The Beauty Bride (The Jewels of Kinfairlie) (47 page)

Alexander
put the coin down on the board with force and pushed it back toward the other
man. It slid across the polished wood until Nicholas caught it. “It is vulgar to
steal a bride! Though others condone kidnapping and rape as expedient, it will
not be done at Kinfairlie!”

“This
course is a necessary one.”

“No
man of honor refuses to court his bride.”

Nicholas
leaned back, touched the wound upon his own face with a fingertip, and said no
more.

“The
Lammergeier wed,” Alexander insisted, fearing that Nicholas offered some pagan
convention instead of marriage. “We exchange our vows honorably and before
witnesses.”

“I
fully intend to wed Vivienne as you suggest. I would merely celebrate the
nuptial night before making those vows.”

Alexander
understood that the other man feared that his injury would repel his intended,
but still he was troubled. One heard of such arrangements, though usually the
maiden was seduced because her father protested the match. “Why such need for
haste?”

Nicholas’
lips tightened to a harsh line. “My cousin means to contest my suzerainty of
Blackleith on the basis that I have no bride. I have need of a wife and a son,
I have need of both soon, and I choose Vivienne.” He looked Alexander in the
eye. “There is no time to delay, for a babe is not brought to light in a night
and a day. I desire to wed Vivienne, and I desire to ensure that she cannot
deny my suit because of my wound.” He cast the sack of coin back across the
table and Alexander caught it.

This
time, Alexander let his fingers close over the hard coins. Though he did not
like the means, he could not find no fault with the end result. And he guessed
that if he declined Nicholas’ plan, the man would leave Kinfairlie and find
another bride.

Alexander
could not so disappoint Vivienne. He knew that if ever there was a woman who
could look beyond a man’s face to his heart, it was his sister Vivienne. And he
guessed that the reason she found favor with no other suitor was that this was
the man she wished to wed.

“It
is Thursday,” Alexander said thoughtfully. “And it would be inappropriate for a
wedding to be celebrated on a Friday, despite your desire for haste, for that
day is meant for penance. Let your meeting with Vivienne be tomorrow night,
then, and your nuptial vows be exchanged immediately afterward on Saturday
morning. Saturday nuptials are a good omen for future happiness, after all. I
will ensure that Vivienne sleeps alone in the highest chamber of the tower.”

“How?”

Alexander
smiled, knowing precisely the tale he would tell to encourage his sister to do
his will of her own volition. “Leave the matter to me. She will be there. I
insist only that you grant her every courtesy due to a lady.”

His
guest inclined his head in agreement. “The wall of your tower faces the sea,
and there are windows at the summit.”

“Three
large windows are there, and they all lead to that chamber. You will have to
scale the wall, to be sure, and it was wrought smooth purposely to challenge
such a feat,” Alexander said. “Surely your desire is sufficient for you to
succeed at such a test of valor?”

Nicholas’
eyes narrowed as he considered this scheme. He looked suddenly dangerous and
disreputable, a man untroubled by the prospect of scaling a wall to seduce his
bride.

But
then, Vivienne adored old tales. If her true love made such an effort to win
her hand, doubtless she would be charmed. Alexander was reassured that Nicholas
understood Vivienne so well.

“And
the sentries?” Nicholas asked, resolute as he began to rise to his feet.

Alexander
mused for a moment, then knew what he would do. “I can ensure that they look
away, though their inattention will not last long. Move with haste when the
bell on the village church tolls at midnight.”

Nicholas
nodded and drew his hood over his head once more. He shook Alexander’s hand
with vigor. “I thank you for your aid in this. You cannot guess its import to
me.”

“Be
warned that I will have your hide if you fail to treat my sister with honor.”

The
men exchanged a steely glance, then Nicholas turned away, his cloak flaring
behind him. By the time Anthony returned with two mugs of ale, Alexander’s
guest was gone.

* * *

THE ROSE RED BRIDE is now
available in new print and digital editions.

Learn more at Claire’s
website, right here:

http://www.delacroix.net/trrbX.html

* * *

Bestselling author Claire Delacroix sold her first romance
novel in 1992 – that medieval romance,
The Romance of the Rose
, was published by Harlequin
Historicals in 1993. Since then, she has published more than forty romance
novels and numerous novellas.
The Beauty
by Claire Delacroix, part of her
successful Bride Quest series, was her first novel to land on the New York
Times List of Bestselling Books. In 2009, she was the writer in residence at
the Toronto Public Library, the first time they have hosted a residency focused
on the romance genre.

Claire has also written time travels and contemporary romances
as Claire Cross. She currently writes the
Dragonfire
series of contemporary paranormal
romances which feature dragon shape shifter heroes, as well as a linked
paranormal YA series called
The Dragon Diaries
. Both dragon series are published
under the name Deborah Cooke.

In May 2012, Claire will return to Ravensmuir and Kinfairlie
with the release of a new Scottish medieval romance.
The Renegade’s Heart
is the first in a new series called
The True Love Brides, and features Isabella’s quest for love and happiness.

Learn more about Claire’s books at her websites:

•
http://www.delacroix.net

•
http://www.deborahcooke.com

She posts most weekdays on her blog, Alive & Knitting, at

http://www.delacroix.net/blog

You can also subscribe to her monthly reader newsletter on
YahooGroups, called “Chestwick”:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chestwick/

Catch the latest news and reviews on her Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorClaireDelacroix

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* * *

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