Niall held up the sack of coins, waggling his brows and smiling. “And we’ve recovered the silver for the priory.”
Lachlann fisted his hip but grimaced and relaxed his stance when pain shot through his entire body. “Did the mormaer not demand to be given the silver?”
Shrugging, Niall explained, “He was impressed by the earlier tokens given in his absence, the tokensmy unclehad offered. The mormaer required nothing more.” Niall finally turned to Ethne. “We ask forgiveness for not telling ye we’d come from the priory to retrieve their silver. We meant no harm in keeping the truth from ye.”
Her jaw tightened but she said nothing.
“Will we be seeing ye to the church for protection now that ye can no longer return to yer clan?”
Her eyes rounded, and she pulled back as if she’d been struck, but just as quickly stiffened her back and turned to Lachlann. “’Twould be best.”
“Nay!” Lachlann winced again before responding with less emotion. “Nay, ye’re coming with us.” Lachlann glared at Niall. The man was dumb as a sack of rocks sometimes. “She will not need to be left at some church.”
Aldred’s face contorted with disgust. “We canna have a lass join us. ’Tis dangerous and uncomfortable and she’ll complain the entire way.”
“And we need to get to the priory and return to our clan before the first snow,” Niall said to her matter-of-factly. “We’ve taken longer here than we intended.”
“I will not leave her behind.” Lachlann hoped his tone was emphatic enough for them this time. Then he turned to her, contradicting their idiocy. “This wayI’llknow ye’re safe.”
“And she'll ride with ye? On yer horse? The entire way?” Niall glanced heavenward with a sigh. “Ye’ll be dragging out an uncomfortable journey, Lachlann.”
“I dinna want to be any trouble.” Ethne nodded in agreement with Niall and turned that nod toward Lachlann.
“Ye’re no trouble.” Lachlann offered her a reassuring smile, but was fuming and turned on Niall. “Would ye have me just up and leave my wife? Abandon her on the steps of a church?”
Niall and Aldred exchanged glances. It was Niall who spoke first. “Yer wife? And when did this take place exactly?”
“Well…it…has not happenedyet.” Lachlann hated how sheepish he sounded.
He turned to Ethne, holding her close and blocking out Niall and Aldred. “A formality only. A visit to the chapel here seems like a fine idea. Surely, someone there can witness our agreement and vows.” Under his breath, he added, “I want ye as my wife, and I’ll not wait another moment.”
Aldred stepped closer, his face contorted with his confusion. “Ye’ve promised ye’d marry her?”
“Ipromisednothing,” Lachlann bellowed, regretting it only because of the pain that shot down his side. More quietly, he added, “’Tis what I want.”
Ethne shifted uncomfortably. Damn! She was getting the wrong idea.
He set his jaw tight before taking a breath and responding, nearly matching the man in his angry response. “Iaskedher if I could take her to wife, ye knave.”
“And she toldyeaye?” Aldred matched his outraged tone.
“And why would she not?” Lachlann’s defensive words and fierce scowl received no answer, but he still added, “She has agreed.”
“Actually, I dinna agree.” Her quiet voice had all eyes on her.
“What are ye saying?” He didn’t like the way her eyes were downcast, and he tipped up her head. “Ye know I love ye. Dinna make me live without ye. Not now. Not after I’ve found ye.”
She glanced at Aldred. “Yer friends have sage advice.”
“They’re no better than horse dung.” Lachlann ignored the boisterous objections to the label and continued. “They know nothing. And they certainly dinna know me as a man in love.”
“They seem to think I need only protection, and ’tis true, I can receive that from the church.” Her eyes rounded. “That was all I had planned to do when I decided to leave. I decided to come here, Lachlann. I even lied to Domelch, so she would send me here. That was when ye got hurt.”
Taking her delicate hand in his, he asked, “So, I got in the way of your escape?”
One slim shoulder tucked up. She dropped her gaze, withdrawing her hand from his to clasp them tightly together.
“Then I owe ye.” He offered his most charming of smiles, but got no response. “Ye’d prefer to follow through with those plans? Even now?”
