He paced into the small antechamber down the narrow hallway from the great hall. How could his liege have done this? Surely he understood the future he was consigning Graeme to. What a damnable mess the whole thing was. His clan might even decide that one of his brothers would be a better choice for laird simply because he would be in a position of having a wife who couldn’t assume her role in the clan and he wouldn’t be able to sire children. With no sons to become laird, it would be up to one of his brothers-Bowen or Teague-to assume the role and provide heirs so that the Montgomery name would be carried into the future. He’d effectively chosen to end Graeme’s chance to pass the mantle of leadership on to his heirs.

His king hadn’t just made a simple decree of marriage in an effort to halt hostilities between two feuding clans. He turned and stalked away from his brother, needing the distance and solitude to take in the magnitude of what had just been done to him. Graeme held up his hand for silence and his fingers trembled, betraying his fury. What the hell are you supposed to do with her, Graeme?” “And she’s … she’s … well, everyone knows she isn’t right. “She’s but a child,” Bowen said in disgust.

He felt deeply betrayed by his king and wanted no representative of the crown on his lands for a second longer. The king’s messenger had departed and was even now riding beyond the Montgomery border. Graeme Montgomery stared grimly back at his brother, unable to formulate a response for the growing rage in his chest.

“He cannot tie you to the wee daft daughter of our most hated foe. “ ’Tis madness!” Bowen Montgomery exclaimed. He only hoped to hell that they didn’t kill each other at the wedding. Clansmen would be lost.Īnd so the king devised a plan to force peace between two bitter enemies.Įarly one morning, before the sun had fully risen over the horizon, he sent two messengers on horseback, each to deliver the royal decree to Laird Armstrong and Laird Montgomery. Now that the winter snows had thawed and the long nights had come to an end, battle would resume. The king had not the time, nor the desire, to lose such valuable supporters to infighting. The Montgomerys and the Armstrongs were at war. His two most powerful allies, the two most powerful clans in his kingdom, loathed the very sight of each other. King Alexander II could focus on other matters, but for one thing. The winter snows had fled, chased by the warmth of longer days. Spring had come, bringing with it lush green grass among the rock outcroppings and boulders that were so predominant over the terrain. The land whispered softly of its gratitude for a brief respite from violence, rebellion, and bloodshed.

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks