Page 2 of Taken By the Highland Villain
Not that her opinion mattered much to him,it seemed. Even as she approached, she could hear him speaking in that oily, polite tone of his.
“There’s nay need to be so ill-tempered. All I want is to speak to Valerie Blackwood. Let me see her, and I promise ye, I shall go away quietly—if the lady wishes it. Which she may nae, given our… understanding.”
The way he said the last word made Valerie’s stomach lurch. He made it sound like they were lovers. Even so, she steeled herself and stepped forward, even as Oliver responded.
“I dinnae ken anything about an ‘understanding’ between ye and anyone in this castle. What I do ken, however, is that ye’re trespassin’ on My Laird and braither’s lands without invitation, and unwanted into the bargain. I dinnae want to shed blood at the birth of my niece, but if ye dinnae leave, there will be blood shed—ye can take my word for it.”
“Och, I didnae come here to fight. However, I must insist—I shall nae leave without speakin’ to my Valerie. If that means I mustdefend my presence here with steel, then so be it.” Nathan’s smile was still fixed firmly in place, but there was a cold edge to it that told Valerie everything she needed to know.
Nathan wouldn’t hesitate to harm Oliver or any of Conall’s men if he thought it would get him what he wanted. Today, of all days, she could not let that happen.
She quickened her steps and pushed through the MacKane warriors to place a calming hand on Oliver’s shoulder, before he did something rash. “It is all right, Oliver. I’m here now.”
Oliver glanced down at her, worry mingling with anger in his eyes. “Valerie, if ye dinnae want to speak to this man…”
“It is all right. Laird MacOlley and I do have matters to speak of. I could wish he’d nae been so forceful about it, but…” Valerie tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him a sidelong, commiserating glance. “Some men are determined to have their way when it suits them. I learned while travelin’ with my faither that it is best to hear them out and send them on their way, rather than waste time and spoil everyone’s mood with an argument.”
Oliver frowned. “Are ye certain?”
“Aye, I am. Besides…” She patted his arm and offered him a warm smile. “Ye’ve a new niece now, and I think Conall’s calmed down enough now that ye’ll get through the door without him tearin’ yer head off.”
Oliver relaxed at the slight teasing note she’d forced into her voice. “I wouldnae dare enter afore maither and bairn were settled…”
“Lily just got Brigid back into a clean bed, and if ye dinnae go now, ye’ll likely have to wait until after our niece has had her first feeding—or suffer the wailin’ when she wakes up and demands her food.”
Oliver grimaced. “Och, I get enough of that with my own bairn. I love Dylan enough to fight a war for him, I truly do, but the lungs on that lad when he’s hungry or in need of a changin’…”
“Aye. So ye’d better go and get yer first look at yer niece while she’s still sleepy, because I dinnae doubt she’ll be as noisy as her cousin once she wakes up.” Valerie patted his arm again and gave him a small push toward the stairs. “Go. Yer men will keep me safe.”
Oliver glared at Nathan, but sheathed his sword, nonetheless. With a curt bow to both of them, he turned and walked away, his steps quick as he made his way toward the family wing, where his brother and the newest member of their clan awaited.
Nathan waited until Oliver was out of earshot, then motioned for his men to return to the Great Hall with the rest of the MacKane soldiers. Once they had departed, he smiled at Valerie. “Alone at last, my dear.”
She shivered at the expression on his face. Many might call it a handsome smile, but to her, it was a snake’s expression, andwhat glittered in his eyes was covetousness, not love or even simple desire.
He cared not one whit for her as a person—he wanted a trophy, and she well knew it. Still, she knew better than to let her feelings or her thoughts show on her face.
“Aye. But truly, ye picked a poor time to arrive unannounced. Surely ye didnae think Conall would welcome strangers when his wife is giving birth?”
“We are hardly strangers, ye and I. Besides, I came to celebrate the birth of the child with ye—ye and yer family. And why nae?” He stepped close and took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it that made her shudder in disgust. “After all, can ye think of a more perfect way to celebrate the birth of a child than by also celebratin’ a formal union between the two of us—and between Clan MacKane and Clan MacOlley?”
Valerie plastered a smile on her face. “Och, I told ye I needed time to consider yer proposal. With my sister so close to giving birth, I’ve had little time to consider aught else. Surely ye understand that.”
“Of course I do, my dear. But she has given birth now, and my patience… well, it runs thin. I cannae wait forever.” Nathan gave a sigh, which made her tense. “If ye dinnae agree and come with me soon, I will think ye are rejectin’ me for a second time. And ye wouldnae want that to happen.”
Valerie scowled, unnerved more than she cared to admit. “What do ye mean by that?”
“I mean that if I cannae secure yer willing hand in marriage, I may have to claim ye by force—even if it means declarin’ war on Clan MacKane. And that would be such a shame, would it nae? To let yer newborn niece grow up without a faither, simply because of yer selfishness? Ye dinnae want yer niece to grow up without a faither, do ye?”
His smile was a poisonous thing, and it made her stomach twist.
She fought to maintain her confident facade. “Ye seem confident that ye would defeat Conall. Are ye so sure of yer skill that ye’d wager yer strength against his?”
She’d hoped to anger him, or at least put him on his guard. Instead, his cold smile only widened.
“The real question, my dear, is whether ye are willing to sacrifice the lives and welfare of yer kinfolk if his strength and resources are greater than mine.”
The question cut like a blade, and all the more keenly because they both knew the answer to that.