Chapter 14
The next few days passed in a haze, Brighit’s mind fixed on Seigine’s threats. The sight of Seigine riding side by side with her husband made her sick with nerves, which was no doubt his purpose. He hadn’t approached her again, but his presence alone set her on edge. She had begun to give up hope that he would ever leave when he and his men finally parted ways with the group, claiming they may have lost the trail of the murderer.
There’d been no opportunity to broach the subject with Darragh, which was just as well—she was stuck in an endless circle of thoughts with no answers. Each day left her feeling exhausting and hopeless. Despite Darragh’s sweet attempts to find some quiet time with her at night away from the others, she could barely find the strength to converse, and each night ended the same; with him turning his back to her and falling asleep.
“Ye’re deep in thought.”
Brighit jumped at Darragh’s voice. She was so wrapped up in thought she’d forgotten he’d decided to join her in the carriage this day, professing she must be lonely. Despite her adamant objections to the contrary, here he was.
“I did not mean to startle ye.” His slight smile seemed genuine.
She forced a smile in return. “Ye did not.”
Darragh nodded. He didn’t believe her. “Very well then. And what were ye so deep in thought about?”
“The strangeness of life.” Brighit regretted the words when he frowned. She was learning her husband was a deep thinker. Even with his men. He would ask questions and listen to their answers. If he questioned her further now, what could she say to avoid having to explain herself?
But he glanced away, his thick brows coming together. “It is that.”
The answer shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did—like when he’d mentioned he may never be king. “Did ye not tell me that kingship may not be yer destiny?”
He shrugged and turned back to her. “I thought ye should realize ye may never be the wife of a king. Would that displease ye?”
“It would not. Though ye men enjoy commenting on my father’s closeness to my mother, his kingship has cost them much. They have spent far too much time separated.”
“Apparently he has always been quite good at his sweet talk.”
“And what of yer father? He believes ye will beri.”
He sighed, a loud sound in the small space. “My father has always had high hopes for himself and now he passes that on to me.”
“D'ye believe what Seigine said about his grandmother’s clan?”
She didn’t miss the flash of surprise that crossed his face before he answered. “Cathair was always the calmer of the two brothers.”
Brighit cringed at the memory of that man’s fists. Ifhehad been the calmer one, they were all doomed.
“Though both lean toward violence. I am not convinced my father would care whether the two clans were joined or not.”
“It sounds as if the Dubhshláine are trying to coerce them into joining.” The words felt insincere coming from her own lips, but she forced them. Their lives might depend on it.
His lips tipped up on one side. “Coerce? Is this how ye understood what he told us?”
She squeezed her jaw shut. He saw through her feigned interest. “It sounded as if they may have had a hand in the attack on the women,” she pressed.
“To what purpose?”
Brighit cringed at how quickly he saw through her attempt to make them appear the victim. Something warned her to choose her words carefully. “If the MacCochlain has the better land and the river, is it unheard of for another clan to wish to subdue them?”
“Subdue? Possibly, but I believe Cathair had worked out a peaceful plan.” His eyes remained steady on her. “Why the interest?”
Brighit’s fumbled lies had roused his suspicions, but she had no recourse other than to continue lying. “My father has always encouraged my interests. He taught me battle strategy, but he also taught me about negotiations. I was only trying to help. Clans getting along well is of the utmost importance.”
The air stilled in her lungs. She had spoken the truth about her father and avoided the truth about her line of questioning.
“Tell me how it feels to be able to do whatever ye want to do.” His voice sounded almost wistful.
“I… I do not…” With a start, Brighit realized shehadlived most of her life just as she pleased. Whenever she asked her father about battle, he taught her what she needed to know. Whenever she asked him about clan politics, he shared his experience. Because as a woman there was no need for her to know these things, it wasn’t surprising that Darragh believed she always got to do whatever she wanted. “There are things I must do that I would prefer not to.”
