The Highlander's Accidental Bride by Cathy MacRae

Sunlight danced on the water below and she spied children playing on the broad banks of the river. Shrieks of laughter rose on the currents of air as the children ran and dodged each other in their game.
    “It is beautiful,” she sighed.
    “Then, Mairi, lass, learn to love it well, for the king will grant us no divorce.”

CHAPTER 13
    Eaden felt Mary’s body stiffen an instant before she tore from his arms. For a moment he was too stunned to move, and Mary stumbled as she pulled free of his grasp, windmilling her arms to catch her balance.
    Muttering a curse under his breath, Eaden shoved away from the tree to chase after her. He’d expected her to dissolve into tears, not run away. Once again she’d caught him off guard, and he found himself several strides behind her, alarmed at how close she stood to the edge of the cliff. It would only take a single misstep or a loose rock . . .
    Eaden redoubled his efforts. “Mary, stop !” But his words had no affect on his young bride. She did not hesitate, did not slow her headlong bid for freedom.
    Eaden lunged for her. Grabbing one arm, he planted his feet firmly in the rocky soil and brought them both to a stop. The force swung Mary around, and she cried out. The despair in her eyes as she rounded on him stabbed straight to his heart. He started to pull her into his arms, wanting only to soothe the hurt he’d caused her.
    “No!” She slapped at him with her free hand as she tried to escape his grasp, but Eaden held on, letting her fight him, making no move to shield himself from the fist pounding him with furious intent. Finally, drained but unvanquished, Mary stood still before him, breathing heavily, eyeing him with loathing.
    Eaden’s heart swelled with admiration at her spirit, even as exasperation filled him for the way she refused to listen.
    “Why?” she choked, breathless. “You promised!”
    “Aye. I promised I would wait until ye knew if ye were with child or no’. And I promised I would then make yer request known to the king.” He faced the fire in her eyes. “But I dinnae promise ye a divorce.”
    “But you couldn’t wait to go to the king!” she protested. “You were so angry when you left!”
    “Aye, I was angry. But I was angry ye insisted I ask King Robert for a divorce, no’ because ye were no’ with child.”
    Mary chewed her bottom lip in a thoughtful manner. Suddenly she reached out and pinched his arm, hard.
    Eaden flinched away with an oath of surprised pain. “What the . . .!”
    Mary sighed, the anger at last fading from her face. “I wanted to make sure this wasn’t a bad dream.”
    “By pinching me?”
    “You can’t feel pain in a dream,” she pointed out.
    Eaden rubbed his arm over the still-red mark. “Then pinch yerself,” he growled.
    Mary blinked in wide-eyed surprise. “It would have hurt.”
    He stared at her in disbelief. “‘Tis no’ a dream, lass.”
    “But you know you don’t want me! And this is not what I wanted . . .”
    Eaden’s lips quirked ruefully. As disillusioned as he knew her to be, his wife still believed in her girlish dreams. “What do ye want of marriage, Mairi?” he asked, recapturing one of her hands.
    Mary tugged uselessly against his grip. Giving him a sidelong glance, she hesitated as though weighing his interest. He returned her look evenly and ran his thumb slowly across the palm of her hand, but he did not release her.
    Her shoulders slumped as though in defeat. “I wanted to marry for love. Though someone in my position would have little chance of marrying for wealth or status, there was always a chance I would be able to marry someone of my choosing.”
    “Is there a lad who has yer heart, lass?”
    To his relief, Mary replied, “No. There is no one. Only the dream.”
    In spite of his good intention to listen seriously, Eaden uttered a short laugh.
    Mary glared at him. “I suppose you have a different outlook on marriage, don’t you?” she mocked bitterly.
    “I am more