The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) (12 page)

Chapter Twelve

T
he silence from the group in the room was deafening. Sarah stared at Braeden openmouthed while he only grinned.

“My lady, here is your tea.” A tall, balding man entered the room, carrying a large tray with tea. Behind him followed an older woman with a younger girl, both of them carrying trays of sandwiches and cakes.

“Just put it over there, please,” Lady MacBride said, waving in the direction of a long, narrow table against the wall.

Once the door closed on the servants, Sarah yanked her hand from Braeden’s. “What are you talking about?”

He stood and paced, running his fingers through his hair. “Ye married us at the inn we stayed at that was crowded with the guests on their way to the wedding.”

“I did no such thing.” Her heart pounded as if it planned to jump from her throat and run around the room screaming and pulling its hair out. Married? Was he suffering from a brain fever?

Liam spoke from where he stood by the desk. “Lad, I think ye better explain yerself.”

Braeden took a deep breath. “When we arrived at the inn, ’twas crowded with travelers on the way to a wedding. There was only one room left. Sarah announced to the innkeeper and anyone nearby that one room would be fine because we were husband and wife.”

“You said that?” Sybil looked aghast.

“Well, something like it. The innkeeper assumed we were married, and I didn’t correct him. If we didn’t take the room we would have had nowhere to sleep. It was late, and the next inn was hours away.”

Braeden went down on one knee and took her hand. “Lass, according to Scottish law, if ye declare yerself married in front of two witnesses, ’tis a valid marriage.”

“That’s ridiculous. It can’t possibly be that easy to marry.” She pulled her hand away. “And it doesn’t matter, because I don’t know the innkeeper, and he would have no reason to remember me or what I said.”

“But the innkeeper kenned me. Do ye remember?” Braeden said. “Also the innkeeper referred to ye as my wife when I was speaking with a member of that wedding party who knows me and my family. And last night we stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Hanson in their cottage. We shared a bed, lass. ’Tis considered a consummated marriage.”

“Catriona and Alanna, leave the room,” Liam growled.

At the sound of their brother’s voice the girls hurried to the door, giggling between them. “Mum, please take the bairns upstairs to their nurse. It appears we have something to settle here.”

Sarah was in shock. Married? No. It could not be that easy to marry someone. Furthermore, she had her life planned, and it did not include a husband. And most of all, not Braeden McKinnon who had plans of his own that would most definitely clash with hers. Perspiration dotted her forehead, while her hands felt clammy. Perhaps she was getting sick, after all.

“Lass, I think ye should put yer head between yer knees. Ye look pale,” Braeden said.

Liam moved to stand in front of Sarah and Braeden. “If ye declare yerself married and stayed together in a room, yer married, lass. That’s the way of it.”

“No.” Sarah hopped up. “I don’t want to be married. I am not married. I refuse to be married.” She plopped right back down when dizziness threatened to overcome her.

As if he sensed her delicate state, Braeden wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “We are married, Sarah, ’tis done and nothing can undo it.”

She rounded on him, her heart pounding. “It’s your fault. You should have stopped me when I told the innkeeper we were married.”

“Stop you? You kicked me when I asked ye to repeat yerself.”

“What sort of a man are you that a little bit of a kick would keep you from saving us from this disaster?”

“Disaster!” he growled. “Is that what ye think?”

“Well this is certainly not something you or I wanted.”

“Whether we wanted it or not, ’tis done!”

“By the saints!” Liam shouted. “Ye are both brawling like a couple of bairns.” He turned to Sarah. “I hate to come down so hard on ye, since we are barely acquainted, but not only are ye married, I will be bringing Father O’Reilly to Bedlay as soon as possible to bless the marriage.”

Sarah gaped at him. “What? Why would you do that?”

“Because I am yer laird and head of yer family here. Ye spent time alone on the road with McKinnon, and according to him, shared a bed. I have no interest to ken what happened in that bed, but ’tis enough for me to demand ye marry properly so there will be no doubt.”

Sarah felt her cheeks warm at the memories Liam’s words brought, which he apparently noted. His snort told her so. “Aye, lass. ’Tis time for a proper wedding.”

“You can’t order me to marry.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Aye, I can, and I will. And ye ken in yer heart that were ye brother here, he’d be doing the same thing.” He straightened, his hands on his hips, very much The MacBride. “I stand in his stead.”

Directing his attention to Braeden, he said, “I will notify the Duke of Manchester of the situation, and as soon as I have the marriage contracts and Sarah’s dowry in hand, I will notify you.”

Sarah looked pleadingly at Sybil. “He can’t make me do this.”

Sybil wrung her hands. “I’m sorry, Sarah. So sorry. But surely you have heard about the loose Scottish marriage laws from the scandals of couples racing off to Gretna Green to be married. And I’m afraid Liam is right. You know, as well as I do, that if Drake were here he would be demanding a proper wedding.”

Sarah glanced at Braeden who was still on one knee beside her. Once again he took her hand and held firm when she tried to withdraw it. Looking at her, he addressed Liam. “Laird, may I have a few moments alone with my wife?”

“I am
not
your wife.”

“Come, love. Give them some time together to get this sorted out.” Liam took Sybil’s hand and led her from the room. Sybil looked back at her twin as they slipped through the door, mouthing the words
I love you
.

As soon as it closed, Sarah glared at Braeden who looked as if he were trying to form the right words to say.

There are no right words.

“I ken this is a shock to ye, lass. I dinna tell ye when it happened because ye were so tired and anxious about arriving here.” He tilted her chin up. “Is the idea of marriage to me so terrible for ye?”

“You don’t understand. I was very clear about my intention to never marry. I don’t want a husband. I have other plans for my life.”

He rose and sat alongside her. “And what plans do ye have that marriage would interfere with?”

Should she tell him? Reveal the secret that even her twin didn’t know? She had planned to share her news with Sybil once she settled in. But her publisher told her a four or six week trip to visit with her sister would give him enough time to get her book ready for print. He expected her back in London at that time so she could do newspaper interviews and be available to meet readers and sign her books at the bookstores in London and the surrounding areas.

On the other hand, if she were forced to take a husband—and it appeared that was exactly what Liam had in mind—there could be many other men who would be a worse choice. Therein lay the problem. If she didn’t already care for Braeden, she could convince him to have a marriage in name only, and they could live separately so she could pursue her dream. But he was a warm, honorable man, and he deserved more. More than she was prepared to give right now.

Part of her was terrified at growing too fond of him, and another part of her didn’t want him to walk away. What a conundrum she’d created with her flippant words back at the inn. And why was it she’d not remembered about Scottish marriage laws? Sybil was correct. There had certainly been enough gossip about
ton
couples running off to Gretna Green to marry against family wishes.

This time the marriage had been performed against the bride’s wishes.

She drew herself up. “My plans are to have independence, apart from the demands of a husband. There are things I want out of life that would be stifled by marriage.”

“Yer not making sense, Sarah, and I’m thinking right now ye should get some rest. We can deal with these little problems later. Yer exhausted from the trip, and I don’t think ye are thinking clearly.”

Little problems! How dare the man dismiss her so readily? Obviously, he would dismiss her hopes and dreams as easily, too. Well, far be it from her to share anything about her writing with the man.

“Very well. I will take my
little problems
to my bedchamber to rest, as my lord and master has ordered.” She swept past him and headed to the door.

“Sarah.”

She kept going, enjoying the sound of the library door closing smartly.

S
arah awoke to a day she’d thought would not happen for several years, if at all. Her wedding day. Although, according to Scottish law, that day had already come and gone without her knowledge. She still fumed at how blasé Braeden was about the entire thing. Marriage was a huge step, and she didn’t want to be married. Not unless she could have the life she had planned.

She’d never gotten the chance to talk to Sybil privately yesterday, with all the flurry of unpacking, taking a tour of the castle, and settling in. Then all the family had gathered for dinner, along with clan members, followed by singing and dancing to celebrate their arrival, until Sarah thought she would drop.

Liam’s mother and sisters were delightful, and they obviously adored Sybil. A far cry from how things had started off for her twin. A slight scratch at the door drew her from her musings.

Sybil stuck her head in. “I brought you a gown I think will look wonderful for your wedding.” She held up a lovely pale yellow gown with deep yellow and green embroidery on the sleeves and hem. A green satin ribbon was tucked underneath the bodice.

“It’s beautiful.”

Sybil settled on the bed and regarded her twin. “How are you faring?”

“Not well. Not at all.”

“You know, I don’t understand your dislike for marriage. I remember as young girls we would talk well into the night about the ‘knight in shining armor’ in our future, falling in love, and our wedding day. Do you recall we promised to have a double wedding?”

Sarah shrugged.

“Then a few years ago you started spouting all this nonsense about being the ‘doting aunt’ and not wanting to tie yourself to a man. What happened?”

“I have other plans. Things have happened since we were girls.” She was enjoying the perplexed expression on Sybil’s face.

“What ‘things’? I know everything about you.”

Sarah smiled. “Not everything, dear twin sister. You know how I’ve been keeping a journal?”

“Yes, you’ve kept one almost since you were able to hold a pencil.”

Unable to sit still while sharing the one thing that belonged only to her, she stood and wandered around the room, dragging her fingers over the dresser. “I stopped writing in my journal a few years ago.”

“Nonsense, you’ve been scribbling daily for years.”

Sarah turned to face her twin. “Yes. I was writing stories.”

“Stories?”

Sarah grinned. “Don’t laugh, but I’ve been writing stories of romance.”

If the expression on Sybil’s face was any indication of how the rest of her family would deal with her secret pastime, there were a lot of surprised looks in her future.

Sybil placed her hand over her chest. “Romance stories?”

“But there is even more news.”

Her twin gestured for her to continue.

“One of my stories is being published!” Sarah hadn’t realized how proud she was of herself until she saw the look of surprise and admiration in her sister’s eyes. Sybil covered her mouth with her hands and began to laugh. Then she jumped up and hugged Sarah.

“Do you mean to tell me I’m the twin sister of an author?”

“Yes!” They held on to each other, giggling while jumping up and down, much like they had done in their youth.

Arms wrapped around each other, they fell backward on the bed, wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. After a few minutes Sybil raised herself up on her elbows. “But you still haven’t told me why you don’t want to marry Braeden. It’s obvious you care for each other. Just the short time I spent with the two of you, it was obvious…”

Sarah took a deep breath. “My publisher wants me in London when my book is released so I can speak with newspaper people, meet readers, and sign books. Michael Dunsten—that’s my publisher—is very forward thinking and believes women have the ability to do just about anything they choose.”

“You actually found a man who thinks that way?”

“Yes, isn’t it wonderful? He is already pushing me to finish my second book. He has an office in London, and I’ve met with him a few times while his company was working on my book.”

Sybil frowned. “Is there more than just your book between you and this man? Is that why you don’t want to be married to Braeden?”

Sarah waved her hand. “Not at all. Heavens, you make me laugh even suggesting that. Mr. Dunsten is old enough to be my grandfather and indeed does have grandchildren.” She sat up and bent her knees, hugging them close to her chest. “Don’t you see, Sarah? If I have a husband, I won’t be able to return to London when I need to. He might even forbid me to write and publish.”

“You have no reason to believe Braeden will make you stop writing.”

“But you remember he mentioned he is waiting for word that he’s been accepted for an archeological dig in Rome?” She stood again, her hands on her hips. “He will expect me to go with him, and I can’t go to Rome.”

Sybil rose and placed her hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “You need to speak with Braeden about this. From the way you talk I’m assuming he doesn’t know?”

Sarah shook her head. “You are the first person I’ve told.”

“Then talk to him.” She leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “You might find you have no problem at all. But now, it is time for you to dress for your second wedding.”

B
raeden checked his timepiece once more. Weddings made him very nervous, and this one was no exception. Except
’
twas a mere formality since the lass had married them already. But, somehow, facing his family and friends and standing before the priest made it all seem more real. He was grateful for Liam’s insistence on the service, however. Sarah was a reluctant enough bride, without having her forever arguing that they were not
really
married. He envisioned years of spirited disputes with the lass. And interesting ways to make up afterward.