A hard lump in her throat, she saw unexpected compassion in his eyes that touched her, she couldn’t deny it.
To her surprise, he turned to face the crowd of silent onlookers that now included her uncle, Niall, and Nora, his wife, who looked so sympathetically upon her, too, as if to offer their support.
“I take no offense at what was clearly a misunderstanding between Deirdre and myself…and offer an apology to her as well for having caused her distress at my harsh words. Indeed, she is the most impressive woman I’ve ever known—and one I would be proud and honored to have as my wife.”
Now a buzz of astonishment swept through her clansmen, Deirdre blushing to her roots at the unexpected sincerity of Liam’s praise and the way he looked at her now—as if…as if…he might even feel some stronger emotion than high regard for her.
“I, too, would be proud and honored to have Deirdre O’Byrne for my bride!” came a sudden pronouncement from Brendan, who gazed upon her with admiration as well. “This day’s events are not yet done, aye? I still have a chance to prove my worth to you, is that not correct, Lord?”
Ronan appeared almost startled by such a query, but he nodded as Darragh stepped forward to sweep a gallant bow toward Deirdre that wholly surprised her.
“I would be honored and proud, too, for you to find me worthy of your hand in marriage. Mayhap if we had a chance to speak together—chaperoned, of course—I might learn more about you than what these tests of skill have shown me.”
“I ask for the same consideration,” interjected Brendan before Deirdre had a chance to reply to Darragh’s unexpected request, while Liam looked on with a tic working along his jaw again that clearly evidenced his displeasure with his rivals.
“Don’t forget about me! I wish to speak to Deirdre, too!”
She gasped and spun around to find Cian pushing his burly bulk through the crowd, and she half expected to see Roy and Fergal behind him, though Cian seemed to read her mind and shook his dark head.
“They’re still abed in the infirmary, but I feel much better now, I’m glad to say. Is it too late for me to try my hand at a target?”
“Aye, but we won’t count your illness against you, O’Brien,” Ronan answered with a wry glance at Deirdre. “You were only trying to please my daughter. What say you, Deirdre? I think it’s a grand idea for you to spend some time with each of your suitors, and mayhap everyone needs a respite before the next test of skill.”
“I will go first!” Brendan strode up to Deirdre and took her by the hand, his boldness astonishing her even more. “Let’s walk together.”
Deirdre had only an instant to glance over her shoulder at Ronan’s approving nod—and Liam’s darkening scowl—before Brendan drew her with him.
The midmorning sunlight glinting upon his reddish-brown hair that bore a hint of gold she hadn’t noticed before, hispleased grin handsome enough—though nothing like Liam’s smile, she found herself thinking.
A gentle cough made her glance over her shoulder to see that Nora followed some paces behind as her chaperone, which was a relief to her. She hadn’t spent time alone with any man before, other than family members, Brendan squeezing her hand as if he couldn’t be more pleased at the turn of events.
At once he began to expound upon how the O’Neill clan would be thrilled for a marital alliance with the O’Byrnes, which told Deirdre little about Brendan other than he was fueled by ambition that showed him to be far more self-centered than what she thought about Liam.
Brendan didn’t ask her one thing about herself, in fact, but spoke only of himself and how their marriage would elevate him within his clan, though he did seem to catch himself when she had to stifle a yawn moments later—not because she was weary, but wholly of boredom.
“You’re so beautiful, Deirdre…so accomplished, though my mother won’t like it at all that you dress as a man. It’s not seemly, I’m sure you understand. With your dowry, I will be able to provide you gowns of the finest silk with matching slippers?—”
“I hate gowns, and slippers are useless to me,” she snapped, though she softened her tone at his stunned expression, to let him down as easily as possible. “I cannot ride my horse in a gown, or run, or anything else I like to do.”
“Ah, but you’ll be busy with our home and family. You do want a family, Deirdre, aye?”
“Mayhap one day, but I cannot say it will be with you, Brendan—though you’re an agreeable enough young man. Marriage will not change me. God fashioned me just as I am. Would you mind if we walk back to where the others are waiting?”
His ruddy face gone a bit pale, he nodded, his hand clasping hers become almost clammy.
“My clan will be disappointed, indeed, if I don’t return with you as my bride. Is there a wee bit of hope for me?”
Brendan looked so earnest, his hazel eyes pleading, which made Deirdre heave a sigh. “Let’s see what the rest of the day brings, shall we?”
A fleeting moment for him to bob his head and squeeze her hand again was all the time she granted him, Deirdre as much relieved to be done with their walk as dreading her next encounter when Cian pushed his way past Darragh to approach her.
“My turn,” he said with an odorous belch that smelled of porridge, making Deirdre grimace. Cian seemed not to notice and grabbed her arm roughly, which was enough for her to know once and for all that her name would never change to O’Brien.
His compliments coarse and his eyes lustful as they walked together—no, more Cian pulling her along with him that made Nora hasten to keep up and Deirdre to yank her arm away when the bent of his conversation was much the same as Brendan’s.
She would not change who she was for anyone, least of all this ill-mannered brute who had revealed his true nature within only a few moments.
“What? We’re done already?” he demanded, his voice rising with some anger.
