Page 25 of Married to her Kilted Enemy

“Aye.” The brothers spoke and nodded in unison.

“How’s ye shoulder mendin’?” Odhrán asked Tadgh, actually curious about how his friend had gotten on when left alone with Alana but not wanting to embarrass him by asking.

“Och, pretty well, thanks, man. It was bloody painful when ye pulled that arrow out of me, I have tae admit. But Alana fixed me up pretty good, and she says it should heal well, although there may be some stiffness.”

“Well, ye must let it heal afore ye go back tae yer trainin’,” Odhrán warned him.

“Anyway, forget about me shoulder. What happened tae yer head?” Tadgh asked, staring at the lump Odhrán knew stood out on his forehead.

“Ach, ’tis just a wee bump,” Odhrán said, too embarrassed to admit how he had gotten it.

“Are ye sure ye’ve nae been fightin’ with Maddison again and she lumped ye?” Liam asked with teasing smile.

To cover his embarrassment, Odhrán laughed. “She’d have tae stand on a stool tae reach me,” he said, brushing it off and hoping they would drop the subject.

After a little more ribbing, Liam had to go off for his rounds, checking the men were on alert for an attack. Unable to train, Tadgh went with him.

“Are ye nae comin’?” Liam asked as he grabbed his keys and prepared to leave the office.

“Nay, I have some work tae dae. I’ll be in me study if ye need me,” Odhrán told them, intending to do exactly that. But when he had taken his leave of the brothers and headed to his study, he was suddenly overcome with tiredness. Since all was in hand to deal with Rollo for the moment, he decided to take a nap until dinner time. He headed up to his chambers, half hoping to find Maddison still in bed. Juts the thought excited him.

But when he arrived, the chamber was empty, the bed neatly made. He saw that Jess had been in and left the extra blankets at the end of the bed as he had instructed. He did not want Maddison wandering around the castle in the dark again just because she was cold. Remembering the weight and warmth of her slight body against his chest as he had carried her to Alana warmed him. His heart ached to really hold her close and show her how much he cared for her. But Liam had said to take things slowly, so that she came to him, and he was not about to ruin things by getting ahead of himself, however much he wanted her.

With a tired sigh, he pulled off his boots and undressed down to his shirt. Then he climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers, appreciating the comfort. On a whim, he pulled Maddison’s pillow to him and hugged it, breathing her perfume in deeply. With visions of her dancing behind his eyes, he smiled to himself and soon fell into peaceful sleep.

It was late afternoon, and Maddison had been visiting Alana. But when a patient arrived for urgent treatment, she left and headed back to the castle, feeling at a loose end. She guessed Odhrán would be up to his ears in problems to do with the attacks. She decided to go back to their chambers and read for a while before she had to start getting ready for dinner, hoping for some peace.

She was, therefore, very surprised to find him in bed, fast asleep. Finding herself anxious for him once more, she peered at his face for any signs of a fever. However, he looked fine and peaceful, and heartbreakingly handsome, the harsh planes of his face softened by sleep. Unable to prevent the warm glow the sight caused in her chest, she turned away from the bed. It was then that she noticed the blankets neatly piled at the foot. The warm glow expanded. She could not help but be touched. Amid all his troubles, he was still thinking of her comfort.

Deciding he needed the rest, she quietly took off her shoes, selected a book to read from the pile, and settled comfortably in the chair before the fire. She had been reading for some time, a fanciful adventure story about a rich woman stolen away by a pirate captain. It was, she knew, utter nonsense, but the storyteller was masterful, and she was soon engrossed.

“What time is it?” came the deep voice from the bed, pulling her sharply from her reverie. Startled, she dropped the book and looked around at him. He was sitting up in bed, and she blushed to see he was clad only in his shirt, with part of his chest, covered with springy dark hairs, on display. A strange thrill ran through her, and she had to look away.

“Um, about an hour before dinner time,” she told him, getting up and going over to the bed. “How are ye feelin’?”

“I feel much better now I’ve had a proper sleep,” he replied, yawning, flashing white teeth, and then stretching luxuriously.

“Ye’d best have some of yer tonic,” she said, trying to tear her eyes away from his chest, the sigh of which was making her feel strangely hot. She went to the nightstand and poured a little of the tonic into a clean glass.

“Nae without whisky,” Odhrán said, leaning over and retrieving the bottle. She held the glass while he topped it up with the golden liquor and set the bottle aside. “Thank ye. Here goes.” He threw down the concoction with a grimace.

“D’ye feel up tae goin’ downstairs fer dinner or would ye rather stay in bed and have it in here?” she asked. She was not unwilling, she found, to stay there with him. The room was warm and cozy, and she would rather not have to dress for dinner.

“Comfy as I am, I think I’d best get up and show me face. With these attacks goin’ on, I need tae show I’m in charge,” he said. “Otherwise, folk will start tae think I’m weak and nae fit tae be laird.” She noticed a tinge of regret in his voice and felt a pang of sympathy for the weight he had to carry.

“Aye, I suppose so. All right. I’ll dress and come down with ye. I’ll ring fer some hot water tae wash and some tea.” She went and pulled the bell rope to summon a servant.

“Thank ye,” Odhrán said huskily, his eyes following her around the room and burning into her. It made her feel rather shy.

“Are ye responsible fer the extra blankets?” she asked, settling down in her chair again, partly to await the servants and partly so she would not have to look at Odhrán. The way he was making her feel was very troubling to her, but she could not find it in her heart to be mean to him just then.

“I just didnae want ye fallin’ down the stairs again because ye were cold,” he told her, running his hands through his hair in a very distracting manner. She decided to take the bull by the horns and ask the question burning inside her.

“Odhrán?” She took the chance of looking at him, wanting to see the expression on his face when he answered.

“Aye?”

“Why are ye bein’ so kind tae me after the way I’ve treated ye?”