Page 91 of The Winter Laird

Brianagh blinked at him. She was positive she didn’t hear him correctly.

“It’s true,” James said to her calmly as he took a pull from his beer. “I can give you a test to prove it, but Colin wouldn’t have been able to pull you away unless the line was in danger. That’s the way we think the legacy works.”

“I can see the legacy working that way,” Colin agreed.

“I am not having four men—who have no children of their own—tell me I’m pregnant.” Brianagh shook her head, stunned. “This cannot be happening.”

“Well, youaremarried,” Reilly replied.

“Not that!” Bri exclaimed, coloring. “I mean the four of you knowing before I do! I don’t feel any different. So I might not be.”

“Figure out the math, then get back to us,” James replied.

“It’s too soon to know,” Brianagh argued.

“I’ll give you a blood test,” James said with a shrug. “But I’ll need another beer. Anyone need another?”

“Another beer before you stab me with a needle? Really, James?” She glared at him. “AndifI was pregnant, it’s none of your business anyway.”

“Oh, I disagree,” Aidan replied seriously. “It’s very much our business. That’s the laird’s heir you’re carrying. And I’ll try that Guinness. It has to be better than this.” He tossed the empty beer bottle onto the table with disgust.

“That’s also my great-great-many-extra-greats grandparent,” Colin chimed in.

“And the reason I’ve dedicated my life to protecting yours,” Reilly added quietly.

Oh. When put that way, Brianagh understood their point.

“You four are going to become overbearing, aren’t you?” She sighed heavily, but she gave them a small smile.

Family.

* * *

Four days later,Brianagh, Colin, Reilly, and Aidan were dressed in their medieval clothing. Aidan had a bottle of antibiotics stashed somewhere on himself, Colin had tubes of first-aid cream tucked into various pockets Bri had sewn—successfully—into his tunic, and Reilly carried a satchel with food and water. Brianagh was supposed to carry nothing, in case she had to make a run for it. Despite that, she snuck a few Cadbury chocolate bars into her pocket on the inside of her own tunic. She glanced down at herself. As the dress she was wearing when she arrived was ruined, she was wearing some of Reilly’s clothes.

She wondered what Nioclas would say when he saw her dressed as a man. Erin would no doubt be green with envy when she found out.

“Remember to boil the water before you drink it,” James warned as they approached Dowth.

“Can I handle this beast?” Aidan asked for the umpteenth time.

“No!” Reilly and Colin chorused, again.

“Brianagh, be sure any meat is cooked all the way through, you don’t want to poison the baby,” James continued over them.

“I would tame it, and it would call me its master,” Aidan said with confidence.

“If you shut up about it, I’ll give you one of your very own someday,” Reilly promised, fully aggravated. No one drove his Range Rover.

Ever.

“I’ll take care of Matthew. With the papers signed and verified by the Irish government, we shouldn’t have any issues with Celtic Connections,” James assured Brianagh. “Colin will take care of everything.”

“You wouldn’t be able to handle this,” Reilly scoffed, talking over James. “You can barely handle your own horse.”

“My horse has never thrown me,” Aidan pointed out smugly.

“Mine was shot with an arrow!” Reilly exclaimed indignantly. “As was I!”

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