise.”
“You’re not angry?” she cautiously asked.
“Donella, I could never be angry with ye. Yer the nicest, prettiest lass in the world.”
Now she felt like the vilest person in the world. “I’m truly sorry about this, Roddy. And I meant it when I said I would talk to my uncle to try and set things right by you.”
He cut her a lopsided smile. “Dinna fash yerself, lass. To tell ye the truth, it was always my da making the big fuss. I always knew ye were too good for me.”
That choked her up. “I’m sure you’ll find the perfect girl someday, Roddy. In the meantime, we do need to tell your father I’m married.”
Roddy jolted a bit. “Mayhap it would be best if we stayed in here for a while. At least till my da settles down.”
“That isnota good idea. I know my husband is already searching for me. If I don’t get back to Breadie Manor forthwith, there’s no accounting for what might occur.”
“Er . . .” he started.
“Roddy, if you don’t get me home quickly, wewillhave a clan feud on our hands.”
