Laird of Longing by Tammy Andresen
Chapter Nine
Sophie stared at…She swallowed, her head shaking. Well, she was staring at her husband.
How could a person start a day with one set of expectations and then have it end up in another direction entirely? Then again, that seemed to be happening a great deal as of late.
Ewan sat at his desk, completing paperwork.
“What’s that?” she asked.
Ewan grimaced. “It’s a document I’ll have the blacksmith sign, confirming our marriage.”
Sophie looked over his shoulder. “I see.” She’d never given much thought to the legalities of marriage. “What does that mean?”
“It means that we’ll have actual proof that we’ve wed.” He continued scratching on the paper as he talked.
“And why do we need that?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I’m not certain yet. I need to think out all the details yet, but while we’re here, I want to shore up as many ends as I can. Preparation fer whatever comes.”
She twisted her hands together. Somehow, him saying he wasn’t certain made her more nervous. Ewan usually had all the answers. “What ends are concerning?”
He stopped scratching at the paper, sprinkling it with dust. Then he sighed. “I don’t wish to leave ye here with my mother. Nor am I certain about bringing ye back to London. While our marriage is legal in Scotland, yer father could attempt to have the union annulled. I’ll need to speak with him.”
That made her gasp in a breath. “You’re going to see my father?”
He stood then, taking her hands. “Of course I am.”
“But,” she looked up into his dark eyes, “wouldn’t it be better if we just stayed here?”
He shook his head. “That might have worked if not fer Mr. Tidemore. But he kens where ye are and he kens who I am. There is little else to do but meet the problem head-on. Ye said yer father prizes propriety above all?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Most certainly.”
“Then he may very well agree to allow us to remarry in England. I have good connections and a great deal of wealth. I daresay I’m a fair bit better of a catch than Hughes.”
“In every way,” she said, the words popping from her mouth.
He chuckled then. “Thank ye, sweetheart.” He squeezed her fingers lightly. “But my hope is that he’ll consent to legitimizing the match in England and then ye can travel back and forth between both countries and move about society as is yer right.”
She gasped. Because he did have a plan and it was a good one. “Then I’ll travel with you?”
“I’ll go to yer father on my own. Tell him I’ve left ye in Edinburgh with my mother. Not that I’d ever actually do that to ye. But he needn’t ken ye’re tucked on my boat.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “That is an excellent idea. I’d like to be able to see my mother in the future.”
“I’ll do my best fer ye.”
She let out a long, slow breath. He would. In that she could trust him completely.
* * *
Ewan smiled too,leaning closer. Sophie was so sweet, endearing, and strong in her own way. He wanted to kiss her again. And he needed to talk to her about consummation—the only other requirement needed to make their match legitimate, at least in Scotland.
But a knock interrupted him before he could take his wife’s lips with his own.
“Aye,” he called.
“It’s me, my lord. Cutter.”
Ewan’s teeth snapped together. Cutter rarely brought good news. “What is it?”
“I’d like a word.”
Releasing Sophie’s hands, he started for the door, stepping out into the hall and shutting the thick wood panel behind him. “What?”
Cutter grimaced. “A man came around while ye were gone asking questions.”
“Damn it all to bloody hell,” he swore as he straightened. “What kind of questions? Who was the man?”
“Tidemore,” Cutter said. “Wanted to ken if there was a woman on board. Who she was. A few of the men started answering before I stopped them.”
“Answered what?” He shifted scrubbing his face. It didn’t matter. He’d wed her just after, but still. He needed to know.
“Wilkes might have mentioned she was yer distant relative and—”
Ewan let out a growl. He wanted Tidemore to return to London certain Sophie was Ewan’s wife. Hearing a contradicting story led the man to take action. “What else?”
“And Cunningham told him ye shared yer cabin with her.” Cutter winced.
But Ewan relaxed at that. “Tell all the men she’s my wife now. In fact, make sure it gets all over the docks.”
Cutter’s brows lifted. “Yer mother is going to be powerful mad when she finds out ye’ve wed in Edinburgh without telling her.”
Ewan shrugged. “She likes topics to complain about above all else. I’m giving her a gift.”
Truth be told, his mother was the least of his concerns.
Protecting Sophie, that was what mattered now.
