Strathcairn, the title and the lands are yers upon my death, if ye want them.”
Lachlan stared at the earl, his jaw hanging slack. “Yer Lordship? Why would ye choose me? I’m no’—”
“Ye’re family,” Lord Albermarle put in. “But no’ Douglas family. If the lands are no longer in Douglas hands, Fiery Face will have a difficult time confiscating them should this feud continue the way it is.”
Lady Glinis clapp ed her hands together gleefully. A slow, baffled smile spread across Lachlan’s face.
“There is one condition, though,” Lord Kildrummond continued.
“Anything.”
“ As these things go, there must be a tie stronger than the law; there must be a tie made by God. I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to ye that I wish ye to marry my daughter. Keep a little Douglas blood in the place, aye?”
“Yer daughter, my Lord?” Lachlan glanced questioningly to his aunt, whose elation had turned to disbelief. “Who be yer daughter?”
“ I am,” Moira interjected shakily. Her head was reeling. She was so shocked she felt as though she would faint. And, simultaneously, so outraged she was sure she could pound through the masonry with her bare fists.
Lachlan’s confusion cleared swiftly. The m istress—of course. This lass was illegitimate. Studying her now, he saw the resemblance between her and Lord Kildrummond, though she was much more feminine than the earl. They had the same rounded jaw, the same high forehead. The eyes, too, were of the same wide shape and the same shimmering blue.
Chafing under the intruder’s scrutiny , Moira scowled. “I’ll do no such thing,” she vowed, and stood abruptly.
“Now, Moira,” Lord Kildrummond urged.
“Ye’ll mind yer tongue and do as yer father says,” Lady Glinis argued.
“My dear—”
“Nay, I’ll no’ hear it. Ye indulge that lass too much. Ne’er before have I seen a daughter behave so terribly towards her father. I would have been flogged in the village square if I dared speak to my own father in such a manner.”
Lachlan said nothing, though in truth he, too, was appalled by the lass’s brash outburst.
“Ye’re in no position to defy him, Moira,” Lord Albermarle added gently. “Ye live on his lands, free of rent— often enough,” he amended when she shot him a challenging glare. “Ye’re dependent on him for yer coin, too. Even when ye dinna take a direct offer, most of yer goods are sold at market to Douglases and Kildrummond tenants.”
Moira opened her mouth. U nable to think of any argument, she closed it again. Her face flushed scarlet; she could feel its heat colouring her neck and cheeks. “I’ll no’ live on his lands, then. I can find another place to live, far away. I’ll head north; or I’ll find somewhere in our old border village. I can live anywhere, I dinna have to live in Moray.”
“And struggle even harder than ye are now?”
“Moira, love, I think only of yer best interests,” Lord Kildrummond promised.
Moira stared hard at the earl; then she turned her head to Lachlan. Immediately her blood boiled even higher. “What the bloody hell are ye looking at?” she spat. “Ye can forget about it, I’ll no’ be marrying the likes of ye!”
Then, before anyone could speak further, she whirled and bolted from the room.
“Moira!” Lady Glinis shouted after her. “Moira ye come back here this instant.”
But the lass was gone. Exasperated, the lady dropped her hands to her sides. “Ye should have her dragged back here. That’s what any father would do wi’ a daughter so insolent.”
Lord Kildrummond nodded, resigned. “Aye, I should. But I canna.”
“Ye’ve ne’er been able to discipline that wee terror.”
“My Lady, she is in a state,” Lord Albermarle said. “I agree wi’ ye, that kind of behaviour shouldna be tolerated, but give the lass a bit of sympathy. She’ll come round.”
“But what about Lachlan? Will ye still offer him Kildrummond if Moira runs off and he
Lachlan stared at the earl, his jaw hanging slack. “Yer Lordship? Why would ye choose me? I’m no’—”
“Ye’re family,” Lord Albermarle put in. “But no’ Douglas family. If the lands are no longer in Douglas hands, Fiery Face will have a difficult time confiscating them should this feud continue the way it is.”
Lady Glinis clapp ed her hands together gleefully. A slow, baffled smile spread across Lachlan’s face.
“There is one condition, though,” Lord Kildrummond continued.
“Anything.”
“ As these things go, there must be a tie stronger than the law; there must be a tie made by God. I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to ye that I wish ye to marry my daughter. Keep a little Douglas blood in the place, aye?”
“Yer daughter, my Lord?” Lachlan glanced questioningly to his aunt, whose elation had turned to disbelief. “Who be yer daughter?”
“ I am,” Moira interjected shakily. Her head was reeling. She was so shocked she felt as though she would faint. And, simultaneously, so outraged she was sure she could pound through the masonry with her bare fists.
Lachlan’s confusion cleared swiftly. The m istress—of course. This lass was illegitimate. Studying her now, he saw the resemblance between her and Lord Kildrummond, though she was much more feminine than the earl. They had the same rounded jaw, the same high forehead. The eyes, too, were of the same wide shape and the same shimmering blue.
Chafing under the intruder’s scrutiny , Moira scowled. “I’ll do no such thing,” she vowed, and stood abruptly.
“Now, Moira,” Lord Kildrummond urged.
“Ye’ll mind yer tongue and do as yer father says,” Lady Glinis argued.
“My dear—”
“Nay, I’ll no’ hear it. Ye indulge that lass too much. Ne’er before have I seen a daughter behave so terribly towards her father. I would have been flogged in the village square if I dared speak to my own father in such a manner.”
Lachlan said nothing, though in truth he, too, was appalled by the lass’s brash outburst.
“Ye’re in no position to defy him, Moira,” Lord Albermarle added gently. “Ye live on his lands, free of rent— often enough,” he amended when she shot him a challenging glare. “Ye’re dependent on him for yer coin, too. Even when ye dinna take a direct offer, most of yer goods are sold at market to Douglases and Kildrummond tenants.”
Moira opened her mouth. U nable to think of any argument, she closed it again. Her face flushed scarlet; she could feel its heat colouring her neck and cheeks. “I’ll no’ live on his lands, then. I can find another place to live, far away. I’ll head north; or I’ll find somewhere in our old border village. I can live anywhere, I dinna have to live in Moray.”
“And struggle even harder than ye are now?”
“Moira, love, I think only of yer best interests,” Lord Kildrummond promised.
Moira stared hard at the earl; then she turned her head to Lachlan. Immediately her blood boiled even higher. “What the bloody hell are ye looking at?” she spat. “Ye can forget about it, I’ll no’ be marrying the likes of ye!”
Then, before anyone could speak further, she whirled and bolted from the room.
“Moira!” Lady Glinis shouted after her. “Moira ye come back here this instant.”
But the lass was gone. Exasperated, the lady dropped her hands to her sides. “Ye should have her dragged back here. That’s what any father would do wi’ a daughter so insolent.”
Lord Kildrummond nodded, resigned. “Aye, I should. But I canna.”
“Ye’ve ne’er been able to discipline that wee terror.”
“My Lady, she is in a state,” Lord Albermarle said. “I agree wi’ ye, that kind of behaviour shouldna be tolerated, but give the lass a bit of sympathy. She’ll come round.”
“But what about Lachlan? Will ye still offer him Kildrummond if Moira runs off and he
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