Page 72 of A Bride for the Kilted Beast

She grinned at him mischievously, wondering how he was going to word it without getting himself into trouble. “Go ahead, ’tis best if ye tell them what happened from yer point of view first, laird tae laird, so tae speak.”

He nodded, accepting her silent challenge with a smile of resignation. Then, with what Lillie thought was admirable frankness, he related the whole story, with occasional help from Ciarán, right up until his brother, Aiden, and Darragh’s timely arrival in Laird Lennox’s study with their men.

At the end, he looked apologetically at her brothers and said, “I ken it sounds bad that I forced Lillie tae wed me in such a manner⁠—”

“I’ve forgiven him fer that,” she put in, kissing his cheek, wanting to reassure Aiden and Darragh that she was completely happy with the arrangement.

“But I feel I need tae apologize tae both of ye fer me hasty actions. I ken now that I should have written tae ye first off, tae check Lillie’s claims. But I wasnae thinkin’ straight at the time, what with the situation with Maddison and the Lennoxes.

“All I could think of was that snatchin’ Odhrán’s bride from under his nose and marryin’ her tae stop him havin’ her was a possible way tae get him tae admit that he and his faither were holding our sister.”

“I think, in the circumstances, Darragh and I are grateful that ye did buy her at this terrible auction. I dread tae think what would have happened tae Lillie if ye had nae taken her,” Aiden said.

“Aye, and as long as Lillie’s happy, that’s all that counts with me. I cannae imagine havin’ that Odhrán as a brother-in-law,” Darragh put in, wrinkling his nose in disgust. “What a strange fellow he is, tae be sure.”

“Killin’ his own faither like that,” Aiden said, nodding. “I could nae have imagined in a thousand years that he’d dae somethin’ like that.”

“Aye, that was a shock, tae say the least,” Diarmaid agreed. “’Tis hard tae explain, indeed.”

“Why d’ye think he did it, tae then let us all leave like that?” Darragh asked.

Lillie noticed how Diarmaid hesitated for a moment and glanced across at Maddison as if asking permission to speak. Her eyes were bright with interest, and it was clear she was listening intently to the way the conversation was going. She nodded almost imperceptibly at Diarmaid.

“Well, I have an idea,” he admitted, ensuring everyone’s attention turned to him. “Ye have tae understand that I’ve always believed Odhrán tae be just like his faither, a bloodthirsty bastard. And he’s never acted any other way tae our knowledge, has he, Ciarán?” He looked to his brother for confirmation.

“True, Braither,” Ciarán said with a vigorous nod, “so, I must admit, I’m wonderin’ what ye’re gonnae say.”

“’Tis very strange indeed, but I couldnae help but notice the look on his face when he saw his faither pawin’ me wife…” His voice became suddenly gritty at that point before he resumed, “there was me, wishin’ I could tear off Murphy’s head with me bare hands, and Odhrán lookin’ as if he was about tae throw up, as though he was disgusted by Murphy’s behavior. I could nae make sense of it at the time, I was so enraged mesel’.”

“And then, when Odhrán came back with Maddison, I saw he was tryin’ tae keep her as far away from his faither as he could. He moved he intae a corner and stood in front of her.”

“But was he nae just guardin’ her?” Ciarán asked.

Diarmaid shook his head. “Nae, he was gentle with her, like he wanted tae protect her. I ken it sounds stupid.”

“Ach, I think ye must have been imaginin’ it,” Aiden said. He turned to look enquiringly at Maddison.

“Is that nae so, Sister?” Asked Diarmaid.

She looked around at them all before her eyes finally settled on Diarmaid.

“’Tis true,” she suddenly said. “He was protectin’ me, I kent it at the time. Although I hate him with all me heart, I have tae say his faither was right. I think it was only because of Odhrán that I’m sittin’ here now.”

Her words drew a few gasps of amazement from around the table.

“What d’ye mean?” Aiden asked, frowning. “He’s had ye prisoner in his dungeons fer the last year.”

“Aye, but in all that time, I swear I never kent Odhrán was the laird’s son. I only found that out when his faither called him that today. He visited me in the dungeons every day, tellin’ me he wanted tae set me free but that the laird would kill us both if he did. I didnae believe him, of course, I feared him greatly, thinkin’ he was toyin’ with me and would kill me at any moment.

“But he never did. I have tae admit, he was always kind tae me. He would bring me food every day, and he made sure I had clean water, and candles so I would nae have tae sit in darkness, he said. And he brought clean clothes, and even books fer me tae read tae pass the time.

“The last few days before ye rescued me, he seemed very on edge, and he kept tellin’ me that time was runnin’ out, that he didnae ken how much longer he could protect me from the laird. I couldnae explain it mesel’.” She paused for a moment, a line of puzzlement forming between her brows. “When the laird had me by the throat, I thought I would die. And then, when Odhrán leaned over like that with his sword, I thought he was gonnae finish me off. But instead, he… he killed his own faither.”

Her voice had dropped to almost a whisper, while the others listened with rapt attention.

“I couldnae believe it. I still cannae believe it,” Maddison finished, shaking her head in obvious confusion.

Lillie was as shocked as the rest to hear what Maddison had told them, but she thought she had an inkling of why Odhrán had acted so strangely. Diarmaid and Ciarán were staring at their sister with their mouths open, wearing expressions of incomprehension.