Highland Intrigue (Duncurra Book Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

will always consider my brother. Had Malcolm not done that, he might still be sleeping in his own warm bed this frosty night and so would many MacLennan men, not to mention a few MacIan men who were slain that day. As to yer father’s death, I am deeply sorry for yer loss. My mother was more cruel and self-centered than ye can possibly imagine. The only person she ever loved was herself. I was not there, but if I could have stayed her hand, I would have. Yer father was a good man.”
    She thrust her chin out in a defiant gesture, but her eyes held only grief. “Aye he was.”
    “Gillian, we can’t change the past, nor can we defy the king. Ye must never suggest publically that ye disagree with his direct order. Doing so will not simply land ye in prison, it would likely result in yer head parting company with yer shoulders. Do ye understand me?”
    “Aye. But if ye didn’t want this, why is the king forcing it on ye?”
    “A clan without strong leadership can become a dangerous liability. Internal strife often creates an enticing target to outsiders. For the time being, there is a fragile peace in the Highlands and the king doesn’t wish to upset that.”
    “The only threat we have is from the MacIans,” Gillian insisted.
    “Nay, lass. Niall has no desire to lay claim to any of the MacLennan lands. However, he does not want anyone else to either. Stabilizing the MacLennans is in his best interests.”
    “Why must we marry to do that? Ye said the king has already named ye laird. I won’t oppose it. Why must I go to a convent if I don’t wish to marry ye?”
    “Were ye in the hall when the king’s order was announced? Did ye not hear the opposition?”
    “Aye, but if I renounce the clan leadership what can they do?”
    “Sadly, Gillian, if I do not marry ye or one of yer sisters, any of ye can become a standard around which those who oppose my leadership will gather. Essentially, as long as ye have a valid claim that isn’t exercised ye enable division within the clan. The king cannot allow that. As laird, I cannot allow that.”
    “I don’t want to marry ye.”
    Fingal sighed. He didn’t want to send this strong, beautiful woman to a convent, but he had no choice. “Then ye have made yer decision? Ye choose the religious life?”
    She looked away. “Nay, I don’t want that either.”
    “Lass, it is one or the other.”
    “Ye don’t understand. I don’t love ye. In fact, I hate the very sight of ye. I cannot begin to imagine what kind of hell being married to ye would be.”
    Would marriage to him truly be a hell for her? As much as he understood her resentment, hearing her say that stung and he couldn’t stop himself from snapping back. “Although ye have a lovely way with words, lass, at the moment I am not particularly fond of ye either. Perhaps it would be best if ye took the holy vows. Maybe one of yer sisters has a sweeter disposition.”
    She glared at him. “This is my home. I don’t want to leave my family, my people.”
    Fingal’s frustration was rising. “Honestly, I didn’t want to leave my family either but I had no choice in it. Ye at least have an option, regardless of how unappealing ye find the alternatives.”
    “Can it be a marriage in name only?”
    “A marriage in name only?”
    Gillian clearly missed the underlying anger in his question. “Aye. We could be married to satisfy the king, but not live as a married couple. I mean, ye could have the laird’s chamber of course. I would stay elsewhere.”
    Fingal’s voice was deadly calm. “I see. Ye wouldn’t share my bed.”
    “Aye. That would work. Ye could seek yer comfort elsewhere.”
    “Let me make sure I understand. We would marry, but ye would live yer life and I would live mine, seeking my comfort elsewhere . And what about ye, Gillian? Would ye seek yer comfort elsewhere? ”
    Perhaps Gillian finally heard the menace in his voice. “I-I-I only meant to say, I w-w-wouldn’t stand in yer way. I-I-I wouldn’t