Page 34 of The Winter Laird

Brianagh couldn’t believe she fell for it. He gave her sweet words and a a possibly empty promise. Her chest felt hollow.

She drew her chin up. “I only just met them yesterday, and they didn’t seem like the warm, loving type,” she snapped. “I’ll probably see Reilly more.”

“Nay. He took his leave with your sire.”

Brianagh felt a moment of panic as she stared at his impassive face. Reilly wasgone? “Nioclas, I need Reilly to get back. You’ll bring me back to him, right?”

He looked more through her than at her. “I honor my vows. If O’Malley is the one to return you to your love, then O’Reilly you shall have. In three months.”

“I’m sorry for what I said last night,” Bri offered, feeling a bit shaken at his cool countenance.

“You stated nothing more than the truth. I did purchase you, but you did not come away without something as well, my lady.”

Her heart sank even more at the clipped words. She hated when her temper got the best of her, and she knew an apology wouldn’t be enough.

“You’re right, and I’ll do exactly as we agreed.”

“We never agreed to a marriage in name only.”

She paused. “We didn’t?”

“Nay. If you recall, you are to be returned with widow status.”

She chewed her lip. She wasn’t a fool, contrary to Nioclas’s earlier assessment. She had many clients fall into just such a place; keep it casual, keep it distant, keep it fun.

Well, at some point, one party started to want more. It was a dangerous game to play, and Bri knew her heart wouldn’t recover. It was already breaking with the acceptance that the man of her dreams lived in a time not her own, in a life far different than what she loved. And with his change in demeanor from yesterday…

“Is this something you’ll force from me?”

He frowned. “Nay! I don’t take unwilling lasses to my bed, Brianagh. Lady Maguire will be along to take you to your solar. If you need anything, my clan will attend to you.” He bowed stiffly and walked away.

Brianagh’s stomach fell even further, then twisted upon itself. She had the distinct impression that she’d insulted him, but wasn’t sure how. She didn’t know him, nor he her. Last night, she threw cold water on a hot situation. Today, he showed her his true colors.

She tried valiantly to convince herself that the pain in her chest was relief, not disappointment. The Nioclas she knew from her dreams was exactly that—dreams. The real MacWilliam was someone completely different, and rationally, she knew she couldn’t hold him to a standard she’d created in her mind.

Brianagh swallowed past the dry lump in her throat.

Three months suddenly seemed like an eternity.

Chapter 10

In the shelter of the trees, a man slid a bag of gold into his boot. Rain soaked his blue-and-silver léine and his tunic clung to his chest. The sword strapped to his back was slick with mud but held fast to its position, belted into place with leather straps.

“MacWilliam has married.”

Burke’s obsidian eyes flashed in the gloom. “Her name?”

“Lady Brianagh. She was brought here two nights past. She was pulled from your pit by MacWilliam, his brother, and the O’Rourke clan.” The man hunched his shoulders against the wind.

Burke scratched his beard. “Brianagh O’Rourke. Did the O’Rourke claim her as a daughter?”

“His only daughter,” the man confirmed.

Burke felt a flash of rage. Years ago, after he was banished from his clan, Burke began to formulate his eldest son’s demise. Every attempt at killing Nioclas proved unsuccessful as each man Burke managed to get into the castle proved inept, and was either killed or languished in the man’s dungeon until death claimed him.

He resisted the urge to smash his fist into the nearest tree. He had his men on the lookout for the Kildare lass, as stealing Nioclas’s bride would’ve brought Nioclas directly to him. However, they unknowingly captured something infinitely more important.

Everyone in Ireland heard the whispers of the O’Rourke child who had powers greater than that of a witch. The legacy, they whispered, would be fulfilled only by one who was worthy enough to respect it. Burke hadn’t paid much attention to the rumors, but he always suspected the lass would bring ransom enough for him to hire the best assassins in the country.

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