A Perfect Wife [Highland Menage 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Reece Butler Read Free Book Online Page A

listen. A clan wants a strong, decisive laird. I have learned from yer father, and also from Somerled.”
    “Our laird is grim and responsible, but Niall, his twin, yanks the stick out of his arse now and then,” said Duff. "As I do with mine.” He barely ducked the swat Malcolm aimed at his head.
    “And here I was thinkin’ I could be the one causing trouble for once,” complained Colin.
    “The heir to Clan MacKenzie?” Duff rolled his eyes. “Ye willna get in trouble no matter what ye do.”
    Colin suddenly grinned. “I might if I elope with my wee bride.”
    “Elope?”
    “Kiera did, so why shouldn’t I do the same? Barbara’s father keeps putting off the wedding.” Colin adjusted the leather thong holding his eye patch snug. “First my father marries a woman my age, then your brothers come here with Alana Sinclair, and now you two are locked up with my sister all hours.” He grimaced. “They’re all having babes and I’ve not had a wedding night. I’m going to steal her away.”
    “She lives at Grantown-on-Spey, ye fool,” said Duff, shaking his head. “Yer father’s new wife is a Chisholm, and they’re feuding with the Grants. Fraser of Lovat is their ally, so he willna help.”
    “Barbara’s father is at home, aye, but my fiancée is visiting elsewhere. ’ Tis only a wee ride through Fraser land to Loch Ness and then a wee boat ride. They’ll let me into Urquhart Castle as I am to be her husband and am ever so responsible.” He preened.
    “Ye ken the place?” asked Duff. “We looked from the far side of Loch Ness on our way here.” He shook his head at Colin. “Grant’s built himself a fine towerhouse on the point. Ye may get in but will they let the two of ye out again?”
    Colin’s easy expression hardened. “We have a signed marriage contract so I’ve the right to bed Barbara. I’m making what we both want happen, just like Cormac and James did with Alana. We’ll handfast, then take the boat back to my men, ones with fast horses.’”
    “Does the Lady Barbara wish to have ye?” asked Malcolm. “It would not be right to shame her.”
    Colin grinned and clapped both of them on the shoulders. “Your brothers had a wee word with me while they were here. They said what to do to make my lady smile. I’d not thought learning my letters would be so useful.” He winked. “Barbara’s still a virgin, but I made her very happy. More than once.” He winked, a strange thing with only one eye visible. “I’m not the only one wishing to wed.”
    “The Lord of Kintail willna be pleased,” said Malcolm. “Nor will her father. He’s Lord Strathspey, aye?”
    “The lords willna be pleased, but my father will,” replied Colin. “He will bluster at me as a lord should but there is a contract so they canna do much once Barbara is well bedded. And she will be.”
    “Where will ye go?”
    “We’ll visit my brother Roderick Mor at Redcastle. We’ll take a boat across Beauly Basin from Inverness.”
    Duff turned to Malcolm with a false groan. “Now I ken why Kiera is trouble. Her father is a bold man and her brother, the heir, wild. Kiera has it from both of them.”
    “We have heard nothing of whatever this lad was jabbering about, Duff.” Malcolm tilted his head toward the hall. “We’ve been speaking of what to bring. Our bed—”
    “Is already on the way to Kinrowan,” said Duff. He smirked. “I heard Mistress Chisholm shrieked when she returned to find it replaced with a thin pallet.”
    “Good,” said Colin. “I’ll send her home on the slowest, most uncomfortable cart I can find.”
    “Do ye ken why would she attack Kiera?” asked Malcolm.
    “Aye. Dougal Chisholm is her son. She thought she’d get to control Kinrowan when he married Kiera.”
    “He the one Kiera heard plotting how to take her dowry and lock her up, so told yer father?”
    “Aye. Kiera was fifteen at the time. She hasn’t trusted a man since. Until you two.” Colin’s one-eyed glare was