The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) Read Free Page B

this relieve ye?”
    “Because I will feel quite safe traveling with you the rest of the way to Bedlay Castle.” She gave him a bright smile.
    The front legs of his chair hit the floor with a thump. “What?!”

Chapter Two
    B raeden stared at Lady Sarah openmouthed. Did this wee slip of a lass just announce she expected him to travel with her to Bedlay Castle?
    “Yer mistaken, lass. I am not traveling to Bedlay Castle.”
    “No. But you are traveling home to Dundas, correct?”
    “Aye.”
    “McKinnon lands border MacBride lands, correct?”
    He nodded slowly. Surely the lass wasn’t serious. In order for him to escort the ladies to Bedlay Castle he would have to rent a carriage, and the entire trip would take more than twice as long as he intended to be on the road.
    The letter he was waiting for might have already arrived. He’d wanted to join this particular expedition to Rome for more than two years. Most of his fellow professors thought he was crazy to even attempt to secure the post because of his age. His age. A problem he’d dealt with many times over the years.
    When the special tutor his da had arranged had told them that at thirteen years Braeden was ready for university, it had taken quite a bit of persuasion on both his and the tutor’s part to convince his parents. Too young . He’d heard it all his life. Too young to read at three years, too young to do higher level mathematics at seven years. But he’d done it, and continued on. Unusually superior intellect , his tutor had said.
    He needed this expedition to convince others that he belonged, even if he was decades younger than most in his field. He had to prove to them, as well as himself, that age did not matter when the passion for your work was as strong as his. This was not an opportunity he wanted to miss.
    Then he looked at her face and knew the decision had been made. Hope burned in her eyes. Hope and uncertainty. For, as bold as the lass was, she knew he could easily say nay. Then where would that leave her? Forced to continue on or return home with just a maid and a rented carriage. His mum would knock him over the head if he abandoned a lady and left her to the dangers of the road with no protection.
    He sighed. “Aye. I’ll travel with ye as yer escort.”
    Monty stood and slapped him on the back. “Seeing as how I’m going in the opposite direction, I wish ye well. I’m heading off to bed to get an early start in the morning.”
    Lady Sarah clapped her hands. “Wonderful. Now we must make plans.” She tapped her chin with a slim finger. “First we must rent a carriage. And, of course, I’ll need a few days to get my clothing in order. Oh, and we’ll need to see if my trunk is still where we left it. No matter if it isn’t. There must be a shop nearby where I can purchase a few…” She stopped and stared at him. “What?”
    Mouth agape, he regarded her with a combination of awe and fear. The wee lass brought to mind a small bird from America he’d read about. She was like the hummingbird, flitting about in her thoughts, giving orders, making decisions, and generally taking charge of a journey for which he should have control.
    “Wait just a minute, here, lass. As for a carriage, that would be for me to secure. Clothing doesn’t matter. As long as ye have something to cover yerself with, we need not worry about any additional items. And we are naught settling ourselves in here for a couple of days. I am expecting a very important letter to arrive at my home, and I intend to be there when it does.”
    She picked up on the one thing apparently dearest to her heart. “I will not continue on this journey without sufficient clothing.”
    He leaned back in his chair, eying her speculatively. “That depends on what ye deem ‘sufficient.’ To me, ye look fine right now.” Aye, she did. Her eyes flashed, her chin was thrust forward, and her cheeks flushed bright red. Right now he wanted to taste those plump lips.
    Merely to