Page 25 of Wedded to the Twisted Highlander

“And ye couldnae have asked me to come to yer study? Ye have to take Melody from me…” Her eyes widened. “He’s here, is he nae?”

“Who?”

“Laird Chalium,” she whimpered.

“He’s nae here. ‘Tis just ye and me. But now that ye brought him up, I have a proposition for ye.”

“I’ll nae return to him. And I swear to ye, I’ll get Melody. Nay matter where ye take her, I’ll find her. Ye’ll nae keep me from her.”

“Easy,” the Laird said in a soothing voice that made Astrid question his motives. Surely he’d concocted some vile plan. “I have nay intention of keepin’ ye from Melody. I did, however, agree to keep ye safe. It seems that Laird Chalium has summoned ye.”

“I kenned it,” Astrid said, hiking her skirt, ready to run.

But before she could take off, the Laird’s hand fell on her shoulder.

“Be still,” he said in such a harsh tone that she froze.

She stared at him, fighting back tears as she considered where she could run next. There wasn’t a place in all of Scotland where Laird Chalium wouldn’t find her. No, if she was to really break free from him, she was going to have to disappear.

The Laird’s voice faded in the background as her mind skipped and danced over various plans and courses of action. If Laird Chalium was aware of her presence at McFair Castle, then that was the last place she wanted to be.

“So? What says ye?” the Laird asked as he stepped back.

The question hung between them and pulled Astrid out of the bowels of her thoughts.

“I’ll nae go back,” she answered, much to the Laird’s irritation.

He pressed his lips into a tight line. “Aye, ye’ve made that clear,” he said. “And I have nay intention of lettin’ Chalium touch ye or Melody ever again. Then we have a deal. I’ll have the paperwork drawn up. We can have all this behind us by nightfall if ye’re so inclined.”

Astrid’s thoughts skipped like a stone over a placid lake. She understood that something had just taken place, but what, exactly, she wasn’t certain.

Judging by the confident air around Laird McFair, they seemed to have struck another deal. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he gave her a sharp nod.

“I’ll ensure that everything is taken care of,” he continued. She stood there, bewildered and stupefied. “And I’ll have Melody returned to ye now that we’ve come to an understanding.”

Understanding? What happened?

Astrid wasn’t sure. All she knew was that the fear that had festered within her seemed to be draining from her like muddy water down a clear creek. She watched as the Laird disappeared into the castle, and seconds later, Melody came rushing out.

“Is it true?” Melody asked.

The question only drove home the point that something had taken place between Astrid and the Laird and that she still didn’t know what it had been about. All she knew was that Melody was once again at her side, and that was all that mattered.

“Is what true?” Astrid asked back.

“That ye’ve agreed to marry Laird McFair!” Melody squealed as she clapped her little hands together.

Astrid’s heart dropped and continued to plummet as if it were a stone in a bottomless pit.

“What?”

9

Thomas sat behind his desk, glaring at the letter Laird Chalium had sent. He didn’t like the threat behind the words. Nor did he care for what he had to do now.

He ran his fingers through his hair with an odd sense of accomplishment. At least now Astrid and Melody would be safe.

“Laird McFair, I have a bone to pick wit’ ye!” Astrid shouted as she burst through the door to his study.