Page 5 of Scot of Desire
“Permit me some intelligence, if ye will.” Tad kept his voice level. He glanced briefly at Bran then turned his gaze on Alec too, who urged him to go on.
“I think it wise ye explain yer thoughts quickly, me friend,” Alec encouraged, “or ye’ll have many angry people surrounding ye.”
“Think about it.” Tad leaned toward Ilyssa, his hands palm outward, like he was trying to calm a wild animal. “If ye are tae go tae him under the pretense of getting tae ken yer husband, then it buys us time. Laird Gilroy Grant will nay longer be chasing me and insisting I follow through our grandfaither’s promise. He’ll be content that ye have been delivered tae his clan and are becoming acquainted with yer future husband.”
“Ye are sending me there… alone!?” Ilyssa moved to her feet, towering over her brother.
“I didnae say that.” Tad held up a single finger. “I would come with ye… at first.”
“First!?” She had never been one for violence, but at this moment, she was tempted to lash out at her brother.
“I will come with ye tae make an offer tae Laird Gilroy Grant. Instead of giving ye tae his son, I’ll offer money, lands, anythingI can in yer place. If he turns me down, then I’ll return home tae see what I can gather as an alternative offer.”
“That still sounds like ye are leaving her alone,” Catreena pointed out.
“Dae ye have a better idea, little Catreena?” Tad challenged.
“Argh!” Ilyssa groaned aloud in frustration. She could not contend with Catreena’s and Tad’s sparring today, nor the way he liked to call her ‘little Catreena’ because she was so much younger than him. “Ye would deliver me intae the viper’s nest and leave me there? Have ye nae heart?”
“I’m doing what I can tae get ye out of this.” Tad was now on his feet too, matching her in volume. “Can ye think of a better way out of this contract?”
“Send me with her.” Bran cut in suddenly. The calm tone was such a contrast to their loud and furious voices that it silenced them all.
Ilyssa peered around Tad’s shoulder, looking at Bran, who had still not raised his gaze from the contract in his grasp. The parchment was old and yellowing, curled at the edges. It was testament to the document’s age though none of them wished to believe the alliance and promise of marriage made in that contact was real.
It seemed shortly after Ilyssa was born, her hand had been promised in marriage by her grandfather to the son of Laird Gilroy Grant, Cillian Grant. It was a promise that had never been mentioned to her by her father nor her grandfather, so she couldn’t make herself believe it.
“What did ye say?” Laird Alec was the first to speak up in reply.
Ilyssa blinked, certain she had also heard Bran wrong.
Bran folded up the contract calmly and placed it back in Tad’s grasp.
“Send me with her,” he urged. “That way she’s protected.”
“Aye, and that will look good, willnae it?” Alec challenged, lowering his hands from in front of him and leaning on the desk. “Tae send ye with Ilyssa alone will infer that ye two are intimately acquainted. A man and a lass traveling alone will surely lead others tae speculate at a betrothal between ye.”
Illysa’s stomach lurched.
A betrothal?
Bran didn’t look at her as the words were said. His inability to glance at her now was unusual in itself. How often had they exchanged meaningful glances across rooms, unable to interpret one another’s thoughts through those looks alone?
“I willnae let her go unprotected,” Bran said simply, holding his brother’s gaze.
“Then send me too,” Catreena urged, stepping forward.
“Aye, a great guard dog ye’ll make,” Tad challenged dismissively, waving his hand at her in dismissal. “Little Catreena. How will ye fight off a man like Cillian Grant if he makes a move on me sister?”
“I’m nae half as useless as ye like tae think I am–”
“Before ye two have another argument–” Bran stepped between them, holding up his hand and silencing them. He moved closer to Ilyssa as well. She swallowed nervously, around a sudden lump in her throat. “It could work. Catreena could be seen as accompanying Ilyssa as her good friend, and I am Catreena’s braither, therefore escorting the two of them in yer absence, Tad. Aye, it could work, couldnae it?”
Tad tapped his chin in thought, returning to the settle bench behind him.
“What would ye dae?” Ilyssa asked Bran quietly. He moved to her side, raising his eyebrows.
“What dae ye think, Ilyssa? If he makes one move toward ye…” He left the sentence hanging, not needing to say anymore. He lowered one of his hands loosely to his belt, looping his fingers around the handle of a dirk. He may not have carried as manyweapons as Evander did, but the threat was strong enough to make Ilyssa raise her head a little higher.
