It took her several heartbeats before she turned, sadness still in the bend of her lips. Her sorrow twisted inside him, and he realized that he much preferred her fiery anger. She took a full inhale, her shoulders straightening, and walked to stand before him, once more the proud chief. Even with the hellish Sutherland brand, her face was beautiful, delicate features and pale skin with a touch of freckles across her slender nose and cheeks.

His brothers stood to the side of him, watching for the next step in his strategy to unfold. Cain waited until she met his gaze. “Kenneth Macleod is important to ye?”

The delicate column of her throat showed her swallow, and her lips opened. “He is a friend and wise advisor.”

“I will see that he survives any friction between our clans,” Cain said, “if ye yield to me.”

Her small nostrils flared, her lips tightening into a thin line. “I yield to no man.” Shoulders pushing back, she tipped her chin higher, taking on the regal bearing of a warrior queen. “I would, however, accept an offer to save my advisor and clan,” she said, her gaze moving past him to stare at the wall beyond. “Although I have yet to be asked by you to wed. Seeing as you have posted the banns, I assume you plan to do so soon. When you do, I will say yes in order to prevent as much bloodshed as possible.”

“Quite romantic,” Joshua said behind Cain.

Ella slid her gaze to center on Cain. “Romance has nothing to do with marriage.”

She was yielding to him? What made her bend when she’d continued to thwart him with requests to die instead? Hew’s crude words, which showed her how terrible her other prospects were? Doubtful, since she’d said she wouldn’t marry anyone. Her compliance must stem from fear her advisor would die.

His gaze raked down her fine form. Despite the dryness of the oath-taking ceremony, and the fury the Mackays had ignited within him, looking at her strong features and courage calmed Cain. She was brave and clever, and her beauty whetted his appetite for another taste of the passionate woman who had been willing to do anything to save those she deemed worthy, whether it was a newborn foal, her advisor, or her clan.

Like last night in the stables, he kept the heat out of his voice. “Arabella Sutherland, chief of the Sutherland clan…” His voice filled the quiet room. “Will ye wed with me?”

“Yes,” she said without a smile or emotion of any type. He wasn’t sure why that irked him, but he brushed it off, coming closer to her. He bent his face toward hers to seal the promise with a kiss, but she backed up abruptly. “I wish to return to my room to prepare for my ordeal.”