Page 19

19: THAT WAS THEN … THIS IS NOW

BONNIE COULDN’T HELP it—she gasped.

She certainly hadn’t been expecting a proposal.

In truth, she hadn’t expected Iver Mackay to be understanding in the least about what she’d done.

When Duncan left them alone, she’d been frightened about what the laird would say to her.

She’d expected harsh words, insults even.

Yet, instead, he surprised her.

She hadn’t meant to blurt out what she had, but there was something about him that freed her—as he had on the night of the ball.

She’d imagined her lies would have ruined everything, would have shattered the bond they’d formed in those few hours they’d spent together.

But he didn’t want to see her punished.

And now, he was offering to wed her to prevent it.

“Iver,” she whispered, recovering her wits.

“Ye don’t have to do this.”

A stubborn expression settled over his handsome features.

“No, I don’t … yet I wish to.”

“What game are ye playing, Mackay?” Stewart demanded.

He entered the room now, his expression thunderous.

“This lass has erred, but how dare ye mock her?”

“This is no mockery, Duncan.” Iver’s own gaze narrowed as he turned to face the seneschal.

“I’m serious. If Bonnie agrees to it, I wish to wed her. And I will do it as soon as we can find a priest willing to conduct the ceremony.”

Bonnie’s heart lurched at these words.

This was indeed madness.

She barely knew Iver.

Perhaps he had an unstable temperament—a man prone to extremes.

Yet, even as she considered this, her gut told her otherwise.

She knew Iver didn’t take marriage lightly.

Indeed, he’d sworn never to take a wife.

And yet, he was willing to put that all aside—to help her.

Stewart halted before him.

His already high-colored face had turned a deep red now.

Panic clutched at Bonnie’s throat then.

Duncan was only protecting her.

However, she worried the two men might start throwing punches if things went much further.

“Iver,” she repeated, her tone sharpening.

“Ye don’t want a wife—ye told me so.”

His attention cut back to her.

“I didn’t,” he replied.

“But that was then … this is now.”

“What kind of fool answer is that?” the seneschal growled.

“I know a beautiful woman can addle yer wits, man, but ye aren’t talking sense.”

Iver’s mouth kicked up into a smile.

Bonnie’s breathing caught.

His response was unexpected.

“Nothing about the past few days makes sense,” he replied, with a rueful shake of his head.

“But ever since I met Bonnie, it’s as if I’ve woken up … as if I have my old self back.”

“The lass pretended to be someone she isn’t,” the seneschal pointed out, unnecessarily, Bonnie thought.

“The woman ye were infatuated with doesn’t exist.”

Iver’s smile widened.

“Aye, she does. When ye left us alone, and we spoke together, I realized they are one and the same.” Bonnie’s breathing hitched at this admission, but Iver hadn’t yet finished.

His expression hardened as his gaze bored into Stewart’s.

“I’ll not let ye take a stick to Bonnie … and I’ll not leave Stirling without her.”

The two men stared at each other while Bonnie’s pulse fluttered wildly in her throat.

Duncan’s face was still as red as earlier, yet as Bonnie watched him, his gaze softened.

And then, to her surprise, his hands unclenched at his sides.

He glanced over at her, a muscle feathering in his jaw.

“Is this what ye want, lass?”

Bonnie swallowed.

Lord, of course she did.

The man of her dreams had just proposed marriage to her.

She’d be a fool to be insulted.

He’s only done so out of obligation , a voice hissed in her ear then.

It was as if her aunt were standing behind her, watching the scene unfold.

Mackay’s a decent man who wishes to do the right thing.

He doesn’t really want ye.

Why would he? Ye are a low-born bastard!

Queasiness rose then, although Bonnie swallowed it down.

She didn’t need Lorna whispering to her.

If she let it, that cruel voice would ruin everything.

The door to her prison was open—and for the first time, she could see daylight.

Suddenly, she didn’t care what the reasons were for Iver’s proposal, only that he’d made it.

Iver had turned back to her now.

His smile had faded, and his expression was expectant.

And so, she favored him with a tremulous smile.

“Aye,” she whispered.

“I would be honored to wed ye, Iver.”

It was rare Lennox Mackay was at a loss for words—but Iver felt a certain satisfaction at seeing this was one of those times.

His brother’s mouth even gaped open, his dark-blue eyes widening.

After a lengthy pause, Lennox found his tongue.

“What?”

Iver crossed to the sideboard and poured himself a few inches of wine.

He then raised the cup to his lips and drained it in two gulps.

“Ye heard me. I’m getting married tomorrow morning and require a witness. Will ye do me the honor?”

Lennox swore under his breath.

“And who is the lucky woman?”

“Her name is Bonnie Fraser. I danced with her at the masquerade ball.”

Understanding lit in Lennox’s eyes.

“I knew it,” he muttered.

“Ye’ve been as testy as a ram in rutting season ever since that eve.”

Iver scowled.

He didn’t appreciate the comparison and decided it was time to shock his brother into silence once more.

“She’s a chambermaid in this keep. The same lass ye winked at in the hallway on our first night here.”

Lennox, who’d been reclining in a chair by the fire, his feet up on a settle and crossed at the ankle, bolted upright.

Confusion then shadowed his gaze.

“How is that possible?”

“She donned a stolen mask and gown and attended the ball pretending to be a clan-chief’s daughter,” Iver replied.

“I went looking for the woman I thought was Adair Farquharson this morning … and discovered she was someone else.”

Lennox’s brow furrowed.

“This makes no sense. Ye are babbling.”

“It’s quite a tale, I’ll admit,” Iver replied, placing the empty cup on the sideboard, “but it’s the truth.”

Lennox pushed himself to his feet.

“And why the devil would ye marry a chambermaid?” Iver didn’t answer, and as their gazes fused, Lennox’s expression shifted.

He then gave an incredulous shake of his head.

“Ye have had yer way with her, haven’t ye?”

“That’s none of yer business.”

Lennox folded his arms across his chest. “Aye, ye have … I know that look on yer face.” He paused, taking a step closer.

“What have ye gotten yerself entangled in, Iver?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Is she carrying yer bairn?”

Iver shook his head.

The two brothers stared at each other a moment longer before Lennox pushed past him and poured himself a cup of wine.

“Satan’s cods,” he muttered.

“I know we all rib ye about the fact ye’ve never married, but I never thought ye’d do something like this.” He gulped down the wine and then turned to Iver.

“Ma will have a fit if ye bring a low-born lass home as yer wife.”

Iver’s stomach hardened as he imagined Sheena Mackay’s reaction.

Indeed, their mother wasn’t a woman to be trifled with.

She’d been on at him for years to take a wife—but a chambermaid wasn’t what she had in mind.

Stubbornness straightened Iver’s spine then.

Aye, no one would be happy about his decision, yet he wouldn’t be swayed.

Now that he’d made up his mind, he dug his heels in.

When he’d stepped into his father’s role at the age of eighteen, he’d expected his life to go a certain way.

Yet it hadn’t. He’d always felt as if he was waiting for something, although he had no idea exactly what.

And as he’d stood in the seneschal’s chamber, staring into Bonnie’s eyes, listening to her impassioned words, he’d known what it was he’d been waiting for.

Her.

She wasn’t what he’d planned for his future.

He couldn’t rationalize his thoughts or decisions when it came to Bonnie Fraser.

He was following his gut now.

Earlier he’d thought Duncan Stewart would continue to challenge him, yet he’d capitulated.

The fight had gone out of the man, and when Stewart had glanced over at Bonnie, Iver saw the tenderness and concern in his eyes.

Iver knew little about the seneschal’s personal life.

He’d wed years earlier, but his wife had died young.

He’d never remarried and didn’t have any children.

Perhaps Bonnie was the daughter he’d always wanted.

Iver had also marked the relief on the man’s face.

He hadn’t wanted to punish her, yet she’d left him with little choice.

And when Bonnie accepted Iver’s proposal, his heart had kicked hard against his ribs.

Joy, giddying in its intensity, had surged through him, making his limbs tingle.

That reaction confirmed that his instincts were true.

He and Bonnie Fraser hardly knew each other, and their union would likely ruffle some feathers, but they’d have the rest of their lives to remedy that.

The thought of marrying, after so many years on his own, made his chest tighten and his pulse race.

But fear of being hurt wouldn’t hold him back.

Not any longer.

Ignoring the look of stern disapproval on his brother’s face—lord, he looked like their mother when he wore that expression—Iver met his gaze squarely.

“Ye didn’t answer my question, Len. Will ye bear witness to my marriage tomorrow morn?”