Chapter 23

As he panted to regain his breath, clutching Maddison's soaking body to his,

pressing his lips lovingly to her neck, Odhrán experienced a transcendent moment that seemed to lift him outside of time.

Everything stopped, and all he could hear was the loud beating of his heart as he panted and Maddison's ragged breaths. He could see clearly, and the air around them appeared to be filled with golden, dancing motes of light. They rained down upon him and Maddison like stardust, as if they were caught in a fragment of some beautiful dream. The incredible warmth sank into him, penetrating his whole being: his flesh, his bones, his very soul.

"D'ye feel it, Maddy?" he whispered in her ear, unsure of what was happening.

"Aye, I feel it," she whispered back, leaning back against his chest and looping her arms around his neck once more, pulling him down so their lips met in a deep and tender kiss.

"What is it?" he asked, mesmerized by the glittering air surrounding them.

"I dinnae ken. Maybe 'tis a spell ye've put on me," she said, her breaths coming more evenly now. "Maybe ye're a magician and ye dinnae ken it."

He chuckled softly. "I'm nae magician, but I can believe ye maybe a witch, and ye've enchanted me."

"Nay, nae me. I think 'tis likely another of yer hidden talents ye were boastin' about before. Somehow, ye've taken me tae heaven and back."

"I think it was the other way around," he said, a little sad when the golden motes seemed to transform themselves into the usual dust, illuminated by firelight. "Och, 'tis fadin'." He sank down into what remained of the bath water, taking her with him. She wriggled around to face him, stroking his soaking hair back from his face and peppering him with small kisses as she hugged his neck. He smiled into her eyes, telling her, "I've never experienced anythin' like that. It was wonderful. Ye're wonderful." He cupped her chin and kissed her, pouring all the love he had for her into it.

"If I am, 'tis because ye make me so. I ken naethin' but what ye've shown me. I was still a maid until the other night, remember?" She looked into his eyes. "But ye're a man, a braw man too."

"I'm nae braw!" he denied it from natural modesty, but her sweet compliment warmed him.

"Aye, ye are, and surely, ye must have felt somethin' like it before. With other women." She said the last words haltingly, as if it pained her to speak them. Odhrán glimpsed a strange flicker deep in her gaze. He could not fathom it, and now he felt embarrassed.

"I want tae be honest with ye. I was with other women in the past, 'tis true. I'd be lyin' if I tried tae deny it. I'm a full-grown man, and there are always plenty of lassies who want tae lie with the laird's son. But that was just a man's natural lust. I cared naethin' fer any of them."

"Nae a single one?" she asked curiously, her fingers lightly brushing his cheek.

He shook his head. "I've never been in love before I met ye, Maddy. And when that happened, I didnae even ken what I was feelin' fer a long time. I had naethin' tae compare it tae, I suppose. It hit me like a runaway horse. But I've nae been with anyone since I first saw ye, Maddy. I couldnae. I kent in me bones ye were the only one. But I never thought I could ever have ye as me own wife. Ye're the best thing that's ever happened tae me."

She smiled and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I'm glad. And now 'tis just thee and me."

"Mmm," he murmured against her neck. "That's the dream. Come on, it's getting' cold, let's get dried off and get warm." He stood up and lifted her out on the rug. Water poured form them, pooling around their bare feet as they dried each other off with towels.

"Is yer head feelin' any better?" she asked, vigorously rubbing his chest, while he gathered up her hair and tried to get most of the water out of it.

"Me headache's gone. All me aches and pains from the duel have vanished. I feel… grand," he declared. "Ye're the best medicine, it seems," he added, laughing.

She chuckled and said, "That's good news, but ye cannae go tae sleep just yet because of yer concussion. Ye have tae stay awake a wee while longer." She finished drying hm off. "Go and get under the covers. I'll fetch ye a clean shirt. Ye must stay warm." As she turned from him to go to his wardrobe, she threw him an excited glance. "We still have the strawberry tart."

"Och, so we do," Odhrán said, filled with childish pleasure as he padded over to the bed and did as she suggested. "I'm hungry again."

"Mmm, me too," Maddison agreed, bringing the shirt over and helping him slip it over his head and smooth it down over his body. Then, she solicitously plumped his pillows and pulled the coverlet over him. Odhrán sat back against the pillows, feeling as happy as a pig in a wallow as he watched her walk naked to the table to fetch the tart. Another twinge of lust gripped him to see her thick dark hair falling slickly against her back, admiring once more the curve of her waist and hips and the trembling of her behind as she moved.

She hesitated for a moment over the table, a cake slice in her hand before saying, "Och, I'll just bring the whole thing. We can eat it out of the dish." She grabbed the tart and two spoons and returned to climb up on the bed next to him. She placed the dish on his lap and handed him a spoon. Odhrán scooped up a spoonful and held it out for her to eat, filled with intense pleasure when she smiled and took it.

"Omigod, that's so delicious," she murmured.

"Ye have strawberry sauce on yer chin," Odhrán said laughingly, wiping it away with him thumb and then sucking on it. "Aye, that bit's extra delicious," he declared.

"Yer turn now," Maddison told him with a mischievous grin, offering him a whole strawberry on her own spoon. He ate it with relish.

"That's good," he said, "but naethin' tastes a good as ye do, Maddy."

"Och, silly," she murmured, her cheeks growing as delightfully red as the strawberries as she fed him another spoonful.

"Ye look even more beautiful when ye blush," he told her truthfully.

"Odhrán, will ye stop sayin' such things? I'm near tae chokin' here," she claimed, giggling, her mouth full.

"I'll never stop tellin' ye how beautiful ye are, so ye might as well get used tae it." The smile she gave him was like the warmth of summer sunshine on his skin.

Gradually, they demolished the tart, and at the end, Maddison made him laugh when she insisted on licking the dish clean like a greedy child.

Then, she put it aside, along with the spoons, and leaned over to the nightstand to pour them some more wine, handing him his glass before settling comfortably under his arm with hers.

"Odhrán, I want tae ken more about yer past," she said, sipping her wine.

"What d'ye want tae ken. Ask me anythin'."

"Well, it sounds like ye didnae have a very happy childhood, what with yer faither and yer cousin. But ye havenae told me anythin' about yer maither."

He paused for a moment before answering. "I never speak of her. 'Tis too painful, even though I never met her."

"Och, I'm sorry. I didnae mean tae hurt ye. Let's nae speak of it."

"Nay, I want tae tell ye everythin' about me. I can tell ye things I cannae tell anyone else, nae even Liam or Tadgh. I want ye tae ken everythin' about me." He paused, squeezing her gently with his arm as he took a deep drink of wine. "I dinnae remember her. She died shortly after I was born. I wish I did. But sometimes, I think I can feel her presence. 'Tis like a warmth surroundin' me. It's got me through a lot of bad times." It was a kind of relief to finally say the words aloud.

"'Tis sad that ye never kent her. But I'm sure that must be her ye can feel. I fancy sometimes that I can feel the spirits of me parents and me braither nearby. 'Tis a sort of longin' in me heart yet comforting at the same time."

Odhrán felt a wave of terrible guilt wash over him, knowing his father had murdered her family less than two years ago before abducting and imprisoning her.

"I'm so sorry about yer loss, Maddy. I want ye tae ken, I had nae idea what me faither was plannin'. I was shocked tae me core when he finally told me what he'd done. I'd already hated him fer a long time before that, but I think that was maybe the moment when I first thought of killin' him."

She sighed. "'Tis all right, Odhrán, I ken now it was nae yer fault. Ye're nae capable of such vileness."

He was so grateful for her words, he suddenly decided something. "Put some clothes on," he told her. "I want tae show ye somethin'."

"All right," she said, carefully wriggling out from under his arm and putting down her glass on the nightstand. She got out of bed, went to her wardrobe, and pulled on a nightdress and a robe. Tying it tightly at her waist, she put on some slippers and waited for him to get up and pull on a clean pair of trews.

Once they were decent, he took a lamp in one hand and opened the door to their chamber quietly. He peered outside, finding the hallway empty as he expected at that time of night. He held out his hand. Maddison placed hers in it and let him lead her along the hall to a small door.

"I've never noticed this door before," she said, filled with curiosity as Odhrán opened it to reveal a small set of stairs behind it. He led her up to small landing, and another set of doors, full-sized this time. She waited while he handed her the lamp and groped above the doorframe, retrieving a key that was hidden there. He unlocked the doors and ushered her inside.

"What is this place?" Maddison breathed, holding up the lamp and looking around in wonder at a beautiful chamber that, judging by the pretty décor and delicate furniture, was clearly intended for a lady. Everything seemed to shine, and the faint fragrance of lemon and violets hung in the air.

"These are me maither's chambers," Odhrán told her, crossing to the mantel above the carved stone fireplace and taking up matches and a candelabra from between the little china ornaments of birds, animal, and small human figures displayed there.

He lit the candles and stood the candelabra back on the mantel, where it filled the main room with light reflected from the large mirror mounted behind it. It cast a warm, almost magical glow over everything. Amazed and touched that he would bring her there, Maddison turned in circles, awed by the elegance of the room.

"'Tis beautiful," she said.

"Aye, I think so. I come here sometimes, tae think. I feel close tae her here." He came to her side and took her hand, leading her over to a wall where several artworks hung.

"This is her," he said, gesturing at the largest painting. Maddison stared at it in fascination. It was a full-length portrait depicting a slender, beautiful young woman in an old-fashioned, pale-blue gown. She was standing serenely in a garden, a mass of dark curls falling over her shoulders, her lovely dark eyes and sweet smile radiating kindness and humor.

"Och, she's very beautiful. I can see where ye get yer looks from now," Maddison said, noticing the likeness at once.

"Wheesht," Odhrán replied softly with his usual modesty, one of the things she was growing to appreciate about him more with each passing day. "That was her before she married me faither. I'm guessin' that's why she looks so happy." His voice was tinged with sadness.

"Dae ye think he mistreated her?" Maddison asked, sorry for his pain.

"Ye've met him. What d'ye think?" he asked darkly. "He used tae tell me that she was useless as a wife, for she failed to give him more sons and died after birthin' me. I think that's why he always found me a disappointment."

Maddison put a comforting hand on his arm as he went on. "He was incapable of feeling love fer anyone but himself. I never kent her, so I dinnae ken the truth of it, and I'm glad in a way I never will. It would make me too angry to find out he hurt her. When I was growin' up, he hardly seemed tae think of her except tae tell me how she'd failed him. He never came up here, so when I got older, I just sort of took over preservin' all this in her memory. I dinnae think he kent I used tae come here. Or maybe he just didnae care."

"Mmm, maybe. So, it's down tae ye that the place looks so clean and smells of lemon polish," she said.

"Aye. I have the maids come up here and clean it every week. I like her tae ken I'm thinkin' of her."

"Och, Odhrán, 'tis nae just yer maither's looks she's given ye, ye have her sweet nature too," she told him, leaning her head against his arm to convey her deep affection for him.

"Maybe so, but that was the part of me Faither despised the most, I reckon. He used tae try tae knock it out of me, tae make me a man, so he said. He'd always be pushin' me tae dae things he kent I didnae want tae dae. Bad things. His dirty work. I was nae a good man before I met ye, Maddy." It pierced her heart to hear the sorrow in his voice as he admitted it.

"Aye, I ken. But look, now he's gone, ye can be the man yer maither would have been proud of, I'm sure."

He smiled down at her, his dark eyes gentle. "I hope so, Maddy. Now ye're in me life, I think it could be possible."

"What was her name? Where did she come from?" she asked, admiring the dark-eyed beauty in the painting more closely.

"Her name was Rowena McInerny. She was the daughter of the Laird of Cromarty. When her faither died, mine took over her clan. I govern them now."

"I'll wager the people are happy he's gone, and they've got ye as laird in his place," she said, wanting to cheer him up and give him confidence.

"I like tae think so, and I'm doin' me best tae be a better laird than him."

"Ye are, fer sure." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Rowena is a lovely name. D'ye think if we have a daughter we could name her after yer maither?"

His face lit up, and he gathered her in his arms, kissing her hair. "Och, Maddy, I'd love that," he breathed. "I dinnae deserve such happiness."

"Aye, ye dae," she told him, both moved and awed by the combination of loving gentleness and brutal, calculating strength that coexisted within him. The urge to make him happy was irresistible. "This would make a lovely nursery, d'ye nae think? Would yer maither mind if we made it into a place tae raise our children? If ye could bear tae change it, I mean."

"I feel it in me bones that she'd be over the moon," he said, hugging her more tightly, clearly deeply moved by her suggestions. "Now, come over here. I've got something' I want ye tae have."

He led her over to the dressing table with its frilled covering and opened a small drawer. He took out a velvet ring box.

"I want ye tae have this," he said, opening it.

Maddison gasped. Inside lay a beautiful golden ring set with a large sapphire. It sent blue stars dancing around the walls as the candlelight reflected off its many facets.

"Och, it's lovely," she gasped, admiring it. "But I cannae accept it. 'Tis yer maither's."

"Yes, ye can. As me wife, me maither would want ye tae have it. Besides, it deserves tae be worn." He took the ring out and, taking hold of her wrist, slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand.

"'Tis dazzlin'," she whispered, showing it off. She gazed up at him and smiled. "I'll always wear it. Thank ye, Odhrán. 'Tis the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me."

"'Tis meant fer ye, Maddy, tae thank ye fer all ye dae fer me."

"Och, c'mere," she said, flinging her arms around his neck so she could kiss him. He embraced her fully, his lips warm, his kiss tender, and her heart was so full to bursting with emotion, she almost let slip the words she kept thinking but was still too scared to say aloud.

They lingered a while longer in the chamber, but then they grew chilly and decided to return to their own.

"Thank ye fer the ring, Odhrán, and fer showing me yer maither's chambers. I ken how special that is, and I really feel honored that ye would share it with me. D'ye think she would have approved of me as yer wife?" Maddison said as he locked the door and replaced the key to its hiding place. Feeling almost shy, she turned the ring on her finger.

"I ken she would. She would have wanted me tae be happy, and ye make me happy, Maddy, so why would she nae approve?" he told her as they quickly returned to their chambers.