Niall nodded, his eyes narrowing as if trying to see into his thoughts. Sean looked away. He had said his peace. Now it was up to Niall.
“I do not see that as a problem.” He pursed his lips together. “Do ye?”
Niall didn’t wait for his answer but extended his hand. Sean accepted the gesture.
“It is not to where we have been living. Ye have until we arrive to assure yerself of her feelings for ye. Then we sign the contract. Lachlann and I will head west and keep an eye on the Normans.” He faced Sean. “We will be back in the morning and we can plan our strategy.”
Sean paused to consider what he was offering him. Consummation so no one could gainsay his rights as her husband. In his heart, he had meant what he told her. She was his from the first.
Chapter 14
Niall walked to the horses where Lachlann and Thomasina waited, Sean close behind.
“We head to the house, Thomasina.” Niall mounted his horse and reached toward his sister.
Sean intercepted his hand on Thomasina’s arm. “Nae. She goes with me.”
Her green eyes widened. “Are ye strong enough?”
“Yea.” He took her hand and led her to the other horse.
Lachlann mounted behind Niall, a big smile on his face. “I’m going to miss ye, Sean,” Lachlann batted his eyes as he spoke in a high, girly voice, “and yer strapping arms about my waist.”
Sean kept a straight face. “I canna say the same.”
He mounted and reached down to Thomasina, pulling her in front of him. She glanced toward her brother as if expecting an objection. Niall turned away and guided his horse northward, leaving them to follow.
She ducked her head, averting Sean’s gaze. “Let me ken if I am too much for ye.”
Sean offered a smile despite his body screaming out in pain. “Ye will never be too much for me.”
Niall kept the horses at a slow pace no doubt to accommodate Sean’s broken body. The scent of the woman in his arms was a balm to his bruises. She sat away from him, as if afraid to hurt him.
“Ye and yer brother are close?”
“Yea. He has always looked out for me.” She faced front, her body stiffening. “After our mother died, our father began to drink. Soon he was always drunk. After we were sent away from the clan, Lachlann and Aldred would come and help my brother to provide for us.”
“So they remain with the clan?”
“Yea. They come around more when the work for the harvest or the hunting is done with.”
“Does yer uncle ken what they are doing?”
“Yea. I think he cares for us still and wants to ken that Niall and I are taken care of. ’Tis my father he opposed.”
Sean wrapped an arm about her, pulling her in close. She sighed and relaxed against him.
“I would have gladly taken ye to wife after yer father left ye. I dunna want to do anything against yer clan.”
Her shoulders stiffened.
“Being without a clan is a dangerous way for a man to live,” Sean said.
She nodded against his chest.
“Will yer brother find a way into the clan if I take ye with me?”
Pulling away to face him, her eyes rounded. “I dunna ken about the clan.”
