How to Blackmail a Highlander (The MacGregor Lairds) Read online

  Philip bit back a groan, though his scowl deepened at the growing amusement on his cousin’s face.

  “Also,” Alice said, “while it is obvious Philip is put out by my slight deception with the whole wagon incident, I’d like to point out that such deception was necessary because the blackguard went back on his word of honor and refused to bring me to Elizabet.”

  Philip sat forward at that. “Blackguard, is it? And ye question my honor? Ye canna hold a man to a promise he makes under blackmail, ye wee harpy. And besides, I didna promise to bring ye to Lady Elizabet. I agreed to bring ye to Scotland. Which I did. There is no dishonor when I kept my word.”

  Alice’s mouth dropped open. “You tricked me.”

  “Aye, well ye tricked me as well, so I suppose we’re even.”

  Before either of them could continue with the fight that was brewing, Malcolm held up his hand to silence them. Then he shook his head and turned to his wife.

  “Thievin’, poisonin’, kidnappin’, blackmail… Honestly, do women no’ ken any other way to get a husband? There are simpler methods.”

  Alice snorted. “Not when you’re dealing with a damn stubborn Scot.”

  “She’s got you there,” Sorcha said. When Malcolm raised a brow, she shook her finger at him. “Dinna look at me like that,” she said, mimicking him. “Scots on their own are bad enough. But you add MacGregor to their name and you’d dig your heels in if God himself told you to do something you didn’t think of first.”

  Alice nodded. “My thoughts exactly.” Her eyes flicked to Philip and then away again, and he frowned at her slightly guilty look.

  “I’ll admit, I had no intention of making our arrangement…permanent,” she said. “I truly had no idea of the custom here. But,” she said, before Philip could cut in, “as I’ve told Philip repeatedly, I have no regrets. In fact, I find my situation vastly improved.”

  Philip shook his head. “A foolish sentiment, as I’ve told ye repeatedly.”

  Alice shrugged. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.”

  “Not when it means remaining married,” he said.

  She shrugged again, and Philip turned to Malcolm in exasperation.

  “Surely, in such a situation, the custom will not stand. We meant only a pretense to protect her honor. When it comes to such irregular marriages, there must be genuine intent to be accepted as a wedded couple, or so I’ve always understood. So surely…”

  Malcolm frowned. “As long as there are no legal impediments, all it requires is that there is consent on both sides. That ye stood together before witnesses and declared yerselves wed…well…”

  “If there were no witnesses,” Sorcha said helpfully, “or at least none who mattered. Who knew you. Then…”

  Malcolm nodded. “Aye. As the lady,” he said, nodding to Alice, “is English and possibly returning home…” He ignored Alice’s grunt of disagreement. “The presence of witnesses wouldna matter so much should the two of ye wish to pretend this never occurred.”

  Philip’s face radiated a triumph that was quickly dashed at Malcolm’s next words.

  “However. Yer declaration was witnessed by someone who knew the lass, aye?” Malcolm asked, glancing at Alice.

  She nodded, and Philip reluctantly nodded as well. Malcolm spread his hands wide and sat back in his chair.

  “Such a witness, one who presumably is on his way to inform her family of her new status, changes matters. It’s no’ merely a few Scottish villagers who believe ye to be wed now. Truthfully, her reputation in the eyes of her own society might be irreparably damaged no matter what. It’s rare enough here, and the English certainly dinna approve of such marriages. But at least if she is following the customs of her husband in his own country…” Malcolm shrugged.

  “Then our best choice is to remain wed according to your customs or I’m ruined. In both our societies,” Alice finished for him.

  Malcolm nodded, and Philip clenched his jaw, trying to school his face to betray none of the emotion roiling beneath the surface.

  He’d known, of course, what Malcolm would say before he’d said it. Had that blasted Mr. Cravens not been witness to their declaration, they might have had cause to dissolve their informal union. But informal though it was, in Scotland, it was legally binding. And with Alice’s family soon to know of it, they were stuck with each other.

  Sorcha finally took pity on them. “Well. All the particulars aside, you’ve had a long journey.” She turned to Alice. “I know you’re anxious to see your friend, but I’m sure you could do with a nice rest. Or at least a wash and a good meal.”

  Alice nodded gratefully, and Sorcha stood and held out her hand. “I’ll show you to a chamber where you can rest and refresh yourself.”

  Philip stood as well, and Alice stopped, watching him with a slight frown. “How do I know you won’t leave me behind the moment I leave this room?”

  Philip rubbed both hands across his face and dragged them through his hair. “By all the saints in heaven, woman, ye’ve managed to stick to me like a barnacle since we left London. We’re a mere thirty-minute ride from Kirkenroch. And apparently, I’m now legally obliged to listen to yer harping.”

  He tried to keep his tone gruff and disapproving, but he couldn’t help the small smile that snuck out before he bit it off. He cleared his throat. “It would do little good for me to leave ye now.”

  Alice regarded him a few seconds more and then nodded her head. “All right, then. But I swear on all that is holy, Philip MacGregor, if you try to trick me again…”

  He snorted. “Ye’re the one with all the tricks up her sleeves, remember?”

  Her face softened and warmed with pleasure at that. “That I am. A good thing for you to remember, I think.”

  “I’ll no’ likely forget,” he said, his words coming out much softer than he meant them to.

  His gaze remained on her until she was out of his sight. But not his mind. The woman had ingrained herself into his life, and he feared if he stayed with her too much longer, she’d be in his heart and soul as well. He seemed to have no defenses when it came to her. She was wearing him down through sheer persistence. Heaven help him if she truly desired for their union to be a permanent one. Because he was beginning to think she just might talk him into it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Alice paced across her room yet again, stared at the door, and then started a return trek when it didn’t open. Sorcha had escorted her to a richly appointed chamber and had hot water sent up so she could wash. Alice had gratefully taken a moment to refresh herself, but, even with exhaustion seeping through her bones, she had no intention of sleeping. She was so close to Elizabet. So close! If Philip didn’t fetch her in the next few minutes, Alice had every intention of escaping and hiking to Elizabet on foot if necessary.

  She’d given up waiting and had her hand on the door handle when Philip finally entered. He brushed right past without seeing her and then turned, his brow furrowed until he caught sight of her. His gaze didn’t linger. Once he’d assured himself she was still there, he marched the rest of the way in and went straight to the ewer of water on the bureau.

  Alice stood, hands on hips, while he washed his face and hands. He glanced at her in the mirror as he dabbed his face dry.

  She almost spoke but paused a moment, struck at how domestic the whole scene was. She’d barely begun to get used to sharing a space with him while on board the ship before it had docked. And aside from the one night at the inn, she’d never shared a room with anyone, let alone a man, before. That this could be her life now, someone always there, sharing her meals, her rooms, her bed… It was an odd prospect. One that filled her with both trepidation and excitement.

  Watching Philip wash away the dust from the road was somehow more intimate and personal than collapsing in bed at the end of a long day of journeying had been.

  His gaze still held hers in the mirror, and she pushed her sentimental thoughts aside. There were more important things to dwell
on at the moment.

  “Well?” she asked.

  He released a long sigh, dabbing his face once more before dropping the towel and moving toward the fireplace. “Will ye no’ let a man wash and rest his weary bones a few minutes? I’ve been on the road with a wicked-tongued harpy for a week now. Ye wouldna believe how taxing it was.” He sank into a chair with a groan.

  Her jaw dropped. “Is that so?”

  “Oh, aye.” He tilted his head back on the chair and closed his eyes. “Nothing but incessant chattering, constant nagging and complaining, and snoring so loud at night I couldna get any rest at all. I could sleep straight through till tomorrow.”

  She straightened her back, marched over to his chair, and deftly kicked the leg out from under it.

  He’d apparently been prepared for that and jumped up before the chair hit the floor. He bent to retrieve it, chuckling under his breath. Then he resettled himself with a sigh and closed his eyes again.

  “Ye’ll have to be less predictable than that, lass.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, crossing her arms while she watched him.

  He squirmed a bit, trying to get more comfortable. “If ye truly wanted to be my wife, as ye keep insisting, ye could make yerself useful and perform a wifely duty or two.”

  Her heart near jumped out of her chest. “Oh? And what did you have in mind? Husband.”

  A jumble of thoughts raced through her head. Had his visit with his kinsman finally knocked some sense into his head? Had he actually accepted their marriage?

  Her eyes flicked to the soft bed a few feet away, and she wiped her suddenly damp palms on her gown, not releasing her pent-up breath until her lungs began to burn.

  Philip didn’t make a move toward her. He didn’t even open his eyes. Instead, he lifted one of his legs.

  She frowned and planted her hands on her hips. When she made no move to touch him, he cracked open an eye and wiggled his foot.

  “Some help removing my boots wouldna come amiss, aye?”

  The tension drained from her muscles, and she gave him the unladylike snort that he deserved. He dropped his foot with another chuckle.

  Being at home, even for as brief a time as they’d been there, seemed to have lifted some weight from his shoulders. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do with this new, somewhat playful side of him. A small but warm spot of hope burned in her that she might have the chance to find out.

  She relaxed even more as she watched him, a soft glow of warmth spreading through her. She could get used to such a sight every day. Something about the man before her made her feel…safe. Cared for, even, despite his constant jests to the contrary. She could imagine a certain fondness for him developing over time, a possibility she hadn’t wanted to entertain before. Until a slight snore emanated from his general direction.

  “Of all the…” She snatched her shoe from her foot and threw it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.

  “Wha—?” He jerked up and looked around, his body ready to spring to action. Until he saw her standing there with her hands on her hips.

  He slumped back into his chair with a groan. “Leave me be, woman.”

  She sucked in a deep breath again, ready to do battle. And then she let it out again with a smile. “Certainly.”

  She grabbed her cloak from where someone had placed it in the armoire and marched to the door.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “To see Elizabet. Enjoy your nap!” she called over her shoulder.

  She had the door halfway open before he slammed his palm against it, closing it again.

  “Ye canna do whatever it is ye take it into yer head to do.”

  “And why not?” she asked. “What possible reason could you have for delaying going to Elizabet now?”

  “Other than being so bone tired I could sleep until St. Michaelmas Day, none. But that willna always be the case. John and his lady are still exiled. Should their presence here be betrayed, they would be in danger. It’s worth a fair bit of caution, aye?”

  Some of the fight went out of Alice, but she stood her ground. “Agreed. However, there is no danger right at this moment. They aren’t that far away, and if you’d simply allow me to go, then you could leave me there and be rid of me for good.”

  “Oh, aye? Simple as that, is it?”

  “I don’t see why not. You’ve made it clear you’d prefer to have nothing to do with me. The only reason I blackmailed you in the first place was so you’d take me to Elizabet. So, you’ll forgive me if I’m a bit confused as to why you aren’t more eager to deliver me to her and be quit of me. I wouldn’t make any more demands of you. You could walk away and that would be that.”

  “Not likely,” he said, though the words were muttered so quietly she almost didn’t hear them. He studied her face, his eyes roaming over every angle, every feature. “Do ye want me to deposit you at Kirkenroch and walk away forever? Truly?”

  He hadn’t taken his hand from the door, and he leaned in slightly, his fingers playing with one of her curls. Her mouth went dry at the sudden heat in his eyes as he gazed at her, and she licked her lips to moisten them.

  “I wasn’t speaking of what I wanted, but what I assumed you would want.”

  “Hmm,” he murmured. His eyes searched her for a moment longer, long enough that she thought he might lean in to kiss her again. She tried to keep her breathing even and parted her lips, waiting…ready…

  He pushed away from the door and stalked back to his chair. “Malcolm asked that we wait an hour before leaving for Kirkenroch. He sent out a few riders to ensure we werena followed.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?”

  His answer was a mischievous grin that had her biting her cheek to keep from smiling in return. “Isn’t that a bit overly precautious? We were so careful the whole journey.”

  “Aye, we were. But it doesna hurt to be overly precautious in some circumstances. Better than obeying every impulse that comes into our heads with no thought of the consequences.”

  It was a rebuke, and one she deserved, but he said it gently with a small smile so, while she narrowed her eyes at him, she let the remark go. This time.

  “Once we are certain all is well, then I’ll take ye over. Ye have my word.”

  She released a long sigh. “Very well.” She went to the chair opposite his and sat down. Well, if she was going to have to wait, she might as well get to know her new husband. And if her incessant chattering, as he so sweetly put it, sped things along a little, so much the better.

  “So, tell me about your childhood.”

  He slapped a hand over his face and groaned. She sat back with a grin.

  …

  “Is that it?” Alice asked, nearly bouncing out of her seat next to him in the wagon.

  “Aye, now sit back before ye spook the horses.” He couldn’t help but smile at the joy in her voice. And on her face. She nearly beamed with it. Her beauty struck him anew. The woman was beautiful even covered in the dust of the road with a sour expression darkening her face. But with her full lips smiling, happiness emanating from her eyes, and excitement fairly radiating off her, she took his breath away.

  He turned his attention back to the narrow road that led to the ruined manor house of Kirkenroch. He was pleased to see some restoration was in progress. Malcolm had told him that John and Elizabet were restoring the main living quarters of the house. The rest of the repairs would follow later, but it looked like quite a bit of work had already been done. It warmed his heart to see his kinsman’s old home being returned to its former beauty. It had been damaged in the many skirmishes with the Campbell clan over the years. It was good to see such a painful past put behind them.

  As they pulled near to the main courtyard, he caught sight of John and Elizabet, shading their eyes to see who approached. He knew the exact second Elizabet recognized Alice, because her joy matched the woman beside him. Despite his determination to remain aloof fro
m Alice and her nonsense and his disapproval of her being here in the first place, he couldn’t help the warm glow that spread through him at his role in bringing to pass such happiness, even if he didn’t truly understand or approve of it.

  The horses trotted to a stop at the gates, and Elizabet was at Alice’s side before she had a chance to dismount, slinging questions at her so quickly Alice laughed. She slid down and into Elizabet’s arms.

  “What is this?” Alice exclaimed, releasing Elizabet long enough to touch her blossoming belly.

  Elizabet laughed. “John’s son, according to him. I say it’ll be a girl.”

  Philip glanced at his cousin as he jumped down from the cart. “Congratulations, Cousin,” he said, grasping John by the shoulders and bestowing a kiss on each of his cheeks.

  John laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

  Alice gathered Elizabet in another crushing hug, laughing and cupping her face while laughing some more. They stopped exclaiming over each other long enough to glance over at Philip and John, who were, he was sure, staring at them with twin looks of bemusement.

  “Not that we are’na glad to see ye both,” John said, nodding at them, “but what are ye doing here? Together?”

  Alice jutted her chin in the air, and Philip snorted. “Better break out the whisky. ’Tis a long tale.”

  John set a few men to unloading the cart while Elizabet ushered them inside and got them settled into some chairs around the hearth in the great hall.

  “I’m afraid we have only the one guest chamber,” Elizabet said, her brow pulled into a worried frown. “We are still repairing much of the house.”

  Philip was about to tell her it was no matter, that he’d be comfortable enough in the stables or on a pallet by the hearth, but before he could, Alice cut in.

  “Oh, it’s no bother. One chamber will be fine. We’re married,” Alice said, grinning as if it were the happiest news in the world.

  Philip snorted at the stunned looks on their hosts’ faces. “Ye really need to stop leading off with that,” he said to Alice.

  She shrugged. “It’s the biggest and most relevant news. Why not mention it first?”