MacAlister - Taming The Scotsman Part 32

If she didn't know better, even she would think he spoke honestly.

But unlike Ewan, she knew the heart of this treacherous adder.

"How can you say that, Nora?" Ryan asked, feigning hurt as he clutched his heart. "Our parents have planned for our marriage since we were children. I love you. I have always loved you. I want no other bride."

Ewan winced as if he'd been struck.

His eyes were bleak as he met her gaze. "You lied to me, Nora."

Panic welled up inside her. She had to make Ewan see the truth. She couldn't let him think that she had lied to him when she hadn't.

d.a.m.n Ryan and his lies.

"Nay, I did not." She turned on Ryan with a glower. "Tell him the truth, Ryan, or I'll beat you myself."

"It is the truth," Ryan said sincerely. "Ineed you for my bride. May the Lord Almighty strike me dead if I lie."

Ewan took a deep breath as he tried to stave off the bitter agony he felt. Something inside him had shriveled with Ryan's words.

So Ryan did love her.

d.a.m.n you, Fate, for replaying this.

It was just as before.

Only this time Ewan would make sure the woman went where she belonged. Nora would go home with Ryan, and he would go back to...

Unable to finish the thought, Ewan turned around and left the pub. The soundless crowd parted, letting him pa.s.s.

Bavel, Lysander, Pagan and Viktor exchanged awkward looks before they followed after him.

Nora started to go after Ewan as well, but her anger with Ryan was too great.

First she had a score to settle.

The crowd surrounding them slowly began to resume their own business and speculate on hers.

"Why did you do that?" she demanded.

"Because Ihave to marry you."

"Why? You don't love me. You can't even stand me. All you've ever done is berate and mock every part of my person."

Ryan looked away sheepishly as if the truth were almost too hard for him to face. "Because I need your dowry. If I don't have it, I will die in less than two months."

Her shock at his words overrode her anger. That was the last thing she expected, but then given his odd behavior, she shouldn't be surprised by anything he said or did at this point. "Why?"

Ryan sighed wearily and moved away from the crowd that was still mostly focused on them.

He lowered his voice so that only she could hear his words. "Remember last spring when I went to the continent?"

"Aye."

"I went trying to find myself another bride. My mother was pressing me to ask your father for your hand.

She told me that it was past time I settle down and take you for my wife. I was horrified by the very idea of spending my life tied to you. I thought if I could go to the tourney circuit and build a solid reputation and fortune for myself, I would have my pick of brides."

Nora shook her head at him. "Oh Ryan.I can best you at swordsmans.h.i.+p."

His eyes blazed at her. "I'm notthat incompetent, Nora. I'm just not excellent. Believe me, I need no reminders from you of just how painfully average I am."

She almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

But after what he'd done to Ewan, she wasn't anywhere near ready to forgive him for his actions.

"What happened?" she asked.

He rubbed his face with his hand and looked weary and tired. Aged, in fact. "Every time I lost, I signed vouchers for the value of my horse and armor. I kept thinking that if I could just win one tournament, I would have enough to pay everyone back."

He let out a long-suffering breath. His eyes appeared haunted and were tinged by humiliation. Now she did feel sorry for him and his foolish quest.

"But I lost time and again," he continued. "When the season came to an end, everyone started demanding I make good on my vouchers. I didn't know what to do so I borrowed enough money from Stryder of Blackmoor so that I could come home, marry you, and repay what I owe."

Nora couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Stryder of Blackmoor? Are you mad? They say he is the devil incarnate."

"Aye, but I had no choice. Oddly enough, he alone hasn't pursued me for the money I owe him. But everyone else has hounded me to ground. I have to marry you, Nora. There's no other way."

Nora pressed her hand to her temple to fight the ache that was starting there as she thought of everything Ryan had put her through.

The fright she'd had reaching Ewan. The worry and fretting. Now he was completely unrepentant for his actions.

She could strangle him!

"I can't believe this," she said. "Debt is the only reason you asked for my hand?"

"Well, I do care for you in a pesky little sister sort of way. And you're not bad-looking when you're silent. Unfortunately that is almost never, but-"

"Ryan! I knew you were vile, but this... How could you borrow money and then rely on me as your banker?"

He sighed again. "I know what I did was wrong. The only way I was able to continue on the tourney circuit was by telling everyone that I was betrothed to King Henry's niece."

He gave her a pleading, sheepish stare. "So you see, I do need you, Nora. I really, truly will die without you because if I fail to repay some of the men I owe, they will kill me as an example to others."

"You don't need me, Ryan," she said testily. "What you need is a banker."

"King Henry's niece, eh? Och now, this just got better."

Nora turned at a voice that sounded oddly familiar to her. It took a minute to recognize Isobail's brother Graham from the day before.

But this time, he wasn't alone.

There were two other men with him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked them.

Graham gave her an evil sneer that was cold enough to set her teeth to chattering. "We're setting things right."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked.

Before she could move, Graham pulled out a dagger. "Come quietly, la.s.s, and we won't hurt you. Fight us, and you'll be much worse for the dare."

Chapter 10.

Ewan stood in the stable, brus.h.i.+ng his horse as his mind whirled with the day's revelations. He didn't know why he was out here, except that he couldn't think of anything else to do with himself and the horse needed a good brus.h.i.+ng.

Maybe.

Not.

Basically, he needed something to focus on other than the burning pain inside his heart.

Ryan loved Nora.

But then, so did he.

He loved her more than anything. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Nothing he wouldn't give her.

Except his hand in marriage.

His stomach twisted even more as he felt hopelessness deep inside his heart.

Why was it ever his plight to love women he couldn't have? What were the chances of Nora's father siding with him and breaking Nora's betrothal with Ryan while Ryan loved her? Especially given the fact that their families knew each other. That Nora and Ryan had grown up together.

It was impossible.

Her father would never allow her to marry a man with so few prospects. He wasn't Lochlan who was laird or Sin or Braden who were t.i.tled lords.

He was a simple landowner with a slightly better than modest income.

One who lived in a cave.

You could take her.

Aye, he could, but to what purpose? Another feud for his clan. More death. More sorrow.

How could they have a happy marriage based on that?

There were so many lives at stake here. Things much more important than his own happiness, which seemed paltry when compared to what could happen again.

Ewan cursed as pain a.s.sailed him anew.

He should have stayed in the mountains. He should never have helped her.

Now that he had...

Ewan couldn't get her out of his mind. He needed her more than he had ever needed anyone or anything.

The mere thought of living without her was enough to send him to his knees.

How could he go back to what he'd been before her winsome smile had set him free?

"Ewan?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Catarina approaching. The la.s.s was toying with the tip of her long braid. She looked hesitant as she drew near.

"What is it?" he growled. "Can't you see I'd rather be alone?"

She ignored his surly tone and stood by his horse's head. She patted the horse on the nose as she watched him. "Nora didn't lie to you."

He felt his nostrils flare as more pain wrenched his gut. "What do you know if it?"

"I know enough to say that she would much rather have you for husband than Ryan."

He tightened his grip on the brush, refusing to let her see how much her words bothered him. "And I would say that you are not Nora and know nothing of her mind or mine."

"I know what I see," she said softly. She reached out and stopped his hand from brus.h.i.+ng the horse.

"You two belong together."

Ewan stared at her hand on his. Her skin was pale, like Nora's, her nails every bit as well manicured.

But that hand didn't make him tremble.

It didn't cause his body to burn, his manhood to stiffen.

Only Nora did that.

And she was the one woman he couldn't have.

Alone he could fight for her. Was willing to fight for her. But if Ryan refused to let her go, it would be like Robby MacDouglas all over again.