Chapter Text
Jamie
Of course I knew this day would come, I just didn’t realise it would be so soon. Both my brother and sister were matched with their spouses when they were both teenagers. The fact that they had both married to give our family stronger connections in the Scottish underworld should have meant that I was free to marry whoever I chose. Someone from our world, of course, but there was no need for me to go through the same arranged marriage fate as my siblings.
But I was wrong.
I never expected my uncle to arrange a marriage between myself and Claire Beauchamp, the head of an organised crime ring down in London.
This was the day I was going to meet my soon to be bride. I ken both my siblings were lucky enough to fall in love wi’ their spouses over time, I dinna think I will be so lucky.
“Yer lucky the lass agreed to this union, lad,” my uncle smirked from across the table.
“And how’d ye work that one out,” I bite back.
“Well, she’s a bonnie wee thing. Many a man over the last three years have been askin’ for her hand in marriage, but she turned down every single one. Canna say if I wasna a married man myself, I wouldna have offered to take the lass for myself. I can just imagine pummelling my cock right into that sweet round arse of hers—”
“I’ll stop ye right there, uncle. If Claire Beauchamp is to become my wife, I’ll thank ye no to speak of her in that way. Are we clear,” I hiss.
Dougal only flashed me another smirk before nodding his head once. “Come on lad, she’ll be here any minute.”
I kent there were many men across the country desperate for a union wi’ Claire. She was a beautiful woman, no man could deny it. She had long brown curls, and the sweetest golden brown eyes ye had ever seen. Though, I’d only ever seen her from a distance. Maybe spoken to the lass once or twice over the phone in the past, but never since the passing of her husband, Frank, who died in a house fire caused by the Irish a few years ago.
Dougal was right, many a man had proposed marriage to the widow over the last three years, but she had always turned them down. Until me.
It’s no secret that Claire and her first husband Frank were a love match. He wasna even born and raised within the underworld, but Claire’s uncle Lamb blessed their union as he wanted to keep Claire as far away from this world as he could. Unfortunately, after the passing of Lamb’s one and only son, there was no way Claire could step away from her role as future boss of the family business.
“Jamie,” I heard Dougal call from the front of the house. “Yer bride has arrived.”
I removed the blue tie from around my neck that my sister Jenny insisted I wear, and undid a couple of buttons before taking a deep breath and making my way to the front door.
Jenny was standing in the open doorway. Her back was to me, but I could imagine her scrutinising her future sister in law from head to toe. Even though my sister was in favour of my uncle arranging a marriage for me, she wasna so keen on who my uncle arranged the union with.
I could see Claire’s wild brown curls blowing in the Scottish wind as she stood impatiently at the door, waiting to be invited in. Her jaw was set in a way that told me she just wanted to get this introduction over and done wi’.
I moved to behind Jenny and opened the door wider, causing my sister to stumble a little to the side, and invited Claire into our family home.
She didna speak. Or smile. She just walked on in as if she belonged here. I suppose in a way, she did. When we married in a months time, the house would soon be half hers.
The heels of Claire’s shoes clicked as she moved farther into the house. She came to a stop in the hallway just outside the dining room.
“I would like a word. In private, if you don’t mind,” Claire finally spoke to me, but her voice was cold, just like her exterior. I was starting to remember why she got her nickname, the “Ice Princess.”
Dougal appeared wi’ a tumbler off whisky for the lady, but she didna take it.
“Dae ye really think it wise for a young woman such as yourself to be alone in a room wi’ a lad,” Jenny commented. Her voice just as unwelcoming as Claire’s.
Claire kept her eyes focused on me as she responded, “I’m fairly certain I can handle myself.”
Wi’out another word, Claire turned on her heel and made her way into the dining room. I turned to both Dougal and my sister and lifted a single shoulder before following Claire into the empty dining room and closing the door behind us.
Claire had taken the seat at the head of the table, but when I went to pull out the chair closest to her, she gave a subtle shake of her head.
“Can I get ye something to drink? Tea, coffee? Water, even?”
Claire didna respond, just lifted the sleeve of her jade green blouse and looked at her watch. She looked impatient. She didna want to be here, that was most definitely clear.
I made my way down to the other end of the table and sat facing my future wife. Her eyes scanned my face for a moment, but her own was completely void of any emotion. I couldn’t work out what she was thinking.
“I realise that meeting with only a month to go before the wedding isn’t all that ideal, but unfortunately my schedule just wouldn’t allow for any time before now.”
“Its alright. I ken yer a busy woman,” I answered.
“Yes,” she responded plainly. “I am.”
“Well, you’re here now,” is all I could think to say.
Claire nodded her head once again before leaning her back against the chair and interlacing her fingers together. “Do you have any questions for me? Obviously there are things I can’t and won’t openly discuss with you, but if you have a question, I will answer if I can.”
There was only really one question on my mind, but I couldna see Claire being open enough to answer it. Especially at our first meeting.
She tilted her head to the side as she watched me. “Spit it out, Jamie. I don’t have all day.”
“Why me,” I asked carefully. “Why now? I ken ye’ve had plenty of men propose marriage to ye over the years, but ye’ve never shown any interest in wanting another husband. Until now, that is.”
Claire sighed before her gaze quickly shifted to her hands that rested on the table in front of her.
“As the boss, I need a husband who will support me. As a woman, I know there are many men in this world who would gladly become my husband to only try and take my power and birthright from me. I can’t have that. I need someone who is willing to stand by my side. Fight with me, not against me. I have a feeling you can do that. Your family already hold so much power and wealth, you don’t need mine. But our union, it will only make our families stronger.
“As for why now, I suppose you’ve heard my uncle isn’t as fit as he once was.”
“Aye, I did hear that. I’m sorry, Claire.”
For the first time, I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in her eyes, but in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Claire sat up straight and looked me straight in the eye again, holding my gaze wi’ hers. “He would prefer to see me settled, knowing that I, as well as the business is in good hands. He wants me to produce an heir.
“I’m in my late twenties, I think he thinks my biological clock is running out.”
I definitely seen it then, her eyes glassing over in sadness. Whether that to do with her uncle’s health, or the thought of having children wi’ a complete stranger, I dinna ken. Like before though, in the blink of an eye, the Ice Princess’ mask was back on her face.
“You’re a young, fit, and healthy man, so I suppose you were the logical choice.”
I couldna deny the sting I felt at that comment. I kent this union was formed out of convenience, but would it if hurt the lass to say she chose me because she wanted to marry me? Wanted to build a family and a future wi’ me?
Claire checked the expensive looking silver watch on her wrist again. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer,” she starts, “I have a meeting in Inverness shortly, and then I need to fly back down to London.”
“Of course,” I answered, before standing from the table and fishing the ring box from my trouser pocket.
“Oh,” is all Claire said when she noticed the small blue box in my hand. “You didn’t need to. I thought a simple wedding band would have been fine on the day we get married.”
It was then that I noticed Claire was still wearing her engagement ring and her golden wedding band from Frank.
Claire noticed my gaze on her left hand, but she didna say anything as she stood and made her way towards me. “If you give me your number, we can communicate between ourselves, instead of Lamb and Dougal doing all the running on our behalf,” she suggested.
Claire handed me her phone and I put my number in. She sent me a text immediately so I had her contact information as well.
“I guess I’ll see you in a month,” Claire said indifferently.
It occurred to me then that Claire really had no input into the wedding. I guessed it was because she had already been married, but she hadn’t even seen the church where our wedding would be taking place.
“If yer heading into Inverness, might I suggest I tag along and on the way we could stop in at the Kirk so ye can see where we will be getting married?”
Her eyes did soften at that, and they stayed like that for more than a second. Her eyes sparkled like I had never seen before. She almost seemed… human.
“How about I come back up in a couple of weeks and you can show me around. I mean, if I’m going to living here for part of the year, might as well get to know my way around the area. Maybe meet some of your friends and family before the wedding.”
“I’d like that,” I answered wi’ a smile.
Claire smiled back, but as soon as she heard Dougal and Jenny outside the dining room, her mask slipped back into place. Again.