Page 63 of His Secret Highland Bride

“I didn’t know,” he told his sister and then lifted his head to face Wallace.

“What is the meaning of this? I know ye have no funds to honor a wife, but to force my daughter into the clothing of a maid?”

“I’m sorry?” Shane meant it as a question, for he wasn’t sure what the man was talking about. A maid?

The man shook his head. “I sent a letter to her uncle, and she responded that she had arrived. She’d met some unpleasantness with her maid running off with her things and my blighter of a brother-in-law causing trouble, but you couldn’t have provided better for the mistress of the keep? And what is this business of telling me you married another instead of Lindsay? Are ye daft?”

Shane thought perhaps the answer was yes.

“Lindsay?” Shane said, looking between the man and his wide-eyed sister.

Fitz was still standing at Shane’s back and whispered, “Bloody hell.”

It seemed to take a long time for things to click into place. This man’s daughter was named Lindsay. She’d come to help a sick family member. Her uncle had upset her. Shane swallowed and faced the man. But before he could ask what was going on, he heard a familiar voice.

“Father, please calm yourself. I am well. And dressed properly now that I have my trunks.”

Shane stepped to the side so he could see the woman standing behind the irate Wallace laird. It sure looked like Lindsay. She had the same dark hair and eyes. She even had the same scar, but she was dressed in a fancy gown, with jewels looped around her neck and hanging from her ears.

She looked every bit like Deirdre, but she was his wife.

He wasn’t sure how it had happened, but Shane was married to the very woman he’d been promised to all along. He’d not told her who he was, but she’d not told him, either.

“As it turns out, I’m already married to your daughter.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“I don’t understand,” Shane’s father-in-law seethed. “You said you were married to someone else. What kind of game are you playing?”

“Father, please sit down and take some water,” Lindsay said.

“I’ll not sit down until someone tells me what is going on.”

“It’s simple enough to explain,” Lindsay said as Shane took another step closer to her. This he needed to hear.

“There was a misunderstanding. Shane and I thought we were marrying different people. Thought we were different people. I didn’t know he was the laird, and he didn’t know I was the woman he was to marry. At least that is what I am to assume.” She frowned but went on. “But we are married nonetheless, so the marriage contract has been fulfilled as you wished. Now we will simply move on as we were intended to do.” She stared right at him when she added, “There is no reason for an annulment.”

Christ. Lindsay knew Shane had offered to end his marriage to her in order to marry…well…her. But what must she have thought, hearing his plans to leave her?

“I can explain,” he tried, but she turned and went to Tory.

“I am ready to take over my duties with your assistance. Perhaps you can show me what room is available for my father during his visit.”

Tory looked at Shane, then back to her.

“Aye. This way.”

“Now that everything is sorted, I suggest we have a dram,” Wallace said. Though Shane thought one dram would surely not be enough.

…

Lindsay managed to keep her composure until they reached the top of the stairs, and then her shoulders slumped and she had to bite her lip to keep from breaking down into tears—something she refused to do in front of this woman who had most likely known the truth all along and hadn’t told her.

“I didn’t know,” Tory said.

“You didn’t know I was the laird’s daughter. So it was fine to be part of the deception to a common woman, just not one who would see to the castle? Is that it?” she snapped, unable to hide her anger.

Tory had the decency to look ashamed. “He said he was going to tell you the truth.”