Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)(15)

She reached for her mother’s hands, pulled them up to her heart. Robina looked startled, her brow wrinkling in confusion. Eveline squeezed her mother’s hands and then leaned over to kiss her cheek.

When Eveline pulled away, her mother looked dazed. Her eyes burned with sudden understanding and shock.

“You want this. You want to marry Graeme Montgomery.”

Eveline squeezed her mother’s hands again and then slowly nodded.

Robina backed away and then slumped into the chair by the small table near the window. “I never expected this. I’ve been so afraid. I don’t want you to leave our care and protection. You’re our baby, Eveline.”

She looked so distraught that Eveline’s heart clutched and her lips twisted unhappily.

“I should have known. I should have realized that you’d want what all normal girls want. A husband. Children. A life of your own. I just hadn’t imagined you were capable of it—of understanding your duties. Do you even understand, Eveline?”

Her mother looked anxiously up at her, her gaze seeking information from Eveline’s expression or her eyes or perhaps from something else entirely.

There was a lot Eveline didn’t understand. She understood well enough the day-to-day things, but there were certainly some matters that hadn’t been explained to her. But she wasn’t about to upset her mother even further by shaking her head.

Surely the business of marriage wasn’t that difficult, was it? She’d watched her mother and father her entire life. Her mother was quite adept at running a household and capable of running her husband as well when it suited her.

Eveline might not have practiced what knowledge she’d gained, but it didn’t make her any less capable.

She looked at her mother and simply nodded and let her mother make of that what she would.

Robina sighed and rubbed wearily at her forehead. “I want you to be happy, Eveline, and I hate to think you’ve not been happy here. We’ve only sought to protect you. I hope you know that.”

Eveline smiled, allowing all the love she felt for her mother to show on her face. Robina’s reaction was swift. She rose and then hurried forward, enfolding Eveline in a fierce hug.

Eveline knew no more of what her mother was saying, but it didn’t matter because Eveline understood. Everything she needed to know was right here in her mother’s hug.

“We need to have words, Armstrong,” Graeme said as he faced Eveline’s father.

Tavis stared back at him with weary eyes, and for the first time, Graeme felt a twinge of sympathy for the older man, but he quickly squashed it. The Armstrongs didn’t deserve his sympathy. They’d given no mercy to his clan and he’d give none in return.

“Come, let’s sit and have some ale. Then we’ll speak of what’s on your mind.”

Graeme motioned for his brothers to remain back as he followed the laird to the high table on the dais at the opposite end of the great hall. He was surprised Armstrong bothered to show him the courtesy of placing him where honored guests would be seated when in attendance.

A serving woman appeared with a tankard of ale and two goblets. After filling them, she slipped away, leaving the two men alone at the table.

The earl had retired, evidently convinced that there would be no overt hostilities. Bowen and Teague stood across the room staring belligerently at Eveline’s two brothers. Graeme gave them a sharp look and then dipped his head in the direction of one of the lesser tables to indicate they should sit down.

Then he turned his attention fully on the Armstrong laird.

“ ’Tis clear that neither of us wants this union.”

Tavis’s lips tightened and he started to speak, but Graeme’s expression stopped him.

“But I’ll treat your daughter well. I’ll treat her with more respect than you and yours ever afforded my clan.”

Anger glittered in Tavis’s eyes, but he continued to stare at Graeme in stony silence.

“I was truthful with your lady wife. I do not wage war against the innocent, and your daughter is perhaps more innocent than most. She’s clearly different. Do not fear my treatment of her, for she will be well provided for. However, do not expect our marriage to be an open invitation for you to step foot on my lands.”

“You’d have me send my daughter off, never to see her again?” Tavis demanded. “How will I know if you’ve upheld your word if I never see the proof of your claim?”

“I will allow her to visit upon occasion only if it’s convenient and I can be assured of no foul play, but no Armstrong, save she, will ever set foot over our borders. ’Tis a blood vow I swear and a blood vow it is, because if it should ever happen, blood will be shed.”

“Know then that no Montgomery, save one who is escorting my daughter, will ever be allowed back on our lands. Consider this an aberration and one afforded to you only by order of our king,” Tavis said through his teeth.

“Good enough,” Graeme said. “We’ll sign the treaty, give the king what he wants, but we have an understanding.”

“Aye, we do.”

“Now tell me more about Eveline. Does she always act so oddly?”

Tavis started to scowl, but Graeme held up his hand. “I mean no insult. You saw that she came to me and was not afraid. You and her kin acted as though this was unusual behavior for her.”