He wanted to throttle Syd. Howbloodysacred could this ceremony be? They were only going to stand in a blacksmith shop, an anvil as a makeshift altar, as they took less than a minute to repeat their vows.
“The blacksmith shop is quite small,” one of the Armstrong men remarked.
Octavian nodded. “We may not all be able to fit, that’s true. How about Laird Armstrong and Jamie serve as our witnesses?”
Syd popped her head out from around him. “Yes, I would be honored to have you both by our side.”
Thank The Graces.
Finally, words of compromise from her lips.
They might not die, after all.
Octavian held out a hand in friendship to the laird. “Will you grant us safe passage out of here once we are wed? I did not lie to you about anything, merely neglected to mention that my betrothed was with me. I apologize for that omission, but I did not know how else to protect her without needlessly shedding blood. Can you understand this?”
The laird said nothing, so Octavian continued talking. “I am on my way to Greenock on an Admiralty assignment, as I’ve told you. And I will purchase those sheep for you.” He glanced at Jamie. “I will also use my best efforts to secure employment for you. You have my oath on it.”
Jamie nodded. “That’s good enough for me, Captain.” He now turned to his laird. “He loves the lass. Let him get married.”
“Verra well.” The laird nodded and took his hand to shake it. “I’ll witness yer wedding and grant ye safe passage. But I dinna think ye and the lass ought to pass through here again. Especially the lass. She’s insulted my son and there’s bad blood between them. Ye should have kept quiet and let yer betrothed handle it, lass.”
“Well, I never,” Syd mumbled.
Octavian nudged her behind him once again and, as a sign of his good faith, handed back the weapon he had taken from the second oaf who had dared approach Syd.
The laird cast him a wry smile. “Are ye sure about her, Captain Thorne? She’s just as likely to smash a tankard of ale over yer head as to kiss ye.”
“I am well aware,” Octavian said with a chuckle. “She’s already thrown me off a roof.”
“Octavian!” Syd cried from behind him. “You know it was an accident! I would never purposely hurt you.”
“I know, love.” He intentionally used the endearment, although he was steaming mad at her right now. Blood was still spurting from Angus’s nose and that lad was something worse than angry. He was humiliated, having been defeated by a slip of a girl in front of his friends and family. For this reason, Octavian wanted to get married, then tear out of here before Angus recovered and took his revenge on them.
“She tried to crack my head open,” Angus griped, storming to his father’s side. “We canno’ let her just walk away.”
“The lady was frightened and you offended her,” Jamie retorted. “Take responsibility for yer actions, Angus. Ye brought this on yerself. Serves ye right. Ye preyed on her because ye thought she was a meek, English rose. Well, she proved ye wrong. I’m telling ye, Angus. Keep yer distance. Anyone can see she is far more trouble than she’s worth.”
The laird quirked a bushy eyebrow. “Why are ye bothering with her, Captain?”
Octavian took a deep breath. “I have no choice. I love her.”
Had that really come out of him again?
The ‘love’ word?
“The next man who insults me will join Angus with a bloody nose,” Syd declared, obviously not willing to take any amount ofjesting from these men. Octavian was not saying their behavior was right, but it was how men relieved a tense situation.
He shot her a warning glance.
By all that’s holy, keep your mouth shut, Syd.
Of course, Syd could not shut that kissable mouth of hers. “And if any of you dare to harm my husband-to-be,” she warned, staring directly at Angus, “rest assured that I will maim as many of you as I can manage before you kill me.”
The laird regarded him incredulously. “And ye still want her as yer wife?”
“Yes.” Octavian took hold of her hand and gave it a warning squeeze. “She is the only woman I will ever have, and Ireallyneed to marry her.”
The men rolled their eyes, regarded him as though he were mad, and then suddenly began to nod in understanding.
