The Heiress Bride - Catherine Coulter [124]
Douglas was giving Colin a brooding look. Finally he sighed. “There is much here to consider. I think I shall take my wife to bed—so she can rest, naturally—then I would like to meet my new niece and nephew.”
“Come along, Sophie, you may accompany Alex. If I get you alone, I just might behave in a manner ill-suited to our blissful married state.”
When Colin and Sinjun were alone, Colin shoved off the mantel and strode over to her. His expression was bland but his eyes, those beautiful dark blue eyes of his, were hot with anger. He sat on the bed beside her. He said nothing, merely leaned down over her, his face inches from hers. He looked into her eyes. Finally he said very quietly, “You have gone too far this time. I will tolerate no more insults from you, no more interference in my affairs. Where is MacPherson?”
“If I tell you he might be able to hurt you. Please, Colin, can’t I continue with my plan?”
He leaned back a bit and crossed his arms over his chest. “Tell me this plan of yours.”
“I am delivering Robert MacPherson up to the Royal Navy. I understand they aren’t terribly discriminating about who is delivered up to them, whether or not the man wishes to be there or not, you understand.”
“Oh yes, I understand.” He looked away from her now. “It isn’t a bad plan,” he said mildly. “Which ship of the Royal Navy do you have in mind?”
“I sent Ostle to Leith to see which ships were available to us. There’s bound to be at least one, don’t you think?”
“Yes, if not right this minute, then not long from now. However, there is something you couldn’t have known that makes it impractical.”
“And what is that, pray?”
He grinned at the rancor in her voice. “The word clan comes from the Gaelic clann and means simply ‘children.’ So you see, the Clan MacPherson are really the children of MacPherson. If you eliminate one of the clan, or children, the others are bound to seek revenge and retribution. If you make the son of the laird disappear, the Kinross clan will be the prime suspects, and there will be violence. It will escalate with scarce any provocation at all. It’s a vicious cycle. Do you understand?”
Sinjun nodded slowly. “I didn’t realize. Oh dear, what shall I do now, Colin?”
“First, you will promise me that you will never again take matters into your own white hands. You will never again keep secrets from me. You will never again seek to protect me from any enemies.”
“That’s a lot to promise, Colin.”
“You did it before and you lied to me. I will give you another chance, mainly because you’re too weak for me to beat you with any sort of efficacy.”
“I will promise if you will promise the same thing.”
“I’ll beat you despite your weakness.”
“Do you want to?”
“Not really, perhaps fifteen minutes ago I would have thoroughly enjoyed it, but not now. Actually, it was strangulation I was thinking of. I would prefer now to strip that nightgown off you and kiss every inch of you.”
“Oh.”
“Oh,” he repeated, mimicking her.
“I think I should like that, at least the kissing part.”
“I will kiss you once you have told me where MacPherson is so I can deal with this.”
Sinjun didn’t know what to do. She was frightened for her husband and unfortunately it showed on her face. He said, “Don’t even think it, Joan. Tell me the truth now and tell me all of it. Then you may give me your promise to keep yourself out of my affairs.”
“He’s in the croft that lies just on the western edge of Craignure Moor.”
“An excellent hidey-hole. No one goes there. He should be quite enraged by now.”
“He hasn’t been there all that long, no more than three hours now.”
“I will see you later,” he said, and rose to stand beside the bed. “I wish you to rest and regain your strength. I’ve realized that keeping away from you wasn’t a good idea. You’re my wife. I will sleep with you tonight and every night for the rest of our lives.”
“That would be nice,” she said, then began twisting the