My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (best english novels for beginners .TXT) 📗

It was all her fault.

Before she even knew what she was about,Daphne found herself at Hero’s chamber door and reaching for thehandle, determined to face her rival, to let her know that shewould not win after all, that Daphne would not let her winagain.

“Whoa, there!” A masculine hand covered hersas she reached for the handle. “What are you doing, Daph?”

With a start, Daphne looked up at herbrother. He must have seen the fury in her gaze because his browsrose inquiringly. “We’ve been dismissed from the castle, Cam.”

“Dismissed?” he asked in surprise.

“Aye, dismissed!” she sneered. “We must packour bags and leave within the hour and it’s all herfault.”

Kennedy chuckled sardonically and pulled hissister away from Lady Ayr’s door before anyone saw them there.“What were you going to do? Charge into her room and drown Lady Ayrin her bath?”

Daphne’s eyes gleamed. “Now there’s anidea!”

“So you drown her and then what?” Kennedyasked, then scoffed. “Ayr falls neatly into your arms and plans?He’s so hot for her he’ll not turn to another until he’s had her.Men are like that, you know.”

“He’s already had her!” Daphne told him,nodding at his surprised look. “And now he says he’s going to marryher and I’ll never have Cuilean!”

“Did you ever consider that it was neverdestined to be yours after all, Daph?”

“Never,” she said matter-of-factly. “I canonly hope that their bed grows cold before the wedding ever takesplace. It would take a lot more work to win Cuilean if I have amarriage to contend with.”

“How far are you willing to go to get it,Daphne?” Kennedy asked. “Are you willing to damn yourself forit?”

“No, but I’m willing to damn them forit.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

There were a half dozen guards stationedaround the gazebo, each one charged to secure the area for thewedding and to do so discreetly while protecting Hero at all costs.Ian nodded to one of the men grimly and received a nod in return.He would not have this day ruined by any more attempts on his life.He’d be damned if he would let Daphne win or take malicious gleefrom having him hide like a coward.

Protecting home and hearth was what he hadbeen trained to do, and Ian knew well how to defend Cuilean from anoutside threat. She might hire the best henchmen in all of Britainto do her evil works but they would not find a way into Cuileanagain.

A violin drew a long note to capture thesmall gathering’s attention, and his starchy butler, Boyle, beganto play with surprising emotion as an open carriage came to a haltacross the bridge and a footman stepped forward to assist in Hero’sdescent.

Plots and conspiracies forgotten, with asingle smile, Hero took his breath away as she walked across thelittle bridge on her father’s arm to marry him on the very spotwhere Ian had proposed to her. Ian had thought that the expediencyof his decision might at some point prick at his nerves or waverhis resolution, but as a becoming blush graced his bride’s cheeks,Ian felt only pride and anticipation.

Never had there been a lovelier bride. Herowore a white day dress in the fashion Queen Victoria had madepopular, but the sheer white voile overskirt and bodice wereembroidered with blue, green, and yellow florals that seemed togrow from the bottom of the belled skirt, creating a bountifulgarden around it. Over the rest of the gown, the flowers and leaveswere more sparse. Aqua blue ribbon trimmed the cuffs of the longsleeves and neckline at the base of her throat, but with the linenunderlayment of the dress stopping just above the peaks of Hero’sbreasts, Ian could see the ivory flesh of her chest, shoulders, andarms as easily as if she were bare.

Ian knew Hero had most chosen the gown as acompliment to the location of the ceremony but couldn’t help butwonder if Hero was aware of just how provocative it was to a manwhen a woman covered herself from head to toe in a manner thatstill revealed so much. Like a gift wrapped in nothing but theair.

And she would soon be his to unwrap.

He couldn’t help but smile at the possessivethought. Ian had first woken in the early grey of dawn that morningto the pleasure of Hero’s warm body pressed against his, her bottomagainst his groin, her arm over his as he hugged her even in hissleep, her hand curled trustingly in his. He had looked down at herwith wonder, astonished by her beauty even at rest.

Ian had lived a good life thus far, privilegeand achievement had graced him, yet never had he felt so lucky ashe had in that moment. It was astonishing how rapidly it had allhappened, yet Ian knew that if he hadn’t denied the intensity oftheir attraction straight away, it might have gone even morequickly. His male pride had fought against succumbing to Hero.Fought against the sentimental nonsense that he saw as an affrontto his manhood. A sign of weakness.

But there was nothing weak in this. Nothingshameful in the love that filled his heart. Indeed, Ian had neverfelt more powerful or proud than he did in that moment. Now hewould wed this woman who was witty and intelligent, a shy yetpassionate lover. And she loved him.

Hero finally reached him, giving him aquizzical look, but Ian just shook his head and held out his handto her. She slipped her hand into his so trustfully that hecouldn’t imagine what he had done to win such a boon, but Ian knewhe wouldn’t let that wonder slip away. He would embrace the gift hehad been given as long as he lived.

“Are we ready to begin?” the bishop of Ayrasked and cleared his throat when they both nodded. “We aregathered here today in the presence of God and these witnesses tojoin together this man and this woman …”

Hero stared into Ian’s chocolaty eyes,fighting to keep her focus on the words that the bishop spoke.Words that she had heard before but never really cared tounderstand until now. She didn’t spare her attention for theservants gathered around them or