“Did ye hear me?” Angus growled,coming much too close to defiance, which Iain could not allow from any of hisclansmen, even though he understood Angus’s ire and fully agreed that hedeserved it.
“I heard ye. Now find a seat. I kenhow I acted is unforgivable.”
“Aye,” Angus grumbled. “Ye dunnaedeserve her.”
“I ken,” Iain replied. “But she’smy wife now, whether I deserve her or nae.”
“Aye, she is yer wife,” Angussnapped. “Ye’d be well served te remember that. She’s nae accountable for yerpain, but she could heal it.”
“Ye overstep, Angus. Go sit downwith the others.”
The old stubborn Scot looked as ifhe might continue to argue, and Iain admired and appreciated how much Anguscared for Marion and how he was willing to bring trouble on himself in hername. But Iain could not tolerate it. His position as laird was finite; hisorder must be followed.
Angus’s mouth drew into a thinline, but he jerked his head in a nod and turned away. Before Iain could take adeep breath and get his emotions under control, Lachlan gripped his shoulder.“What’s the matter with ye?” he demanded in a low voice.
Iain stared at Lachlan, who wouldnever be able to understand what was wrong with him. Iain had been so happy tosee Marion when she’d first entered the hall that his blood had leaped at thesight of her. And then when he’d realized she was wearing Catriona’s weddinggown and his first thought had been how stunning she looked in it, he’d quicklytried to conjure an image of Catriona on their wedding day. But he could not.All he could see was Marion, her hair flowing and shining like the moon. Hecould not see beyond her luminous emerald eyes or the way their color perfectlymatched the silk gown to even recall how Catriona’s eyes had looked in it. Hisdead wife’s wedding dress hugged his new wife’s gentle curving hips, tinywaist, and voluptuous breasts, and he heated with desire like he’d never knownbefore her. His body hummed with the memory of how Marion tasted, felt, andsmelled, and in that moment, his heart ached with feelings he’d not wanted butcould not deny. She was inside of him and he was happy.
But what he was doing was unforgivable.He’d sworn never to forget Catriona, and now it seemed he was failing inanother vow. He didn’t think he could stop what was happening, though.
“Iain,” Lachlan snapped, his toneannoyed. “Did ye hear my question?”
Iain looked at his brother, leaningtoward him so no one would overhear. “Aye. I’m my own problem. I must find away to reconcile what I vowed to Catriona with what I want.”
“What do ye want?” Lachlan asked.
“I want Marion.”
“Ye already have her.”
Iain rubbed his knuckles across hischin. “I want to take all she wants to give me.”
“Then take it, brother, but ye mustreturn it, as well—and quickly, afore ye hurt her so greatly she nae wishes to offerit to ye anymore.”
Iain glanced sharply at Lachlan.“Ye almost sound as if ye speak from experience, but I ken that kinnae be.”
“Nay, it kinnae.” A dark look sweptover Lachlan’s face, but he said no more.
Frowning, Iain followed thedirection of Lachlan’s stare to the table where Bridgette sat with Graham andElspeth. Graham put his arm around Bridgette’s shoulders and whispered in herear, and Iain felt Lachlan stiffen beside him. He studied the subtle flare ofLachlan’s nostrils and the tick in his jaw.
“Do ye care for Bridgette?”
“Nay.” Lachlan had replied soquickly that Iain knew it was a lie.
But Iain also understood hisbrother did not want to discuss it. And he thought he knew why. “That’s good,”he hedged, “because I think Graham cares for her.”
Lachlan nodded. “Aye, he does verramuch. I’m glad it appears she is finally seeing him as a man.”
Lachlan sounded anything but glad,but Iain didn’t comment further.
He turned his attention to Fionaand Elspeth, who appeared to be arguing. He thought about Marion and what she’dsaid about borrowing the gown. He watched Fiona as she violently shook her headat something Elspeth had said, and then suddenly both women looked at him.Elspeth stood up, but Fiona grabbed at her sister, and he understood his error,then. Fiona must have tricked Marion to humiliate her, and Iain hadinadvertently helped her.
Ferocious anger overcame him as heslid out of his seat, descended the dais, and strode to the table where Fionaand Elspeth sat warily watching his approach. He stopped in front of the twosisters, a familiar pain moving through him for Catriona, but something nowburned more fiercely in him: longing. He wanted desperately not to be miserableanymore.
He looked from one sister to theother. “Who gave Catriona’s wedding gown to Marion?”
“She did,” Elspeth blurted,pointing at her sister.
The blood drained from Fiona’sface, so Iain knew it to be true. “I want ye ready to leave my land tomorrow.Pack a trunk.”
