Chapter 28

Once they were both dressed, they hurried back to his horse, which was contentedly cropping the long grass at the edge of the wood. It whinnied when it saw them.

"I suppose it was lucky they did nae find ye, eh, lad?" Odhrán told the beast, giving it an affectionate slap on it flank. He swung himself up into the saddle and pulled Maddison up after him. She held on tightly as he kicked the horse into a canter, then into a gallop as they headed back across the fields to the castle.

By the time they got back, Odhrán's fury had turned to a steely resolve to destroy his cousin once and for all, armed with this new information.

For once, I have the upper hand. Rollo has nae idea I ken the truth of his plans, and I intend tae use that against him when I finally bring the bastard down. I'm gonnae make sure he dies a long and painful death fer threatenin' tae take me Maddy!

The councilmen rose from their seats and greeted her respectfully when Odhrán led Maddison by the hand into the chamber. But she read their eyes, which said, "What's a woman doin' in here?" Instinctively, she straightened to her full height and lifted her chin, determined to show them she belonged there and was proud to stand before them next to their Laird.

During the next tense half hour, after she had spoken her testimony to back him up, she had a taste of what Odhrán had been having to put up with from his advisors.

"We believe ye, me laird," Angus Bowman said at last after Odhrán put up an impassioned argument to be granted his men for an attack on Rollo.

"Finally, ye see sense! Give me the men I need now. If we move quickly, we can catch him on his way back tae his stronghold. He's only got a few men with him. I can take a small war party tae intercept him, while Liam and Tadgh can lead a stronger force tae his castle. I can join them once I have the dog in chains," he told them, his eyes blazing. Maddison watched him with admiration, expecting as he did that that they could not refuse him this time. And yet, frustratingly, they dallied, arguing amongst themselves, while Liam, always on Odhrán's side, argued vociferously for an attack. Tadgh was absent, still recovering from his injury.

"Well, come on then, what are ye waitin' fer?" Odhrán barked at last, impatiently banging a fist on the table. "Time's a wastin'!"

Bowman cleared his throat and said, "Despite what ye say, we still agree that 'tis nae wise tae attack Rollo, me laird. We cannae give ye the men ye want."

"Jesus!" Odhrán shouted running his hand distractedly through his hair. "I dinnae believe this. Have ye all turned intae cowards?"

"'Tis nae a question of that, me laird," put in Renley Cooper. "We ken Liam here supports ye, but the rest of us still think it would look bad tae be seen tae attack a member of yer own family. We suggest it would be better tae write the King and ask him tae act on our behalf tae curb Rollo's actions."

"'Tis the rational way tae deal with the matter," Bowman said. "The King has the authority tae have Rollo imprisoned and punished, whereas an attack might lead tae worse consequences. It would save a lot of unnecessary bloodshed."

Upset for Odhrán, Maddison put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he sank into his seat in obvious frustration.

"What d'ye think on this plan, Liam?" he asked his captain.

Liam shrugged. "Much as I'd like tae attack, this could be a better way tae go about things in the circumstances. Our neighbors are still lookin' at us with suspicion because of yer faither's violent way of dealin' with things. Now ye've started tae build bridges with the other clans and improve yer reputation, this seems like it could be a sensible alternative tae fightin'. After all, there's nae guarantee we can beat Rollo. Angus is right, I reckon. At the least, it'll save lives tae ask the King for help."

Odhrán let out deep groan of disappointment. "Ye as well, Liam?" he muttered thickly. Maddison squeezed his shoulder, feeling the blow to his hopes keenly. She wanted to argue on his behalf, but she knew it was useless. With the support of Liam, it appeared the council had made its decision.

"I'm glad, Odhrán," she admired a short while later after the meeting disbanded and they were back in the privacy of their chambers.

"Glad! How can ye be glad?!" he exclaimed, looking at her aghast.

"Because if the King deals with Rollo, then there'll be justice with nae risk of ye getting' hurt, or even killed, God forbid. I could nae live if anythin' happened tae ye. Besides, Liam was right. It'll be better fer yer reputation as the young Laird Lennox, showin' ye're nae a violent maniac like yer faither. It makes sense."

Odhrán let out a vicious oath, then seemed to collect himself. He threw himself into a chair by the hearth and said with a heavy sigh of resignation, "will ye bring me a dram, Maddy? I need a stiff drink or three tae drown me frustrations." He flexed his hands and added in a savage tone, "Ye cannae guess how much I want tae fillet my swine of a cousin like a kipper. However, it seems I have nae choice but tae go the diplomatic route."

She brought the bottle and two glasses and set it on the table by his elbow, immensely relieved at the way things had turned out. She could not help feeling a little grateful to the council for their decision, however disappointed Odhrán was by it.

"'Tis fer the best, ye'll see," she poured them a hefty dram each of the amber liquid, passing one to him.

"To our love and the future," she toasted. With a weary smile that, to her eyes, made him look more handsome than ever, he leaned across and clinked his glass with hers.

"Aye, tae our love and the future," he echoed. "But I still cannae help half hopin' the King will want naethin' tae dae with this business," he admitted before taking a long swig of whisky. "I'd really like tae have me cousin at the point of me blade."

"I ken, but I hope the opposite and that the King intervenes. We'll soon find out, the letter's on its way tae him as we speak." The council had quickly composed the missive and Odhrán had set his signature upon it along with his seal. It was already winging its way to Edinburgh by special messenger. "Just think how shocked Rollo will be when the King's men arrive tae arrest him. Oh, I'd love tae be a fly on the wall when that happens," she said with a smile of satisfaction, sipping her drink as she imagined the scene.

"Aye, me too," he replied, to her added relief, sounding more relaxed and accepting than before. "If only we could buzz on over tae his castle and see it, eh?" They drank in companiable silence for a while.

Then, he looked over at her and said, "Thank ye fer supportin' me in front of the council like that, Maddy. Even if things didnae go the way I wanted them tae, I'm grateful tae ye."

"Wheesht, husband," she told him, downing her whisky and putting down the glass before rising and going to sit on his lap. She stroked his hair and kissed him on the nose, smiling into his eyes. "I'm yer wife. I'll always be by yer side tae support ye, whatever may happen."

His eyes glowed with pleasure, and he grinned. "Now, that's what I like tae hear, Maddy. With yer love, I ken I can dae anythin'. Now, give me a kiss tae console me." Without hesitation, she eagerly obliged.

Later that evening, after dinner, though they were both pleasurably tired, Odhrán insisted that they go back to the loch for Maddison's knife fighting lesson.

"'Tis even more important now that ye ken how tae defend yersel'. Even if the letter tae the King arrives within the week, there's still gonnae be a delay before he decides tae act and send his soldiers tae arrest Rollo. Until we ken Rollo's in chains, we must still be careful," he told her as they rode out to the loch once more, in the warmth of the mild summer evening.

"I agree, but I'm still nae goin' anywhere without ye or without guards tae escort me," she assured him. "Like ye said, I'm takin' nae chances. I hope the King disnae drag his feet though."

"Aye, me too. The sooner Rollo's locked up and can trouble us nae more, the better."

"Now, where's yer knife?" he asked, picking up a suitable stick to practice with.

"Here." She pulled the wooden knife from her waistband and kilted up her skirts.

"Come on, then," he taunted her with a grin, dropping into a fighting stance and beckoning her on. "Come and see if ye can take me knife."

"Och, Odhrán," she said, moving towards him, affecting a look of helplessness, "ye ken that's impossi—" Like lightening, she snatched the stick from his hand and danced away, laughing victoriously.

"So, that's how it's gonnae be, is it? D'ye think that's gonnae work in a real fight when ye have tae defend yersel'?" he asked with mock gravity.

"It might," she replied.

"It's one way of getting' close tae yer enemy, I suppose, though I've never tried it mesel'. Now, be on yer guard because I'm gonnae put ye through yer paces and take that knife back off ye," he promised.

She adopted the same stance, chanting his instructions: "Soft knees, feet apart, blade down... I'm ready."

"Good, because here I come!"

Over the next few days, Odhrán was very busy with clan business, and Maddison found herself with time on her hands. On one such occasion, accompanied by two guards, she took a walk with Alana in the gardens during one of the healer's rare free moments. Buoyed by her new-found love for Odhrán, she was eager to fill her friend in on the latest developments between them. In addition, she was curious as to how things stood now between Alana and Tadgh, since the pair had been spending a lot of time together while Alana tended to his healing.

The pair walked along, side by side, with the guards keeping a discreet distance as they followed behind.

"I'm very happy fer ye both," Alana told her, smiling warmly when Maddison told her all about how she had finally admitted her love for Odhrán, both to herself and to him, and about the wonderful day they had shared at the loch. "'Tis grand to know ye're both tryin' tae put the past behind ye and make a fresh start together. I must say, despite all the problems he has on his plate because of Rollo, I've noticed Odhrán seems happier than I've ever seen him. Tadgh says so too."

"Is that so?" Maddison asked, delighted they had noticed and approved. "That means a lot, Alana, thank ye."

"Well, we all think he's suffered because of his faither and now with Rollo. He's a good man, and he deserves tae be loved, especially since we've all kent he's been in love with ye fer ages." Alana laughed mischievously when she saw Maddison's surprised expression. "Och, aye, we could all tell."

"Well, seein' as ye all seem tae have taken a keen interest in me husband's romantic life, ye will nae mind if I ask ye about ye and Tadgh," Maddison countered before joining in Alana's laughter, secretly tickled to discover they had all surmised how Odhrán felt about her. "So, talkin' about yer own love life, d'ye think ye'll ever get around tae forgivin' Tadgh fer leavin' like that?"

"Och, I think I've already done that. Seein' the fool with that arrow in him was bad enough, but this latest injury… well, him lookin' so fragile only made me realize how much I still care fer him. It seems that nae even a broken heart has changed that," she added a little ruefully.

"Ye've been spendin' a lot of time together while ye've been treatin' him. Would ye say ye've got some of that old closeness back?" Maddison asked, hoping Alana would say yes. Now she and Odhrán has found happiness together, she was keen for their friends to do the same, and she knew Odhrán thought so too.

To her disappointment, Alana shook her head sadly. "I dinnae think so, nae really, nae in the same way. There's been too much water under the bridge. Like I told ye before, if he can leave me like that once, he could dae it again. I'm nae prepared tae put me heart on the line only fer him tae break it again."

"But surely, ye can be good friends?" Maddison suggested, unwilling to give up hope.

Once more, she was let down by Alana's response. "Nay, I cannae see it, nae even as a friend. Nae after all that's happened between us. I told ye before, I made a vow tae meself nae tae take the risk of him hurtin' me again like he did before. I couldnae take it."

"I havetae confess, I'm sorry that's the way ye feel, Alana," Maddison told her, feeling sad for both the healer and for Tadgh. She could not help wondering how he felt about it. Odhrán would be saddened by Alana's decision, she knew. He wanted his friend to find the same happiness as him. "Mayhap ye'll find love with someone else."

"Mayhap," Alana said, but she sounded very doubtful. "I'm very busy with me work, and there's always more fer me tae learn. Honestly, Maddy, I'm happy as I am. I dinnae need a man to fulfil me."

They talked a while longer, enjoying the fine weather and admiring the gardens before Alana said she ought to get back to work. She was still doing the rounds of some of the worst injured from the battle.

"If ye need another pair of hands, just say the word," Maddison told her, eager to help.

"I will, ye can be sure of it, but some of the healers from the outlyin' villages have been pitchin' in, so we're quite well off fer help at the moment. Ye'll have tae find some other way to distract yerself while Odhrán's busy." She shot Maddison a knowing look.

"Ach, ye can read me like a book," Maddison protested with a smile. "I think I'll find a cozy spot in the library and read for a while, until me husband is free. Did I tell ye, he's been teaching me tae fight with a knife?" she added, suddenly remembering, as she wondered if Odhrán would have time for her lesson that evening. "I've only had a few lessons so far, but he says I'm doin' well. It disnae feel much like it though. I'm covered in bruises." She laughed and rubbed her backside.

"I have a salve fer that," Alana told her with a chuckle. "I'm sure Odhrán would enjoy rubbin' it in fer ye."

They giggled together before parting, Alana heading for the infirmary, and Maddison deciding to go and read for a while, hoping Odhrán would appear before too long. It was surprising to her just how much she missed him, even if he was gone only for a few hours. She supposed that was what it was like to be truly in love with someone; ye wanted to be with them every moment, and she knew that was how she felt about him.

However, he had not appeared by dinner time, so she ate in their chambers with one of the books Odhrán had chosen for her on her knee. After a while, she felt tired and decided to get into bed with her book, hoping he would soon come in to join her. She changed into her night things and clambered into bed, which felt very empty without him in it. But instead of reading, her mind drifted to their idyllic time by the loch before they had been interrupted by Rollo and his men. She thought it had been the most wonderful day of her life, and she could not wait to repeat it.

Her mind wandered back to when she had told him she loved him and the look of astonished disbelief on his face. Picturing it, her heart melted all over again. Then, remembering what Alana had mentioned earlier when she had congratulated them on finding love and trying to let go of their nightmarish pasts, to make a fresh start together. Maddison recalled saying much the same thing to Odhrán. But when she thought about it more deeply, she wondered if she could really manage to, and if so, how would she go about it?

But before she could come up with an answer, she must have dozed off. The next thing she remembered was waking up next to Odhrán, who was fast asleep. She tried to cuddle up to him and get back to sleep herself, but for some reason she couldn't. The question of how to let go of her past nagged at her until she was wide awake.

Finally, some kind of answer began to form in her mind. Slipping carefully from the bed, so as not to wake him, she went to the desk and scribbled him a quick note to tell him where she was going in case he woke up and was worried. Then, she threw a woolen cloak over her nightdress and stepped into her slippers before taking a lighted lamp and quietly leaving the room.