The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) (15 page)

Chapter Fifteen

“B
raeden?” Sarah’s raspy voice jarred him from the light doze he’d been slipping in and out of all night.

He ran his hand down his face and sat up. “Sarah. Thank God yer awake.”

“What are you doing here? And why does my head hurt so much?”

Braeden climbed from the uncomfortable chair and stretched his back muscles, then moved to ease himself down on the bed. “Ye were thrown from yer horse and struck yer head. Liam went in search of ye when ye never returned for dinner last night and brought ye back. Then they sent for me.” He took her hand in his. “Ye had us all quite worried.”

“What time is it?”

Braeden glanced out the window. “Just after dawn.”

“Have you been here all night?”

“And where else would I be?” Realizing his manner was much too gruff for a lass who just woke up from a head injury, he softened his voice. “Aye, I’ve been right here all night.” He touched her cheek. “And ’tis verra happy I am that yer awake.”

A slight knock on the door drew their attention. Sybil entered, a bright smile on her face. “I thought I heard voices and assumed you were awake. How do you feel?”

“Horrible. With a very large headache.”

Sybil moved closer to the bed. “The healer said it would take a few days before you feel better. But she also said you didn’t break any bones.”

Braeden closed his eyes. “Thank God for that.”

“Do you feel up to some tea?” Sybil asked.

“Yes.” Sarah tried to ease her body up, then dropped back with a wince. “That would be nice.”

“Stay still, lass. ’Twill not help yer head any to be moving about.”

“The healer left a tisane for you to take that will ease the pain in your head.” Sybil headed to the door. “I’ll bring it when I return with the tea.”

As soon as Sybil left the room, Braeden took Sarah’s hands in his. It seemed that was all the lass needed to turn into a watering pot. Tears slowly dripped down her cheeks. “I was so frightened when the horse reared up. All I could think about was my father breaking his neck.”

“Aye. I’m sure you did.” He reached out and touched her damp cheek. ’Twas time to let the lass know her stay here at Bedlay had come to an end. For whatever reason, it was obvious Sarah did not accept their marriage, would not accept him, and was playing some type of childish game. Well, it would all end now. Even if their marriage had been unplanned and perhaps not to her liking, the fact remained: they were married and it was time for her to acknowledge that.

Sarah wiped her face and gave him a hint of a smile. “I probably shouldn’t cry. It only makes my head hurt more.”

“Once yer feeling up to it, ye will travel with me to Dundas.” He failed to make the statement come out softer than it did.

“What do you mean?”

“’Tis simple, lass. This hiding with yer sister, pretending yer still a single lass, must come to an end. Ye’ve had a visit with Sybil, ye’ve enjoyed her bairns, but now ’tis time to acknowledge that yer a married woman, and yer place is with yer husband.”

He could have bitten his tongue when her face paled even further. He’d promised himself he would give her time to recover, and here he was ordering her about and making things worse barely ten minutes after the lass had woken up. “
Ach
, lass. I’m sorry to upset ye.”

Before Sarah could respond, Sybil returned to the room carrying a tray with a teapot, several cups, and a plate of baked goods. “Mrs. MacDougal sent some fresh cakes and bread for you.”

Braeden helped Sarah sit up, and Sybil placed the tray across her lap.

“I brought the tisane to ease the ache in your head.” Sybil snapped open a napkin and handed it to her sister. “Mrs. MacDougal sent enough for the three of us, so why don’t we all have a bit of breakfast?”

Sybil made quick work of pouring and fixing everyone’s tea and passing the plate of bread and cakes. Perhaps sensing the tension in the room, she made small talk about her bairns and how Liam was becoming adept at changing nappies.

Once they’d all had their fill, Sybil removed the tray. “I’ll send Alice in to help you wash. I think you should get as much sleep as you can today. It will help the healing.”

Braeden stood and kissed Sarah lightly on the forehead. “There are a few matters I need to see to today, lass, to prepare for your arrival tomorrow.” He turned to Sybil. “Please have Alice pack Sarah’s belongings. She’s moving to Dundas with me.”

Sybil nodded. “Of course.” She darted a glance at Sarah. “I think that is best. I’ll take care of all that while you recover.”

S
arah wanted to scream with frustration. She hated everyone planning things for her and talking over her as if she weren’t even present. And since when did Braeden become so overbearing? In one breath he told her she was moving to his room at Dundas, and before they even had a chance to discuss it, he ordered Sybil to have Alice pack her belongings.

All the goings-on only increased the pain in her head. What she wanted more than anything right now was the tisane Sybil had given her to take effect and more sleep. She didn’t want to think about her interfering husband or her obliging sister.

Sybil and Braeden walked to the door, their heads together as they spoke. Most likely arranging the rest of her life. Sarah shifted on the bed and faced the window so she wouldn’t have to watch them. Soon the tisane would help her sleep—her last thought before she drifted into darkness.

S
arah awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the window facing the foot of her bed. Alice hummed as she folded gowns and placed them into her trunks.

She rose up on her elbows. “What are you doing?”

Alice turned to her, a huge smile on her face. “I’m packing your clothes. Did you have a nice nap?”

“Hardly a nap, I’m just trying to avoid pain,” she mumbled. At least her head didn’t hurt as much as it had when she’d awoken before. She eased her body back onto the pillow and sulked like an obstinate child. Her husband had ordered her to move to Dundas, and it seemed everyone was rather jolly with the idea except her. No one cared what she thought, what she wanted. Exactly why she’d decided to have an independent life. A life she chose, not one forced on her.

“Alice, can you ask Sybil to join me?”

The maid patted the gown she’d just put into the trunk. “Yes, my lady. I saw her a few moments ago, and she was going down to ask Mrs. MacDougal for a bit of soup for you.”

Sarah closed her eyes and tried her best to block out the sounds of Alice succumbing to Braeden’s edict. Was there no one on her side? Did she not have a say on where she would lay her head at night? Her eyes opened with a snap. Would Braeden expect her to sleep with him? And do other things that happened in a bed?

He’d mentioned he had a “room” at Dundas, so there was most likely no chance of her having a separate bed to sleep in. If only she could be sure she could stay strong and not succumb to his attentions. His kisses and caresses would most assuredly wear down her resistance. If she allowed Braeden to make love to her, there was a chance she could conceive a child, and there would go her dreams.

She must teach her traitorous body to behave itself. It was all so confusing, and her persistent headache didn’t help sort out all the problems that lined up in her brain like soldiers on parade.

“Here we are. Mrs. MacDougal prepared wonderful cock-a-leekie soup for you.” Sybil bustled into the room, once again carrying a heavily laden tray. One glance at Sarah’s mulish expression and Sybil addressed Alice. “You can take time for your luncheon now. I’ll sit with Sarah.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Alice finished laying a bright yellow scarf on top of the gowns in the trunk and left the room.

“What’s the matter?” Sybil didn’t wait long to go on the attack. She placed the tray on Sarah’s lap and pulled up a chair alongside the bed.

“Why do you think there is anything the matter?”

“Has it slipped your mind that, as your twin, no one knows you better than I do? In fact, I know you so well, I can tell you what the matter is.” Before Sarah had a chance to answer, Sybil continued, “You are annoyed that Braeden ordered you to pack up and go to his home.”

“How dare he just come in here, command my maid to pack my belongings, and then stroll out of here without so much as a bye-your-leave? Who does he think he is?”

“Your husband.” Sybil raised her hand as Sarah opened her mouth to speak. “And it is time. He’s been very patient, you know.”

Sarah raised her chin, wincing as her head throbbed at the movement. “I can assure you I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you do. Stop being silly. You’ve been married for more than a month, and you have yet to share a residence with your husband. How long did you think he would allow that?”

“Need I remind you, I was coming here and endured that blasted journey for the sole purpose of visiting
you
, not to marry some man on the road?”

“Oh, Sarah,” Sybil said, smiling and shaking her head. “Aside from the fact that it was your mistake that married the two of you, it is very obvious to me that you care for Braeden, as he does for you.”

“No.” Sarah struggled to sit up. “I do not care for him. At least, not the way one cares for a husband. I can’t do that. I won’t do that.”

“Who are you?” Sybil strung the words out. “You’re giving me the impression you purposely don’t want to have feelings for your husband. I know you remember our late night conversations about how we all wanted love in our marriages, not the typical
ton
alliances. Isn’t that what we all planned to hold out for? You, me, Abigail, Marion, Mary?”

Sybil snapped open the napkin and tucked it under Sarah’s chin. “I’m quite sure you still haven’t told Braeden about your book.” She picked up the spoon, dipped it into the soup, and pointed it at Sarah’s face.

Frowning, Sarah took the spoon from her sister’s hand. “I can certainly feed myself.”

“Well?” Sybil said. “Have you told him?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Sarah sighed and wiped her mouth. “I truly don’t think he would understand, and what difference would it make anyway? He is planning on going to Rome, and I have to be in London. That means we cannot be together, anyway.”

“If you talk to him, maybe the two of you can come to a compromise.”

“You well know any compromise will be on my part. Men don’t concede, they make their wives adhere to their wishes.”

Sybil studied her, and Sarah looked away. She couldn’t explain how very much this meant to her. How could she tell her beloved twin sister that always being one half of a pair had sometimes left her frustrated? Years of sharing everything from birthdays, to identical gifts, to friends, to their come-out balls. Her writing was something that belonged to her, alone. It wasn’t something she had to share with Sybil.

Now because of the rash words she had spouted out in some unknown inn in Scotland, she was married to Braeden. She was going to be part of a pair again—just when she’d worked so hard to be independent.

“T
his is the cottage you’ve been living in?” Sarah stared out the carriage window at the impressive stone building about a mile down the pathway from Dundas Castle. The vehicle carrying them to her new residence had just rolled to a stop.

“Nay. I keep a room at Dundas for when I’m not at my house in Edinburgh, but when Duncan learned ye were finally joining me, he offered the use of the cottage while we’re still in Scotland. I had yer things delivered this morning, and I believe ye will be comfortable for as long as we need to stay here.”

She pushed away his last comment. Right now, her head ached and she was much too tired to begin the conversation about her book, and what that meant.

“Where do your parents live?”

Braeden pointed west of where the stone cottage sat. “Mum and Da live over that hill, in a smaller place, since they work at the castle and are there all day. All my brothers and sisters have cottages scattered around them. My brothers and brothers-in-law breed sheep, and each have a small garden for their own use. They are fortunate to have kept their land. ’Tis a good life for them.”

“But not the life for you.”

“Nay.”

It was three days after she’d been thrown from the horse. Her head pain had lessened to a mild throb. Despite her initial grumbling about Braeden dragging her from Bedlay, she was not unhappy about leaving Liam’s home.

They’d all been very gracious to her, but she had begun to feel out of place. Lady MacBride and her daughters kept themselves busy with the running of the castle while Sybil and the nanny concerned themselves with the babes. They’d enjoyed having Sarah join them in the nursery, but she was certainly not needed there.

Liam spent hours each day dealing with estate matters. Last evening he and Sybil had made a visit to her bedchamber. Liam thanked her for visiting and made a point of telling her it was proper for her to take her place alongside her husband. And she would always be welcome at Bedlay.

For a visit
, he’d added.

Braeden hopped down and strode to her side of the carriage. She held out her hand for him to assist her, but instead he gathered her into his arms and headed to the door. A servant opened the portal, and they sailed through.

Being this close to Braeden for the first time in weeks did something to her insides. The familiar warmth of his body, the scent of his soap, the strength of his arms holding her, enveloped her with a sense of safety and protection. She must learn to control those feelings. It wasn’t something she wanted to get comfortable with. They would soon be parting ways, he to his work, she to hers.

She glanced at his strong features, his determined jaw, high cheekbones, and deep blue eyes behind rounded spectacles. Her lady parts fluttered, reminding her that allowing Braeden to make love to her could end with a babe on the way. Perhaps she could use her head injury as an excuse to avoid his attentions, but eventually that would end, and Braeden would be very persistent in his desire for her.