Page 114 of Wedded to the Devilish Highlander
A hint of a smile crept onto his mother’s lips.
“She hurt a lot when he passed, and she still mourns him, but she doesnae keep it all bottled up inside like we do. She might seem happy, but she kens how to deal with her feelings and with life.”
“Aye, she’s a good lass,” Archer admitted.
“So is Lady Eileen,” Lyla said. “When she was around, it was almost like ye had come back to life, and that warmed me heart more than anythin’ over the past six years. I do want ye to have a wife and bring bairns into this world, but I willnae force it. Still, ye need to stop skulkin’ around all the time.”
“Och, nae ye as well,” Archer moaned. “I fear the whole castle is turnin’ against me.”
“Nay, that will never happen after everythin’ ye’ve done.”
“When I came to the solar, I wanted to be alone, but I’m very glad to have found ye here.” He returned her smile. “I often spoke to Faither when I needed help, but I forget how wise ye are.”
“Behind every good man, dead or alive, there’s usually a good woman. Ye’re already great, Acrher, but how much greater could ye be?”
“Aye, aye,” he relented. “I thought ye werenae goin’ to push it.”
“I have to push it a wee bit from time to time.”
Archer laughed through his nose. He stood up and offered his hand to his mother. She took it and stood up with him. He pulled her in an embrace—something he should have been doing a lot more of—and reminded himself that other people hurt and suffered too.
He was the Laird, which meant he had to help others as well as himself. He was good at the former, but not so good at the latter.
Archer sat at the breakfast table with his mother. She looked the same way he had felt when he had told Eileen about his father. Not much had changed, but she looked lighter, as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders. He was happy to see it.
He tore a large chunk of bread and slathered it with butter, followed by lashings of marmalade. He bit into the fluffy, fatty sweetness and chewed on it.
He was about to take a second bite when Ivy rushed into the room, her usual smile replaced by a deep scowl.
“How could ye let her do that?” she hissed.
“What are ye talkin’ about?”
“Lady Eileen!” Ivy put her hands on her hips as if it were obvious.
Archer raised his eyebrows, widened his eyes a little, shrugged, and shook his head.
“Ye’re lettin’ her marry Laird O’Gunn?” Ivy pressed.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” Archer sputtered.
“I just heard the news,” Ivy said. “She’s to leave for O’Gunn Castle in the mornin’, and the weddin’ will take place within the week.”
Archer had never felt his blood boil before, but he felt it now.
34
Archer rode like the wind. It was one big slap in the face from Eileen. He’d expected her to wed eventually, but not to O’Gunn.
How could she even think of it after everything the bastard had done? How could she do it after he had kidnapped her brother?
It must have been his doing. O’Gunn must have forced her hand somehow. Archer would do what he could to make sure she didn’t go through with it.
The black beast beneath him was warm, steam rising from its back as they tore across the moors. Archer’s shoulders ached as he held the reins taut. His rear bounced up and down in the saddle as he leaned over the horse’s neck and spurred him faster.
His stomach was tied in knots, and his heart was thudding against his ribs. He believed there was some sort of mix-up and Eileen had been forced or conned into marrying O’Gunn. Hedidn’t understand how the cad still had any power after what had happened.
Worse than that, he realized what a mistake he’d made in letting her go. He needed to get to her and convince her to ride home with him.
