Page 2 of A Highlander's Bride

Daniel glared at them, one at a time. “I think ye are making this up to get yer own way.”

Morgan pushed the document across the table. The seal had been broken, but there was no doubt it was the king’s seal. Daniel opened it and saw his future there on the paper.

The king had chosen two lasses to appear at Castle Leod for the purpose of Clan Chief, Laird Daniel Mackenzie, to arrange to marry one of them by the Feast of Beltane.

Apparently trying to soothe Daniel’s apparent rising anger, Abrahamsaid, “I understand yer reluctance, lad. Marriage is a big step. However, ye will notice,” he gestured toward the king’s order, “that the two lasses he chose are both from clans important to our lands. Either one will make an important alliance with us.”

Daniel looked at the parchment again. It appeared King George II had already invited Lady Alice Chisholm and Lady Beth Munro and their parents to Castle Leod for him to look over.

Daniel sat stunned, staring at the three men. “The king invited two lass’s families to visit us so I canlook them over?”

Looking a tad uncomfortable, Abraham nodded. “Aye.”

He was truly without words. “And I assume The Munro and The Chisholm have already responded?”

Richard, the third member of the group nodded. “Aye. They are on their way now. Lady Beth Munro, and her parents Laird and Lady Munro and Lady Alice Chisholm, and her parents, Laird and Lady Chisholm.”

Daniel dropped his head in his hands. “Why dinna ye ask me first?”

Richard, another clan advisor shrugged. “Because we had no choice.” He gestured to the king’s order, “and we kenned ye would say ‘nay’ if given a choice.”

“St. Agnes’s mustache!Of course I would have saidnay. He makes this appear as if I were purchasing a horse, looking two of them over.”

Morgan drew himself up. “The mon is our king and an order has come directly from him. As yer advisors, we must make sure ye do yer duty.”

Since the lasses were already on the way, with one expecting to return home with a betrothal agreement, there wasn’t much he could do. “Do the lasses ken there are two of them?”

Richard nodded. “Ye dinna take the time to read the entire missive from the king. He sent an invitation to The Chisholm and The Munro, letting them know there were two lasses selected.”

Morgan shrugged. “I guess His Majesty wanted to give ye a choice.”

“Please speak truthfully, Morgan. I have no choice. Beltane is not far off and there are two lasses coming here with their parents hoping to become the wife of the Mackenzie Clan Chief.”

Too unsettled at this news, he slapped his hands on the table and stood. “I have work to do.”

The threeidjitadvisors smiled and nodded at each other. If it weren’t for the king’s seal he would have been certain they’d made this up.

*

“I have somenews for ye, Beth.”

Her dad sat in the most comfortable chair in his solar. He waved to the one on his right. Her mam sat in the other chair. She couldn’t imagine what would require such a formal meeting with her parents. They didn’t look distressed so ’twas apparently not bad news. In fact, after taking a second notice, her da was smiling.

But her mam’s hands were fidgeting in her lap.

“What is this news?” She smiled at her da who had always been the best of men. Even though he had four daughters, he always seemed to offer her a bit more of himself. Especially now with Beth being the only offspring left.

“The king may have found a husband for ye.”

Beth sat very still and just stared at him. Licking her dry lips, she said, “I doona understand, Da. I haven’t lost one. Nor do I want one to lose.”

He continued to smile and the fidgeting in her mam’s lap grew alarmingly frantic.

She shook her head and offered her best smile to her da. “’Tis a joke, aye, Da?” She waved her finger at him. “Ye ken I ne’er wanted to marry. Ye have all these daughters, and trying to keep up with all their bairns may have mixed ye up. I am Beth—yer youngest. And the onewho will take care of ye and Mam when ye grow old.”

“Nay, lass. Mam and I will be verra content in our old age if all our offspring are happily married.”

Beth sniffed. “I doona assign the word ‘married’ with ‘happily’.”