Chapter 15

At last, the dinner drew to an end and the party around the laird's table began to fragment. Some guests retired to bed, while others settled in to drink, share stories, or play cards.

"Shall we retire, Odhrán? I'm rather tired," Maddison asked him eventually.

"Aye, of course, me darlin', whatever ye wish." He rose and offered her his arm. She took it, and they said their good nights. But when they got to the top landing of the staircase, and she saw Rollo and Ursula following them a few yards behind, she frowned.

"Why are they followin' us?" she whispered to Odhrán, puzzled.

"He's going tae his room, or at least, the room where he always sleeps when he's here," Odhrán whispered back. They came to their own door and paused as Rollo and Ursula passed them.

"Good night tae ye, Cousin. Good night, me lady," Rollo said, his voice laced with sarcasm as he opened the door to the chamber next to their own.

"Good night tae ye both," Ursula added in a timorous voice, smiling at them before Rollo pushed her inside, followed her in, and shut the door.

Maddison put her hands on her hips, gawking at the closed door. "Ye mean tae say he's sleepin' in the room next tae us?" she said in disbelief.

Odhrán opened their door and ushered her in. "He's always done that, taken the second-best rooms, right next to the laird's chambers," he said, pushing the door closed and starting to unbuckle his sword belt.

"Huh! I suppose he thinks he's warmin' up fer afore officially occupyin' it," she said grimly, throwing her shawl on the bed and kicking off her slippers. Odhrán threw his sword belt over the back of a chair along with his coat and strode over to the console table.

"Aye, that's about the size of it," he said. "Would ye like a wee dram?"

"Aye, I would. I need somethin' after sittin' at the table with that swine. I feel kind of dirty."

"Rollo has a way of makin' ye feel that way," he admitted pouring them both a generous measure. They sat before the fire, taking an armchair each. Odhrán sighed as he heeled off his boots, and Maddison curled her legs under her, sipping at her whisky. "He even has a maid of his own who always takes care of his family when they visit," he told her.

She shook her head, clearly appalled. "I could hardly believe what he dared tae say about ye at yer own table. I cannae even bring meself tae repeat it. The man must have a death wish!" she exclaimed.

"And I'm achin' tae grant it," Odhrán said, taking a deep swallow of his whisky. He would definitely remember that slur when he finally got to kill his cousin. "But I ken an outburst like that will nae be looked upon in a good light from the council."

"I cannae stand the man. Now I ken why ye didnae tell me about him or want him at our weddin'."

"Aye, I'd be happy if I never saw him again, the slimy bastard." He wondered what she would say if he showed her the letter his father had left for Rollo, instructing him to wipe out the rest of her family. He hoped she would never have to know of it. "I'm awful grateful fer ye defendin' me like that," he said instead.

"Nay need tae be," she said. "He's truly vile, and he deserves tae be taken down a peg or two. I pity Ursula. Imagine what it must be like tae be shackled tae that arrogant, overfed rat. Frankly, I'm amazed I managed tae refrain from slappin' him."

Odhrán gave a dark chuckle. "I've felt the same way fer years, only I was thinkin' of somethin' a wee bit more violent involvin' me sword," he admitted. "But I couldnae have handled things as well as ye did. I was close tae loosin' me temper several times, what with the way he was ogling ye." The chuckle died away and was replaced with a scowl as he recalled the feeling.

Maddison finished her whisky and poured them both a fresh one. They had both drunk quite a bit of wine at dinner, and Odhrán noticed she was growing a little tipsy and flushed. He did not mind because she was being kind to him and treating him as if they were properly man and wife. He reveled in the feeling, knowing it was likely going to be short-lived, and he would be back sleeping on the floor once Rollo and Ursula departed.

So, it was a great surprise to him when she suddenly put down her glass, gave him a mischievous look, and said, "We should teach him a lesson."

"What sort of lesson?" he asked, frowning in puzzlement. But she was already out of her chair and standing by the wall that adjoined Rollo's bedchamber. She pressed her ear to it and listened for a few moments. "Nae a peep. So much for the great lover, eh? Let's show him how wrong he is, give him somethin' tae think about."

"Ooooh, Odhrán, ahhh!" she suddenly moaned loudly. "Ooooh, more, more, Odhrán!"

Startled, he leaped from his chair and ran across to her. She was leaning against the wall, shaking with laughter.

"What d'ye think ye're up tae?" he demanded in a harsh whisper, feeling his cheeks reddening with embarrassment.

"I'm givin' him a taste of his own medicine," she whispered back. "Och, Odhrán, ye're so big and strong. Aahh! Oooh!" she wailed, collapsing into a fit of giggles. "Come on, are ye nae gonnae join in?" she whispered through her laughter.

"I cannae," he protested at first, feeling foolish.

"Aye, ye can. Just moan a bit, like me," she encouraged him, her eyes bright with mirth. "Oooh, Odhrán, come tae me, me big, braw man!" she called to the wall. Caught up in her excitement, Odhrán let out a loud groan, and Maddison joined in. Soon, they formed a chorus of loud moans and groans that sounded for all the world as if they were making passionate love. In between times, they fell against each other, eventually sliding down the wall to the floor, weak with laughter, stifling their snorts of laughter so as not to ruin the illusion for Rollo.

However, after a time, hearing her say his name repeatedly through her moaning started to get Odhrán aroused. His manhood stirred and stiffened, and it was soon pressing uncomfortably again the front of his kilt.

"What is that?" asked a breathless Maddison, her eyes widening as she pointed to the prominent bulge now making his predicament obvious. Odhrán smiled sheepishly, shifting his position and trying to hide it, but it was no good.

Now that's a way tae make a fool of yerself, Odhrán. As if ye're nae a halfwit in her eyes already…

"I'm sorry, Maddison, I cannae help it. When ye keep moanin' and sayin' me name like that, well…, 'tis gettin' me aroused," he admitted. "'Tis impossible tae control, I'm a man."

"Is that so?" she asked, staring at him and then the bulge for a few moments, as though she was trying to understand something. He braced himself, fearing she was going to change back to her usual self, cutting him down to size with some cruel remark. But she did not.

Instead, she scooted closer to him, opened her mouth, and let out a long, passionate moan. "Aaahh, ooooh, more, Odhrán, please!" Her face was inches from his. It glowed with a radiance that dazzled him. He drank in every detail of her finely sculpted features. Her eyes were bright with mirth, her cheeks pink, and her laughter and smile were as sweet to him as honey to a bee.

"Maddison," he heard himself breathe, afraid to move and break the spell.

"Odhrán," she murmured, gazing deeply into his eyes. A bolt of pleasure lanced through him again to hear his name so soft on her tongue, but this time, he sensed she was not jesting. It fanned the flames of his desire even higher.

Maddison slowly leaned forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. She closed the small gap between them, her beautiful dark-gray eyes fixed on his all the while, until their noses were touching. Odhrán held his breath to see the flickering of desire in her eyes that reflected his own for her.

He was dying to kiss her, but he hesitated. Seizing the chance he had long waited for, he said, "Maddison, I want tae tell ye somethin'."

"Then tell me," she whispered, her warm breath making his skin tingle.

"I want tae apologize tae ye, fer so many things. Me faither murderin' yer family and keepin' ye in captivity like that fer so long."

"Why are ye bringin' that up now? I dinnae like tae think about it," she said, suddenly sounding distressed.

"I have tae try tae explain mesel'," he told her earnestly, catching her hand in his. "Ye wouldnae let me speak about it before, but I want ye tae ken how sorry I am that I could nae free ye back then, that I lied tae ye all that time about who I was."

She was silent for a moment, but she did not pull her hand away. Then she said, with a look of pain in her eyes, "Why did ye dae it, Odhrán? I thought ye were me friend. It hurt me so much tae find ye'd been lyin' tae me all along."

"I ken 'tis hard fer ye tae believe this right now, but I was tryin' tae protect ye. I had tae stop me faither from killin' ye, which is what he wanted tae dae. I could nae just let ye go as I wanted tae, fer he would have killed us both. I didnae care about mesel', but I couldnae bear the thought of him killin' ye, with nae one there tae protect ye.

"Every day, I had tae persuade him ye were worth more alive, that we could use ye as a bargainin' chip, tae make a deal with yer braithers tae get ye back. But then, when the deal was made and yer braithers came fer ye, I realized he never intended tae let any of ye go free. He wanted tae kill ye all."

"I understand all that, but ye still have nae told me why ye lied tae me fer so long," she said, still letting him hold her hand and listening attentively to all he was saying.

"Maddison, tell me the truth now, if ye'd kent who I really was, would ye even have spoken tae me? Nay. Ye'd have spat in me face, fer certain, and then I could nae have done anythin' tae ease yer time in that bloody dungeon. Ye would have starved tae death or caught a fever. Every time I came down tae see ye, I had me heart in me mouth, prayin' ye were still alive. D'ye see, I had nae choice but tae lie tae ye, even though I hated mesel' fer it the whole time," he told her, feeling a flicker of the old pain once more.

"I suppose ye're right, I would have spat in yer face, and I wouldnae have accepted any of those things ye brought me, the food, the books, the candles, or the clothing and blankets," she confessed.

"It was the only way I could keep ye alive until I figured out a way tae let ye go without me faither killing both of us."

"And that was why ye killed yer faither… tae save me…" she said.

"Aye, that's why. However, much ye may hate me fer lyin', ye couldnae hate me as much as I hated mesel' fer lettin' him treat ye that way. He was gonnae kill ye, and I could nae allow that." He wanted to say more, so much more, to open his heart to her and tell her how he had loved her from the first moment he had set his eyes on her. But he was not sure if it would be too much and would end in another rejection.

She was quiet for a moment or two. Then she said, "Ye ken better than anyone, Odhrán, how I hate liars."

"Aye, I ken it well," he replied with a sigh, sure some blow must be about to fall.

"The why d'ye nae prove tae me that I'm nae a liar."

"What? What d'ye mean?" he asked, puzzled.

"I lied fer ye and said ye were a fine lover. D'ye nae think ye should prove tae me that ye are?" Her invitation was hardly a whisper as she leaned forward.

Something broke inside Odhrán then. He could no more have stopped himself than stop the world. When he felt her lips alight upon his, a shiver went through him, but he was more than ready for her. He enfolded her in his arms and kissed her as he had never kissed anyone, as he had always wanted to kiss her, pouring all his pent-up emotions into it.

Maddison had never met a man she desired as much as Odhrán in her whole life. She had not even dreamed she had it in her! She had heard servants make those sounds she had just mimicked when she and her brother had once gone into their quarters as bairns to eavesdrop and she knew more or less what happened between a man and a woman, but she had no experience herself. The lure of his rough, masculine beauty and his magnificent body up close drew her to him in ways she could hardly fathom. She could only obey, craving his touch. His laughter and carefree smile unleashed something in her, wild tingling sensations were flooding her body. The past went out the window, and resistance gave way like a burst dam.

Moving towards him as if pulled by a string, she put her hand on his shoulder and held his gaze. The hunger she saw in them excited her further, compelling her forward until her lips were pressed to his.

His smoky, musky scent enveloped her, making her feel like she was drunk, yet she knew she was not. Well, a little maybe, but it was mainly the effect Odhrán had on her.

Maddison's blood raced hotly around her body when Odhrán met her kiss with passion. She nestled into his embrace and threw her arms around his neck, twining her fingers in his locks, drawing him to her. She opened her mouth to meet his warm, delicious kiss with her own pent-up passion.

She savored the heady sensation as Odhrán cradled her head with his hand, tangling his fingers in her hair, boldly taking possession of her mouth. Their tongues entwined, teasing each other in a tantalizing dance of desire that Maddison never wanted to end. Overcome by the fire his touch ignited within her, she abandoned herself to her deep, unstoppable desire for this complicated, charismatic, beautiful man. And Odhrán responded as if he would devour her like a starving man, stoking her inner fire.

It took her by surprise when Odhrán, hardly breaking their kiss, suddenly scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. But she had no intention of stopping him. He gently laid her down on the coverlet, leaning above her on his forearms. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment.

"I want ye so bad, Maddison," he whispered thickly, giving her a look so heated, she felt she would either burn or melt beneath it.

"I want ye too, Odhrán. All of ye," she found herself murmuring into his mouth as they kissed again, teasing his lips with her teeth.

"Are ye sure, because if ye're nae, we should stop now. I dinnae think I'll be able tae hold back if we go any further," he told her, pausing, his breath ragged.

"I dinnae want ye tae hold back," she told him.