Page 11 of Married to her Kilted Enemy

The alcove was only about a yard wide, and they were pressed closely together, so close, he could smell her flowery perfume.

“Maddison, will ye be quiet?” he said in a low voice, praying she would not cry out to attract the maids’ attention. He fixed her with a stern look, to make her think twice about it. He took the added precaution of pinning her to the wall, placing an arm either side of her, cutting off any escape.

To his relief, though she glanced towards the hallway when the maids passed by, she made no move to call for help. It soon became clear to him why. It appeared she was eager for the opportunity to give him a piece of her mind, in private, thank God.

“Ye may think ye’re clever tae have cooked up this plan with the King tae make me wed ye, but mark me words, I’ll never truly be yer wife,” she spat.

Odhrán’s own frustration was rising now. “Why will ye nae even let me speak? Will ye nae listen tae what I have tae say?” he shot back, growing more conscious by the second of how close they were. He could feel the angry heat coming off her little body, and he could see down the front of her gown, where the exposed tops of her rounded breasts rose and fell rapidly as she panted. It was making it hard for him to concentrate.

“Why should I? There’s naethin’ ye can say tae me that I wish tae hear,” she whispered with barely suppressed fury.

“Ach, woman, just let me explain, will ye?” he insisted, trying to grab her hand in an attempt to make her calm down.

She squeaked loudly in alarm, snatching her hand away. Before he could do anything to stop her, she drew it back and punched him with her fist as hard as she could in his groin.

“Och!” he exclaimed, taken completely off guard as pain lanced through him, making him double over and sending him wheezing to his knees. With a rustle of skirts, she sprinted away, leaving him there, gasping in agony.

He heard her footsteps fading into the distance as he nursed his injured tackle, waiting for the pain to subside. When it did, a minute or two later, he got to his feet, anger fueled by his injured masculine pride flooding through him.

But as he dusted himself off and prepared to return to the dinner and make excuses for the early retirement of his fiery betrothed, he could not help feeling even more intrigued by her. This was a side to Maddison he could never have guessed existed, and deep down in his belly, a small flame of excitement ignited and flickered to life.

I didnae bargain on her bein’ quite so feisty, the wee minx. This is gonnae be one wild ride!

The next morning, after a restless night, a tired and conflicted Maddison was joined by Lillie in her room for breakfast. Diarmaid was engaged sorting out some clan business whilst away. The two young women sat at the table by the window, and while Lillie demolished a bowl of porridge with cream and sugar, Maddison nibbled a piece of dry toast and sipped some tea. Though her stomach was rumbling with hunger, since she had hardly eaten anything for several days, she was too troubled to eat anything more.

“D’ye mind me askin’ why ye rushed off like that last night,” Lillie asked in a casual tone.

“Why? What did he say?” she asked, alarmed at what Odhrán might have told everyone about her rude and rapid exit.

“Och, he just said ye were nae feelin’ too well after the journey and had decided ye needed tae rest,” Lillie informed her. “Is that right? I notice ye’re hardly eatin’ anything now. Are ye nae feelin’ any better this mornin’?”

Relief flooded Maddison, but she squashed the scintilla of gratitude she felt for Odhrán making excuses for her.

“Um, I have nae appetite,” she confessed, wanting to get off her chest what had been troubling her most since her encounter with him in the hallway.

“I’m sorry tae hear that, pet, but if ye dinnae at least try tae eat somethin’, ye’re likely tae feel worse.”

“I am tryin’,” Maddison replied, waving her morsel of toast. She leaned across the table and added in a low voice. “Lillie, after I left the dinner last night, Odhrán followed me, and we had a big argument.”

Lillie put down her teacup and looked at her, concern on her face. “Is that so? D’ye want tae talk about it?”

“Aye, I want yer opinion.”

“All right, if ye think I can help, ask away.”

“Well, he said we cannae go in like this, with me refusing’ tae have anythin’ tae dae with him.”

“And what did ye say?”

“I said that even though he might be forcin’ me tae wed him, I’d never truly be his wife.”

“Oh,” Lillie replied, her disappointment obvious. “So, ye didnae take me advice at all then.”

“I told ye I intend tae make him pay fer what he’s done,” Maddison shot back, growing tenser by the second.

“So, what happened then?”

“He tried tae grab me hand and I… I punched him in the balls and ran.” To her surprise, Lillie burst out laughing. “I dinnae ken what’s funny,” Maddison protested, rather peeved by her reaction.