Thomasina’s confusion must have shown on her face because Sean gave a nod and turned to her brother. Closing the distance between them despite the sword Niall held pointed at him, Sean said, “I was about to make love to my betrothed.”
Chapter 9
Niall’s expression went from shocked, as if unable to comprehend Sean’s words, to horrified that what he’d heard him say was actually true, to disbelief that it might actually be true. He doubled over as he laughed uncontrollably. For quite a while. The sound wore on Thomasina’s nerves. Sean looked absolutely livid but didn’t speak at first.
Glancing at Thomasina with narrowed eyes, he seemed to be assessing how she took her brother’s behavior. She expected no less from him at such a statement since he was so protective.
“Is this yer brother? Are ye certain, Thomasina? The one ye came to for help?”
That received an immediate reaction. Niall stood up, a scowl on his face now. “What are ye asking?”
“Ye’re acting like an arse.” Lachlann spoke up from where he stood with his hip perched against the boulder, still wiping at his lip. “Ye’re acting like her being betrothed is an absurd idea. We all knew it was just a matter of time with her beauty.”
Lachlann smiled toward her then grimaced at the pain from his split lip. He was a sweetheart and the only friend of Niall’s that she would not feel ashamed of having been seen naked in front of.
“Thank ye, Lachlann.”
Sean glanced between the two of them. “Ishe laughing because he thinks no one would want ye? Is he daft?”
Thomasina’s face heated. Her brother was her biggest supporter. Their sire was just as cruel to Niall but knew where to draw the line with him. He needed Niall.
Niall pushed out his chest and moved in closer to Sean. “Let me just say I dunna think the only daughter of the MacDonnell Clan would marry someone from across the sea.”
Thomasina shoved her hair over her shoulder and began pacing. “’Tis not like that, Niall.” She turned toward Sean and continued, “And I dunna think ’tis exactly as he said it.”
Sean frowned and crossed his arms, even puckering his lips for effect, and made as if he tried to remember something. His expression dropped with his arms and he nodded. “Nae. ’Tis exactly as I said it. Ye’re my betrothed.”
“Why? Because ye gave my father money for me?”
“Tommy! Nae!” Niall said.
His sympathetic tone started the tears. “It was awful, Niall. He came here and started saying terrible things about me.”
Her brother took her in his strong embrace. She turned her face into his shoulder and let the tears take over.
“Shhh”
“It was the O’Reilly he betrothed me to.”
Niall pulled away at that. “Not that whoreson. That man’s been after ye since ye were just a girl. I saw the attention he gave ye and even at two and ten, I ken it was wrong. When I told father about it, he could not clear his mind enough to understand me.” He shook his head and turned toward his kinsmen. “I was afeared for her.”
“Aye, ye did. We made a vow to never leave her alone with the man,” Aldred said. His stern expression spoke of the seriousness of the offense.
Thomasina shivered, relieved to have no memory of the events.
“That’s why I decided to go back to Uncle Garnait.” He glanced at Sean. “He took over as clan leader when our father fell into a drunken stupor. We were nearly all murdered in our sleep when an enemy snuck in under his nose.”
Thomasina saw no acknowledgement from Sean, just silence.
“I canna believe the old man would do this to ye,” Niall said.
Niall’s pained expression pulled at Thomasina. Her brother had been through a lot trying to look out for them when they were shunned.
“He lost everything,” she said. “He had nothing else to offer him.”
Niall gave her his full attention. “And he doesna have ye. He canna just give ye away like ye’re something to barter. Just because he’s lost all that is rightfully his doesna mean yer nothing but some goods he can trade out.”
Thomasina sniffled and wiped at her nose. “But he did. First he gave the man Daisy. And when that was not enough, he gave him me.”
