Lachlann continued to look at him. “Are not most women squeamish about such things?”
Sean shrugged. He had never noticed. “The fish smells good. Mayhap I’m getting my strength back.”
“I truly hope so.”
Lachlann looked to the opening of the cave. Sean followed his gaze. Niall and Thomasina stood in the entrance. She looked exhausted and Sean’s arms ached to hold her. He kept himself rigid, his face expressionless.
“There has been some trouble.” It was Niall who finally spoke.
“What is amiss?” Lachlann came to Sean, bending down to help him sit up when he struggled. “Has it to do with Sean?”
“He is a wanted man. They search for him, calling him the Norman slayer.” Niall paused. “We ran into our father.”
Thomasina looked away and Niall closed the distance to the other men. “O’Reilly tried to take her away while I stood right there.”
Sean leaned forward, ignoring the pain coursing through him. “If he touched her, I will run him through.”
Niall reached an arm to Sean to help him stand. “He will not get near her. Not while I’m alive.”
“But that bastard—our father—had given him yer coins as my dowry,” Thomasina finally spoke up.
Sean’s face paled. Everyone lurched toward him before he crumbled to the ground. They sat him slowly back down.
“Ye need to take care, man, ye’ve had a bad beating,” Niall said.
Sean’s eyes closed, the sounds around were muffled as he struggled to stop the room from spinning. “Water, please.”
Thomasina took the water from Lachlann’s hand and held it to Sean’s lips.
“My thanks, Lachlann.” He opened his eyes to Thomasina but didn’t speak.
Her face heated and she moved away.
Lachlann touched her hand when he took the skin. “He’s had nothing but my ugly face to look at while ye’ve been gone.”
Sean lay back down and draped his arm over his face. “Tell me.”
Niall sat down beside the man. “My father gave O’Reilly the coins and told him it was Thomasina’s dowry. There had been no discussion it was payment for his debts.”
Sean fisted his hand and smashed it against the ground. “I dunna like just laying here when I want to kick the man’s arse.”
“I told them she was betrothed.”
Sean lowered his arm and turned to face Tommy’s brother. His expression gave no indication of what he was planning.
Thomasina brought the skin to Sean again. “Ye need to drink.”
Her lovely, green eyes were wide, beseeching him to accept the water from her. He opened his mouth for her ministrations.
She nodded and smiled. “It smells of fish. I’ll get ye some.”
Sean watched her as she walked away. Lachlann was quick to step up and help her. While the two were talking, Niall moved a bit closer.
“So we have a bit of a problem.” Niall turned to face him, his voice quiet. “We need to get her married—now. I dunna trust O’Reilly or my father.”
“So ye need to get to yer uncle and make the match ye spoke of.” The ache in his chest as he spoke the words felt nearly as intense as the pain in his body. He didn’t want to see her married to another, but it wasn’t his choice. “I understand ye leaving me here. Getting her safely away is more urgent now.”
Especially since Sean was a hunted man. Her being near him put her in danger. He would not have it. She needed to be protected and away from him.
