“’Tis early yet,” Alex said with a glint in his eyes that made her nervous.

“Bessie will be up soon,” she said.

Alex shook his head. “I believe your maid has found herself a man.”

“Bessie?” Glynis was shocked. “Ye must be joking.”

“Ye can trust me on that,” Alex said, as he stepped toward her. “We won’t be seeing her for at least a couple of hours.”

Glynis backed up until her heel clunked against the wooden door.

“All the same,” Alex said, as he reached behind her and slid the bar across, “we should make certain we won’t be interrupted.”

“Your daughter is asleep on the floor!”

“That’s what bed curtains are for,” he said. “Come, Glynis, let me take ye behind them and show ye how much I missed ye.”

“Isn’t Catherine waiting for ye?” she asked.

“So ye are jealous.” He chuckled deep in his chest. “I suspect Catherine and her brothers will be watching Shaggy for half the night.”

“I see. Ye have some time on your hands, is that it?”

“You’re the only one I’ve asked to be my wife,” he said.

She closed her eyes when he lowered his head and pressed his warm lips to the side of her throat.

“It is you I want, Glynis MacNeil,” he said against her skin. “Don’t send me looking for another wife.”

“I can’t do this,” she said, pushing him away. “We aren’t even wed yet, and ye have another woman expecting ye later.”

“But I don’t want her,” he said. “I want you.”

He looked so sincere that it would be easy to believe him. Still, he had not denied that Catherine was expecting him.

“For how long would ye want me?” she asked. “A week? A month? That won’t do for me.”

“What if I were to give ye my promise that I wouldn’t stray?” he said, sounding pained. “Will ye take me then? Sorcha and I need ye.”

“How could I trust ye?” she asked, though with Alex’s hands running over her, she was sorely tempted to. “Ye told me before that ye didn’t know yourself if ye could be faithful.”

“If I give my word,” he said with steel in his voice, “I’ll keep it.”

She wanted him to be faithful because he wanted no one but her. Ach, she was foolish to want the impossible from Alexander Bàn MacDonald. If he loved her, she might throw her fate to the four winds and hope for the best. But Alex only wished to wed her for the sake of his daughter.

“Please, Glynis,” he said, his voice like a caress across her skin. “Say ye will marry me and come to bed.”

CHAPTER 29

Alex was flirting shamelessly with Catherine, though his heart was not in it. He’d spent half his life trying to avoid jealous women, and here he was doing his best to make one jealous. And it wasn’t working, damn her.

Last night, he was certain Glynis was going to give in—but she had not. If she continued to refuse him, he would have to choose another. His daughter needed a mother.

Alex caught sight of his daughter and Bessie going through the doorway that led to the upper floors. Glynis was not with them. When he glanced about the hall, he did not see her.

D’Arcy was missing as well.

Under the table, Catherine’s hand was moving up his leg—and heaven knew his cock was suffering from lack of attention. But he did not have time for this now.

“Come to my chamber tonight,” she said close to his ear.

Alex was used to avoiding promises, and he did not make one now.

“I am meeting with your brothers soon, and I must look in on my daughter first,” he said, as he eased Catherine’s hand off his leg. He did intend to see Sorcha—as soon as he found out where Glynis was.

“Your daughter?” Catherine leaned toward him until her breast pressed against his arm. “Surely her nursemaid can look after her?”

“Sorcha is not accustomed to having so many strangers about,” Alex said. “She’s had a difficult time, and she becomes anxious if she does not see me for long.”

“Poor child,” Catherine said, pursing her full, red lips. “She’s lucky to have such an attentive father.”

Alex smiled, pleased by the compliment and by Catherine’s concern for his daughter. “I’m glad ye understand.”

If he could not persuade Glynis to see sense, perhaps he should consider wedding Catherine.

*  *  *

Glynis felt so unsettled that she had asked Bessie to take Sorcha up for a nap while she went for a walk along the shore of the loch. She was staring off at the mountains, wishing she was home, when she felt someone beside her and turned.

“Ye startled me, Lord d’Arcy,” she said, putting her hand to her chest.

“Please call me Antoine,” he said in his lovely accent. “May I walk with you?”

“Of course,” she said. “Ye have a remarkable gift for languages, Lord—Antoine. Your Gaelic improves by the day.”

“I have a good teacher,” he said, taking her arm. “I hope you will continue to practice with me.”

“I will be here at Inveraray only a short while longer.” She hoped. “But I am happy to help ye until I leave.”

After they walked for a time, D’Arcy came to a halt and turned to face her.

“I have an important question to ask you.” He took her hand and kissed it, as if she were a princess. “Albany has appointed me castellan of Dunbar Castle, a great fortress on the sea to the east. Would you consider joining me there and being the queen of my castle?”

A marriage proposal was the last thing she had expected.

Glynis knew she should shout aye and throw her arms around his neck. D’Arcy was perfect in every possible way: handsome, serious, principled, and a renowned warrior. Most important, he was closely connected to the regent and therefore in a position to protect her clan.

D’Arcy was so far above her father’s expectations for her that she was tempted to agree to be his wife just for spite. And he would be a most considerate husband.

So why did she stand here saying nothing?

Because Alex MacDonald’s face, full of laughter, flooded her vision. Alex was wrong for her in so many ways, and yet the devil tempted her to choose the sinfully charming man.

“Thank ye for your kind offer,” she said. “Please give me a day to consider.”

“Of course.”

D’Arcy kissed her hand again. It was a romantic gesture that should have made her sigh. But, as handsome and gallant as D’Arcy was, she felt no spark.

It was a grave disappointment. She did not, however, need to ask him if he would honor his vows—a man like D’Arcy would always be honorable.

*  *  *

Alex winked at Catherine and left her to find Glynis. On the steps of the keep, he met D’Arcy.

“I’ve just been speaking with your lovely friend Glynis.” D’Arcy gave Alex a smile like a cat that has gotten its paw into the cream. “I fear you must make the rest of the journey without her. She is going to leave with me.”

“What?”

“She asked for a day to consider my proposal,” D’Arcy said, “but I believe she will say yes.”

“Ye asked Glynis to be your wife?” Alex felt as if he were falling down a deep well with no rope to hold on to.

“Of course not,” D’Arcy said. “I already have a wife.”

“Ye have a wife?”

“As you should, my friend,” D’Arcy said, putting his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “My dear Isabelle was with child when I left, and so we agreed that she must remain in France for the time being. Frankly, I am not at all certain your wild country would suit her.”

“If ye have a wife already,” Alex said, “then just what did ye plan to do with Glynis?”

“Make her my mistress, of course,” he said. “If Isabelle is able to join me in Scotland later, then I will make other arrangements for Glynis. I would not embarrass my wife by keeping another woman in our home while she was there.”

“Ye don’t seriously believe Glynis would agree to be your mistress, do ye?” Alex asked.

“I know you are concerned for Glynis’s welfare,” D’Arcy said. “So I want to assure you that if there are children from our liaison, I will provide for them.”

“Ye misunderstand,” Alex said, wanting to shake him for his stupidity. “I am certain Glynis believes ye are offering her marriage.”

“Marriage?” D’Arcy’s eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead. “Why, even if I were not already married, that would be absurd.”

Alex’s head felt in danger of exploding. “And why would it be absurd?”

“I could never marry that sort of woman.”

Alex grabbed D’Arcy by the front of his tunic. “Just what do ye mean by ‘that sort of woman’?”

“The sort who has affairs with you, Alexander.”

“Glynis is no that sort.” Alex drove his fist into D’Arcy’s jaw, which hurt his hand like the devil, but was very satisfying nonetheless.

“It was an honest mistake,” D’Arcy said, rubbing his jaw. “I can tell you’ve had her from the way the two of you look at each other. So no matter what you say, Glynis is no innocent.”

“We have a saying here: Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose,” Alex said. “If ye don’t want your nose broken, I suggest ye remember that Glynis is a chieftain’s daughter and a woman deserving of your respect.”

“I was not disrespectful,” D’Arcy said, looking offended. “I simply made her an offer.”

“I would have thought the White Knight was too pure to look at another woman once ye had a wife.”

“No man is that pure.” D’Arcy paused to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth with a white handkerchief. “I fail to understand why you are upset. There’s no harm in my keeping a mistress, especially when my wife is not here.”

“Ye will tell Glynis your true intentions,” Alex said, leaning forward until they were nose to nose.

“I did not mean to deceive her,” D’Arcy said, and took a step back.

“Ye will tell her today.”

“I will be honest with Glynis, of course.” D’Arcy raised an eyebrow. “Will you do the same, my friend?”