Mated to my best friend

Lord Arthur remained silent for several long moments.

'Very well, you can be married from here on two conditions.'

Lucas stiffened. 'If I don't like your...'

She dug her fingernails into the back of his hand. 'Which are?'

'That you delay your nuptials for another week. Give me a month to get the place ready.'

She glanced at Lucas . His lips thinned into a mutinous line. Lips that had touched hers and sent such a jolt through her still hadn't recovered. 'Don't you think that.' She murmured.

The anger in Lucas' eyes when he turned to her made her heart beat harder. This was a whole history of anger that existed between the two men.

It's only a week,' she whispered. 'It doesn't seem unreasonable. And Alice Will enjoy helping me with the preparations.

At the reminder of what they were really doing here, some of the tension bled from his shoulders. Resignation replaced the anger in his eyes. 'Fine we will delay the wedding by one week but not a day more.'

She let out a pent up breath. So far so good.

'My second condition is that your bride to be remains here to oversee the preparations.'

She swallowed. She had t foreseen that.

'That's out of the question! Will shot on his feet.'I want Claire in London with me. Besides, she had her own life to lead and her own commitments to take care of, and doesn't have the time to be subjected to your whims.

'She doesn't have the time to plan her own wedding?'

A million pounds...

She can organise it from London.'... in exchange for a month oh her life.

'I believe Ms Williams can speak on her own behalf.' Claire,' she said automatically. 'Please call me Claire.' She turned to Lucas. I'd like to be personally involved in the preparation for the wedding, Lucas I know I could do it from London, but I will be able to troubleshoot more effectively on the spot m, make any split second decision that are needed.' And she didn't want Lord Arthur springing up any nasty surprises on that day.'But...' she glanced at the older man i need to tell my father the news in person, not over the phone.'

He made a few faces but eventually nodded. 'Yes, I can see how that is necessary.'

'He's out of the country at the moment. He returns on Friday, and we were planning on telling him then.'

She thought hard about the commitment she had for the next month. 'I could fly to London on Friday and stay overnight...We can tell my father that evening. I will have a chance to then pack for a Longer stay here and take care of few bits and bobs at the end too. I'm also organising a charity ball my father is hosting two Saturdays from tomorrow. All the preparations are complete, except for a few finishing touches, which I can take care of from here, but i will need to return to London to host it. The older man looked as if he was going to argue. The sofa cushion rocked as Lucas lowered himself back down beside her. 'You don't have to do this.'

Oh, she had the distinct feeling that she did. 'I want to. She glanced at Lord Arthur again. 'It's best I can manage, I'm afraid.'

He huffed out a breath.

'Also, she added. 'I have a couple of conditions of my own.' A sly thought made her added . 'Though I expect Lucas can take care of those for me.'

The older man stiffened. 'I'm the master of this establishment,' he thundered, 'I'm fully able to provide my guest with whatever amenities are needed.'

Guest or hostage? But she left that unsaid.

'Excellent! Then I'm going to need access to a car while I'm here.'

Shaggy brows lowered. 'What for?

She raised an eyebrow. 'Have you ever tried to arrange an event like this before? I'm going to need to hire caters, bar and wait staff, a photographer, as well as someone to do the cake. Not to mention a dress. At this stage I can't expect all of the people I need to see to come to me personally.'

'We can use my people in London.' Lucas said 'Nonsense! We have better people here in Scotland. I will make sure there's a car available for whenever you need it , my dear.'

My dear? Heavens!

'What else do you need?'

'A horse.'

'What for?

'To ride. It will keep me sane.'

He thrust his jaw out. 'You think being exiled to the highlands is going to be that much of an ordeal?'

'I want to look my best in a month's time, Lord Arthur. And that involves getting plenty of fresh air and exercise to balance out all the sitting indoors and watching musicals that I plan to do too.' A stiff canter every day would help her maintain her equilibrium and good humour in the face of Lord Arthur's disapproval. She crossed her fingers at least, she hoped it would.

He doesn't trust us. It was the next morning early and not even the crisp clean air or the way the sun sparkled on the dew could lift the weight from Lucas's shoulders. Claire had been right. This wasn't going to be easy.

'Of course he doesn't.'

Still, Claire had somehow taken his grandfather from thinly veiled hostility to almost grudging acceptance. Almost but not quite.

'And I don't trust him.&

'We can't discuss this in front of your grandfather's staff ,she murmured as they approached the stables. 'Too many people make the mistake of treating the staff as if they are invisible, but they are not. I bet the gardener and stable hands have worked at Ashbarrow for a long time. Which means they will be to your grandfather.'

Not that he deserves such loyalty.

'We can't give anyone a reason to suspect anything we don't want them to.'

He glanced at her. She never treated staff as if they were invisible.

Did he!

A groom led out two beautiful looking steeds and Claire stilled and clasped her hands beneath her chin as she surveyed them. Oh! Her face softened in awe and appreciation and his heart jerked about his chest. A moment later she'd kicked herself forward to make friends with them, and the vice about his chest eased a fraction. .

Josh, his grandfather's huge grey gelding, had a reputation for being temperamental and he wanted to caution Claire to be on her guard. But as he watched her with the horses he closed his mouth again. Both horses nuzzled her hands as she crooned to them.

She had a way with horses she always had.

Not just horses but doges too.

And last night it was her lap the household cat had decided to curl up on. Okay, so she had a way with animals in general. He wondered why she didn't have a pet. Mind you, if she crooned to hm like that she'd have him eating out of her hand too. He adjusted his stance. Hypothetically speaking g, of course.

She sent him a self conscious smile and he realised he had been staring.