He decided to tread lightly. “We have not had much time for discussion, try as I might to speak with ye…”
Thomasina and Sean joined the group and the horses shifted around them.
Diarmuid’s gaze did not wander. “I am listeningnow.”
“Marcán.” Sean acknowledged him with a nod. Then he mounted his horse in a single leap and reached down to pull Thomasina up in front of him.
Thomasina’s quiet laughter carried to them. “Do ye fear I will leave ye if I am given my own mount?” she asked.
“I will not take the chance,” Sean replied.
“Diarmuid,” Thomasina said, “is Aednat not joining us?”
Diarmuid finally turned to the overking and his wife. “A long ride for one still recovering, but I will return straightaway.”
Sean adjusted the reins, his horse shifting farther away from Brighit’s antsy mount.
“I sense an urgency among our group.Reidh?”
Keen disappointment ripped through Marcán, but he stepped back, ready to see them off. He could not risk upsetting the overking. Certainly when Diarmuid returned, there would be a great celebration to go along with his betrothal to Astrid.
Diarmuid, however, remained unmoving. He glanced at Sean. “Give us a moment.”
Sean tipped his head, turning his horse about to exchange pleasantries with the others in the group.
Diarmuid took hold of Marcán’s arm in a surprisingly strong grip, leading him a few feet away before releasing him. “If there’s something ye need to speak to me about, best ye say it. Waiting at this point can come to no good.”
The man knew! Anger tightened Marcán’s face and he crossed his arms. “Would I be telling ye anything ye didn’t know by now?”
Diarmuid raised his brows, not even trying to hide his annoyance. “I said waiting at this point can come to no good.”
“If ye know I am in love with yer sister, why would ye make me wait and ask ye when ye know how difficult ’tis been to speak with ye? Just let me take her to wife and put me out of my misery.”
Diarmuid’s eyes narrowed. “I’m thinking there’s not beentoomuch misery. Something else entirely, something much more pleasant.”
Heat spread across Marcán’s face. Diarmuid’s attempt at embarrassing him was quite effective. “Never without a promise to be joined in truth. I will have the church’s—and yer—blessing.”
“Ye’ve had my blessing from the beginning.”
“The beginning?”
Diarmuid snorted a laugh. “Even when I had no idea what ye saw in Astrid, or if she’d ever come to her own realization about ye.”
“With yer mother scheming against me for her own purposes, what was I to think?”
Tipping his head, Diarmuid replied, “And was I to make it so very easy on ye? What sort of man would ye be if I needed to fight yer battles?”
“I’d lost hope she’d ever come around.” It felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and his sigh of relief was long and deep. “I’ve wanted her forever.”
Seeing the warning in his friend’s eyes, Marcán realized how lustful he’d sounded and spoke more quickly. “She’s the only woman I’ve ever wanted to take to wife.”
Diarmuid watched him a moment more before nodding his head, a tightness around his mouth. “Heed my warning. There’s some sort of trouble about that ye’ll need to see to… and I give ye leave to deal with it however ye decide.”
“Would that be yer mother’s scheming?” Marcán spat out the words.
“I trust ye with my sister, but tread lightly until I can announce it myself.”
Marcán gritted his teeth, his patience at an end. Diarmuid’s agreement was all he’d ever sought. It was all that had held him back from outwardly seeing her as his own. The thought of waiting even longer did not sit well with him. “Why the delay? Diar—”
