Page 57 of A Bride for the Kilted Beast

“I love ye, Lillie,” Diarmaid panted in her ear, kissing her deeply as he stiffened, then moments later, he too climaxed, murmuring her name hoarsely in her ear as his last few thrusts brought him home.

Lillie smiled in deep contentment, hugging him to her. “I love ye too, Diarmaid. And now I really am yer wife.”

“Aye, so ye are, me bonny lass. Just promise me ye’ll nae tie me tae the bed again like ye did last time.” He rolled over, grinning at her as he encircled her with his arm and kissed her hair.

“I dinnae ken if I can promise,” she teased, laying happily against him, “but as long as ye behave yerself…”

“Wheesht!” he sighed, shaking his head in mock resignation. “What have I got mesel’ intae now?”

They laughed together, and Lillie ran her fingers idly through the darkly furred expanse of his chest, feeling spent and supremely contented. And bursting with love for Diarmaid Kincaid, who was, she thought with satisfaction, now indisputably her real husband.

Before she fell asleep in Diarmaid’s arms, she reminded herself to return the whale butter to Finian the next chance she got. She had no need of it now.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Diarmaid woke up when dawn’s light began creeping through the chamber. Lillie was curled against him like a warm, sleeping kitten, and it felt to him as if she had been made to fit there. He smiled down at her, his heart brimming over with love for her as he watched her eyelids fluttering. I hope she’s dreaming of me.

Though he felt on top of the world, knowing Lillie loved him, he lay for some time thinking that the troubles he was facing were now even more complicated by that very fact. And by the fact that he loved her too, with all his being. Now that their union was well and truly consummated, what that meant for their already perilous situation, he was unsure.

This time, when Ciarán discreetly tapped at their chamber door, Diarmaid was ready for him. Not wanting to wake Lillie, he crept out into the hallway, stopping to pull on his boots and fasten his sword belt. He was surprised when his brother handed him a parchment scroll sealed with a sigil they did not recognize pressed into the wax.

“It must be from the MacDonalds,” Diarmaid said, breaking the seal and unrolling the letter. They read it together.

“So, indeed she is their sister,” Ciarán said.

“Aye,” Diarmaid agreed, rolling the letter back up and slipping it into his coat pocket. “She was telling us the truth all along. Tae be honest, Braither, I wish I’d given her the benefit of the doubt from the start, enough tae write tae her brother before making her marry me,” he added, feeling deep regret for ever doubting Lillie’s word.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, tae be sure. But we are where we are, so we just have tae handle things as best we can from here,” Ciarán told him. Diarmaid was grateful that he was being diplomatic and did not try to make him feel bad for his hasty action.

“What’s really worryin’ me is what all this means,” he admitted. “Will it be war between us and the MacDonalds because I forced Lillie tae wed me? Or could it mean an alliance between our two clans because we are wed?” he paused, turning the possibilities over in his mind. “We need tae meet with her brothers and explain the situation as soon as possible,” he said with an air of finality. He started off down the hallway, but Ciarán put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“Hang on,” he said. “There’s somethin’ else too.” he said. He thrust another sealed parchment scroll at Diarmaid.

“What’s this?” Diarmaid asked with a frown as he took it.

“Some of the guards went back tae the place where ye were held in the woods, tae see if they could find any of those men who attacked ye. They found this on the ground. It must have been overlooked when they first found ye there.”

Something flickered in the back of Diarmaid’s memory.

“Aye, I remember it now. I think I registered it just before I blacked out, but I’d completely forgotten about it.” He examined the seal: two battleaxes, crossed. The Lennox sigil. “’Tis from Odhrán.” He tore it open urgently and unrolled the sheet, his pulse racing. Something fell to the floor, and Ciarán bent to retrieve it.

“By the Gods! ’Tis a lock of Maddison’s hair!” he exclaimed, straightening up, his face lighting up with excitement as he fondled the lock of dark hair that was tied with a thread. He shot Diarmaid a look of triumphant joy. “I told ye she was alive.”

Diarmaid stared at the lock with wonder as it lay in his brother’s palm, his heart now beating even faster.

“Well, hurry up! What does it say?” Ciarán demanded impatiently. Diarmaid held up the parchment and they read the brief lines it contained.

…Ye can have yer sister in exchange fer McIrving’s daughter…

The two brothers stood staring at each other wordlessly for several moments.

“This is wonderful news, the best of news,” Ciarán burst out, his face splitting into a grin. “’Tis just as well ye havenae bedded Lillie yet, Braither,” he added.

Diarmaid’s racing heart plummeted to his boots. He rubbed his face with his hands and looked at Ciarán. “I’m sorry tae tell ye, but ’tis too late,” he confessed.

“Ach,” Ciarán exclaimed, shaking his head, his happy expression fading.

“The thing is, Ciarán,” Diarmaid began, struggling to find the words and finally deciding to just say it. “I’m in love with her, and she’s in love with me. There’s nae way I’m lettin’ Odhrán have her.” He was prepared for an argument, and so he was taken aback when Ciarán appeared unfazed by his admission.