Page 34 of A Scot for Bethan (The Welsh Rebels #6)

“Careful, my laird. William is a good man, and I’ve known him since he was a child,” he heard Matthew Hunter say under his breath. “Whereas I don’t know you. If you harm him in any way, I will hunt you down and make you regret me giving you a chance.”

The threat was not an idle one. Despite being his senior by two decades, the man was clearly still a formidable warrior.

“Fear not. I just have a few questions to ask him.”

With those words, he made his way to the door.

When Sir William walked out of the hall a moment later, Cameron was waiting for him in the middle of the bailey.

Silently, he ordered him toward the stable.

This conversation needed no witnesses. As soon as they were both inside, he leaned into the door frame, blocking any possible retreat.

He knew that it did not take much effort for him to appear menacing, and he was glad of it.

“Now that you’ve had your wash, we’ll have that talk, you and I.”

Sir William did not appear in the least worried by his imposing stature and disgruntled voice.

“I suppose we will, since you’re asking so nicely.

” His voice was calm when many lesser men would have flinched.

Cameron’s respect for him increased begrudgingly.

“You know, I will have to trust what my wife says once we are married. She did mention that you could be gruff at times but, silly me, I put it down to the unusual situation you were in. Were I in your position, I, too, would have been on edge. She also said that you were remarkably handsome, but as she and I do not have quite the same idea of beauty, I’ll admit that I did not set much score by her assessment.

Now, however, I can see that Beth was right on both accounts. ”

Beth.

The nickname thrown in so naturally told Cameron that Sir William had not lied when he had claimed to be betrothed to Bethan.

People gave each other special names to show their affection.

Hadn’t he himself taken to calling her Ealasaid because he’d felt a special connection to her?

Hope died in his chest. For a moment, he had wondered if the man had not announced his betrothal to provoke his guests.

He now could see that it had been no jest. Those two were indeed about to get married.

Which meant he had to act, fast.

“Where is she?” he growled. That was all he wanted to know.

“Where do you think? Here, of course. As you heard, we are about to be married.”

Cameron recoiled. All this while, Bethan had been here, hidden away in one of the castle rooms? He’d been waiting patiently all night for a word with Sir William, hoping to find out where she had gone, and now he was being told he could have seen her hours ago? It was not to be borne.

He took a step forward. “Take me to?—”

“Not now, she’s asleep. I haven’t told her you were here.

She needs rest and she would never have gotten it after a conversation with you.

” Despite the flippant tone, it was clear there would be no convincing the man.

Sir William was a formidable adversary, for all his tranquil ways.

“I can take you to her tomorrow. She will be thrilled to see you… I think.”

This was getting weirder by the moment. “You think your betrothed will be thrilled to see me, and you know why, yet you are willing to let me see her?”

A shrug answered him. “Of course. She’s not my captive. If you have come, as I hope, to claim her, and she is brave enough to have you, then I will have nothing to say.”

Cameron was not often rendered speechless, but he was now. The man was hoping his future wife would forsake him in favor of another man?

“Didn’t you just say you were set to marry her?” he asked when he had finally regained his ability to talk. Surely he had not misunderstood.

“I did. We will, as I announced in the hall, be wed before the month is out.”

In other words, in less than a week. “Why? You do not love her, she does not love you.”

“Come, Laird Campbell.” Sir William was not in the least daunted by his aggressive tone.

He sounded amused, perhaps even faintly condescending.

“It would hardly be the first time a bride and groom went to the altar without feeling love for each other. Besides, I might not love Beth in that way, but I do care for her and will not allow anyone to hurt her, even brawny Scots who think they can use her for their benefit.”

This time there was a steely edge under the pleasant voice.

The man was not quite as detached as he wanted to appear, and Cameron could well believe he would prove a mighty opponent.

He’d seen him fight that very afternoon and win each of his combats.

It seemed he was just as ruthless in life.

But Cameron could be ruthless and formidable too, especially when so much was at stake.

He was not going to stand here and be insulted when he had done nothing wrong.

Whatever Bethan had told her friend, he had never intended to use her.

He’d tried to tell her as much, but she’d refused to listen.

Well, she would listen now, he would make sure of it.

“I have no intention of hurting her,” he said through gritted teeth.

“You might not have any intention of doing so but it doesn’t follow that you will not.”

Cameron bit the stringent retort already on his lips, since his meeting with Bethan depended on this infuriating man.

Antagonizing him now wouldn’t serve his purpose.

Damn it all! If Sir William didn’t want him to see Bethan, then he would not be able to get to her.

She might not be a captive, but at the moment she didn’t know he was here—and he had no idea in which room to find her.

What the hell was going on here, he asked himself for the tenth time?

She was aware her friend preferred men, and yet she was ready to become his wife, therefore condemning herself to a life of frustration.

Unless she intended to carry on as she had while betrothed to Dougal once she was married…

She had claimed her intention to be faithful to his nephew, but this was different.

Her English husband might well agree that her taking lovers was the best solution for both of them, in the circumstances.

Well, over his dead body.

If she was to take a man to her bed, it would be none other than himself, who would give her what she needed. And if she was that desperate to marry to escape men’s greed, then he would…

Cameron stilled. What was he thinking? Was he really about to propose to Bethan a second time?

He had not set out from Scotland with the intention of bringing her back home as Lady Campbell, but it now seemed the only thing to do, the only way to prevent her from making a dreadful mistake—and the only way to put an end to his suffering.

He’d once dreaded having to witness her wedding to his insipid nephew, he’d then had to see her being assaulted by one McDonald brother before narrowly escaping abduction by the other. After that, he could not bear to let her slip through his fingers once more.

Or ever.

Sir William cared for her? Well, he did too, more than cared.

He had told her three months ago that he didn’t want a wife but would marry her if she was with child.

She had taken it badly, perhaps with reason, and refused.

He would tell her now that he did want a wife, and would marry her because he could not live without her and he would make damn well sure she accepted.

Surely, when she saw he was offering for her hand when she was not with child and nothing obliged him to, she would understand he’d never meant to trap her into anything.

“Very well. Let her get the rest she needs,” he said in a growl. “I will sleep here in the stables, out of the way. But then tomorrow morning I will see her, make no mistake about it.”

And I will convince her to have me, instead of you.

Though he could not have missed the real meaning behind his words, Sir William nodded.

True to his word, shortly after dawn, Sir William came to inform him Bethan was up, and about to break her fast in the hall.

“You can join her. I will leave you two alone.”

“No. Let her eat first,” Cameron surprised himself by saying. Remembering how hungry she always was in the mornings, he wanted to make sure she had enough to eat before they met. Because once she had seen him, her appetite would be gone, he was certain of it. “Come and get me when she’s ready.”

He would have a quick wash in the meantime. For this, the most important discussion of his life, he needed to look and feel at his best.

It was not long before he was led to the hall, which was empty save for a woman sitting on a folding chair by the fire.

Her back was to the door, and she was strangely immobile.

It was obvious she wasn’t eating, sewing, petting a dog, or doing anything other than staring at the flickering flames.

It unnerved Cameron. Bethan had always been full of life, bursting with energy. Seeing her so still was unnatural.

Sir William gestured to him to wait and approached her alone. “Beth.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “There’s someone here to see you.”

“I don’t want to see anyone,” Bethan answered, not moving an inch. Cameron barely recognized her voice, and no wonder. She had never sounded so lifeless. His unease grew. Was something ailing her? Was that why she needed rest? Was she ill?

“I know, sweetheart. But I think you need to see this man, which is why I haven’t thrown him out of here just yet. He’s come a long way.”

“Has he?” There was more than a hint of trepidation in those two words, as if she didn’t dare hope. Cameron’s heart started to beat faster. At last, a glimpse of the woman he’d come to know and love.

“Yes. He’s waiting to take you on a stroll in the lists. Here, take this. ’Tis cold outside.”