Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

“ T he bastard,” Odhrán hissed. “’Tis another reason nae tae feel guilty about killin’ the monster.”

“I’m sorry, Braither,” Liam said, getting up and embracing Tadhg. “I understand how hard all this must have been fer ye now. Ye had nae choice but tae go.”

Tadhg hugged him back, relieved to get the truth out after so many years of carrying it around like a dead weight.

“But hold on,” Odhrán put in. “When Alana came before the delegation earlier today, she obviously had nae clue of her connection tae John MacIver. But ye’ve been back for six months already. How come ye havenae told her in all that time?” he asked.

Tadhg shrugged helplessly. “I’ve tried many times, but she’s stubborn and willnae give me the chance tae explain. She holds a grudge for me runnin’ out on her. She says I broke her heart, and she’s never gonnae let me close enough tae dae it again. She refuses tae listen tae me. She hardly even talks tae me and says I have naethin’ tae say that she wants tae hear.”

“Then why, fer the Wee Man’s sake, did ye agree tae accompany her on this journey tae the MacIver lands when it means ye’ll be goin’ right back intae the heart of the problem?” Liam asked, clearly concerned for him.

“I ken it, but what else can I dae? Neither of ye can go, and ye’re the only people I trust tae keep her safe other than me.”

“Ah, I see now why ye told the delegation ye’re her husband,” Odhrán put in. “This alliance Thurston mentioned, tae dae with John MacIver’s abduction, ye suspect that means they likely want tae use her in some strategic marriage, presumably tae win John MacIver’s freedom. By pretendin’ tae be wed, ye were protectin’ her from that possibility.”

“Aye,” Tadhg admitted. “I had a hard time convincing her of that but I think she understands now. We’re leavin’ in the morning.”

“Well, I wish ye good luck, me friend,” Odhrán said, getting up and pouring them all another dram. “I think ye’re gonnae need it. I am sorry fer the part me faither played in all this, although nothin’ suprises me anymore. I wish I had kenned afore but ye can count on me fer any help I can give. I will dae me best tae make me faither’s wrongs right, me friend.”

Early the next morning, when Alana got to the stables, Tadhg was already there waiting for her. His own stallion and a sturdy mare called Iona had been saddled, and she found him standing and holding the horses’ reins in the courtyard.

Greeting her without warmth, he took the bag she had brought along containing her clean linen and a few carefully chosen gowns and secured it to the horse. She had packed as little as possible, not expecting to be gone more than a few days. She mounted her mare and waited for Tadhg while he made last minute checks.

“Right, let’s go,” he said finally, swinging himself into his saddle. She followed him out of the castle gates and onto the road heading south, toward MacIver lands, a good day’s ride away if the weather stayed fine.

They rode in silence at first. Alana was very confused about the situation, and she didn’t feel like talking to anyone, least of all Tadhg. In fact, she resented the fact she was stuck with him, even though she trusted him to protect her. Worse than that, they were supposed to be man and wife!

Mercifully, he didn’t seem to feel like talking either. That left her to her own thoughts, which soon returned to the subject of her possible connection to Laird John MacIver. She wondered why her father had never tried to find her before if he knew she existed. It could only have been because he had no interest in her, she decided. But now, it seemed that his life could depend upon her.

But why should I help him when he abandoned me and Maither? The thought nagged at her, until she could not help but speak to Tadhg.

“D’ye really think the MacIvers will want me tae marry someone tae get the laird back?” she asked, glancing at him.

He nodded, his face serious. “Aye, I’m certain. ’Tis the only reason they would have gone tae so much trouble tae find ye. Ask yersel’, what else are laird’s daughters good fer but makin’ strategic alliances through marriage?”

“But ’tis madness! I’ve never even met John MacIver. He’s naethin’ tae me, and I’m naethin’ tae him, fer he obviously didnae care about me until he thought I could be of use tae him,” she said, letting her resentment show.

“I wouldnae worry about it too much,” Tadhg told her. “They’ll nae get far with that plan anyway since they think we’re married. They likely hoped ye’d still be a maid, pure and chaste. That’s why they wanted to use ye tae make this supposed alliance and free the Laird.

Alana scoffed. “Well, they must be disappointed. Too bad fer them I have already been wedded once, so I’m nae pure anyway.”

Tadhg scowled at her. “Did ye have tae mention that?” he asked irritably. “Are ye tryin’ tae make me feel bad?”

“Why should I nae mention him? Sloan was me husband. He loved me, and he was there fer me when ye were nae tae be found anywhere,” she reminded him sharply.

“I still dinnae want tae hear about it.”

“Ach, ye’re nae jealous, are ye?” she asked, her temper rising. What a nerve he has!

“I’m nae jealous. I just have nae wish tae hear how wonderful this Sloan was compared tae me.”

“Well, he would never have proposed tae me and then deserted me the way ye did.”

“Ach, and ye loved him dearly, I suppose, did ye?”

Alana fell silent for a moment at that. Then, feeling rather wistful, she said, “He deserved me love, fer sure, but I was too broken hearted over ye tae love him, more’s the pity. He was a good, steady man, and he looked after me well.”

Tadgh suddenly burst out, “But did ye have tae go and marry him?”

“I waited fer ye fer two years, with nae so much as a single word tae explain yer absence. Yer betrayal shattered me. Me maither was anxious tae see me settled, and I wanted tae make her happy and put her mind at rest. That’s why I married him.”

“Aye, and I suppose he was a better man than me,” Tadhg shot back.

“Aye, he was, so ye’ve nae right tae be jealous,” she accused him.

“I’m nae jealous!” he exclaimed. “I just dinnae want tae hear about ye bein’ with another man. Is that so hard tae understand? Ach, can we just drop this? I’m nae in the mood fer arguin’.”

“Ye started it,” Alana replied, secretly aghast at how childish she sounded. But that was how Tadhg affected her. Her pain, her unhappiness, her vow to steer clear of love, all of it was his fault.

Tadhg made a sound of disgust and rode slightly ahead for the next part of the journey, maintaining a chilly silence. Well, that suits me just fine , she thought, angrily, watching his long dark hair flowing over his broad shoulders. He had no idea how hard it was for her to keep him at arm’s length, for secretly, she still cared about him. But she could never trust him again.

Silence fell once more between them. They stopped to refresh the horses and eat some of the provisions Tadhg had brought at around noon. Then they rode on for several hours, until dusk began to fall, and a thick mist began to descend from the mountains that made it hard to see.

“Ach, we’ll nae get much further tonight in this without gettin’ lost,” Tadhg finally said. “There’s an inn nearby I ken. We’ll head there and stay the night.”

“All right,” Alana agreed, glad at the prospect of spending the night in relative comfort after such a long time in the saddle. She followed Tadhg through the fog for a mile or two until the inn appeared in front of them at a crossroads. A stable boy took the horses from them, and they entered the inn together. The innkeeper was behind the counter and looked up at them with a welcoming smile as they approached.

“Good tae see ye again,” he greeted Tadhg. “’Tis a while since we’ve seen ye round these parts. What can I dae for ye?” He eyed Alana speculatively, making her feel very uncomfortable.

“We need a bed fer the night,” Tadhg replied, leaning his elbows on the counter.

“We need two separate rooms, please,” Alana interrupted. Tadhg glanced at her and rolled his eyes. She gave him thin smile and whispered so the landlord could not hear, “I’m nae sleepin’ in the same room as ye. And dinnae so much as breathe anywhere near me door either. I’ll be more than fine alone, thank ye.”

Tadhg sighed. “Very well. Two separate rooms then,” he said, turning back to the landlord, who was looking at them with keen interest.

“Two rooms it is,” he said. “And will ye be wantin’ dinner? It’ll be served in the dining room shortly.”

“Dinner?” Tadhg looked questioningly at Alana. She was hungry, so she nodded.

“Aye, but I’d like tae be shown tae me room tae freshen up first,” she said. A lad was dispatched to show them upstairs, and Alana was not best pleased to find that Tadhg’s room was right next door to hers.

He saw her frowning and said, “What if someone tries tae get intae yer room durin’ the night? I need tae be close by tae defend ye.”

Huffing because she knew he was right, she quickly shut herself inside her own quarters, prepared to wash off the dust from the road, rest a little, and make herself presentable for dinner. She was lying on the bed, thinking about what would happen when they got to John MacIver’s castle, when she heard a horrid little scratching sound somewhere in the room.

“Ach, nay, nae a mouse!” she murmured, gripped by the familiar terror. She pulled up her legs and crouched on the bed, shaking, her ears straining for the sound, hoping she was imagining it. But it came again, and again, and after a few minutes, there was no doubt in her mind that she was sharing her room with some sort of rodent.

“Tadhg!” she shouted, trying to keep panic at bay. She tried calling him a few more times, to no avail. The scratching continued, and she realized she would have to get off the bed and risk running to the door to get help. Taking a deep breath and picking up her skirts, she flew from the bed, barely touching the floor as she ran for the door. Hysterical with fear, she flung it open and ran immediately to Tadhg’s door, battering it with her fists so hard, she feared she would break it.

After a few panicked moments, the door was wrenched open, and she was confronted with the sight of Tadhg without his shirt on. He was wiping soap from his chin with a cloth. A wave of heat washed over Alana at being faced with the dark, lightly furred expanse of his muscular chest and arms and the intricacies of his many tattoos. Though she knew it was not the time to care much for modesty, she was consumed by embarrassment and averted her eyes.

“What is it?” he demanded gruffly.

“A mouse, in me room,” she cried in distress, clasping her hands before her chest and trying not to look at him in case he saw how much she was blushing. “Ye have tae get it out fer me.”

“Is that all?” he grumbled.

“Ye ken how scared I am of them,” she said, hating the pleading note in her voice, but she had no choice. “Hurry, please!”

“All right, I’m comin’.” He finished wiping his chin and tossed the cloth aside before joining her in the hallway.

Desperate to conceal the alarming effect his half-naked, powerful body was having upon her, she stood on the threshold of her room and pointed inside. “’Tis in there somewhere, near the bed,” she explained.

“Is that so?” he replied, hanging back from the doorway.

Seeing he made no move to go in, she demanded, “What are ye doin’? Are ye nae going in there tae catch it?”

“How can I when ye told me nae tae breathe anywhere near yer door?” he countered.

That infuriated her. “So, ye’re usin’ that against me, are ye?” she cried.

He shrugged. “I’m only doin’ what ye said.”

It took everything she had not to hit him, but she knew she needed him, so she just stamped her foot. “All right, I give ye permission tae go in and out as many times as ye damn well like as long as ye catch the mouse,” she finally said, angry he had gotten the better of her.

“Very well, as ye wish,” he told her with an air of triumph that irritated her even more before he finally entered the room.

A strange few minutes followed as she watched from the doorway, while Tadhg searched the room methodically, finding nothing until he pulled a chest of drawers next to bed away from the wall, and a tiny ball of fur whizzed across the floor boards in a bid to find new shelter. Alana squeaked in terror as it headed towards her. Suddenly, Tadhg threw himself after it, and it was a bizarre sight to see the huge warrior without his shirt stretched out full-length on the floor, with the beast trapped within the cage of his fingers.

“Got it!” he declared. He went to show it to her, but she jumped back, her hands to her mouth.

“Eek! Keep it away from me!”

“All right, dinnae worry, I’m nae gonnae set it on ye. I’ll put it outside,” he promised.

“Thank ye,” was all she said, not waiting to see what he did with it. Flustered by both the rodent and Tadhg’s bare-chested state, she retreated quickly into her room and shut the door. She leaned her back against it, panting. She felt like a fool, for she hated being beholden to him for anything. She hated the way that seeing him like that, in state of undress, made her feel hot all over. It daesnae bode well fer the trip , she thought.

It took her quite some time to calm down before finally going down to the dining room for dinner.