Page 67 of Married to her Kilted Enemy

While the injured man cradled his arm, she somehow managed to punch the other man in the throat. He let her go, and she launched herself at Rollo, clawing at him. He moved so fast, it was only when she gave a loud shriek and flew backwards, hitting the wall with a loud thud, that Odhrán realized Rollo had viciously backhanded her across the face.

His fury boiling over, Odhrán threw himself at his cousin, but Rollo was already halfway to a dazed Maddison, and Odhrán blanched to see a blade glittering in his cousin’s hand. He means tae kill her!

As if on signal, the room behind him erupted into chaos as his men grabbed the weapons the scout had concealed in the rafters of the cottage two days beforehand. Odhrán had foreseen Rollo’s treachery and prepared for just such a turn of events. Vicious fighting broke out between the two groups.

With a superman effort, Odhrán hurled himself at Rollo and yanked him back viciously by the hair. Rollo screamed as Odhrán got him around the neck and swung him around to face him, squeezing his neck with one hand while pounding at his face with his fist. There was a horrible crack as Rollo’s nose exploded, sending a bright crimson shower into the air.

“Ye bastard,” Rollo snarled through the blood, slashing at Odhrán’s face and throat with the blade. Odhrán grabbed Rollo’s forearm in a powerful grip just as the blade whizzed past his eyes, narrowly preventing himself from being blinded. Fueled by fury, Odhrán bent Rollo’s wrist backwards until his cousin cried out in pain, and his grip gave way. Odhrán instantly turned Rollo’s blade against him, so that it was pointing at his own throat.

In an effort to avoid being forced to stab himself, Rollo released the knife, and it fell clattering to the floor. Caught off balance, he stumbled backwards and fell. Odhrán fell on top of him, snatching the knife from the floor, pinning Rollo down with all his weight. He held the knife poised at Rollo’s neck.

“I told ye I’d kill ye, did I nae, Coz?” he growled, spitting the last words and banging Rollo’s head hard against the floor several times.

“Ye’ve nae got it in ye,” Rollo taunted him nasally, his face a mess of blood.

“I’ve killed far better men that ye, ye vile dog,” Odhrán replied, his bloodlust up. “I’ve waited years fer this, and now I’m gonnae enjoy it. Goodbye, Rollo, and burn in hell, along with me faither.” With primal satisfaction, he gave his cousin a grim smile and raised his arm, ready to strike.

But a steely grip suddenly seized his wrist, and the arc of the death blow was cut off in midair. At the same moment, the slim, double-sided blade of a claymore appeared in front of his eyes and sank easily into Rollo’s soft throat. The man’s eyes flew wide, and he gurgled horribly, choking on his own blood as the blade was retracted. A crimson fountain burst forth from the hole it left behind, spattering everything within a few feet, including Odhrán himself. Rollo stared sightlessly for a few moments, a red pool flowing out from his neck and onto the filthy floor.

Odhrán looked up, to see Liam standing over him, the sword in his hand dripping with Rollo’s blood. He let the weapon drop to the floor.

“What the hell did ye dae that fer!?” Odhrán exclaimed angrily, feeling cheated. “Ye kent I wanted tae finish the bastard mesel’.”

Liam placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. “Trust me, Braither, ’tis better this way.”

“Aye, he’s right,” Tadgh said, coming up behind his brother. “Ye shouldnae have tae live with the guilt of killing any more of yer family, Odhrán.”

Odhrán took a series of deep breaths and got to his feet, swallowing his disappointment, knowing it was probably for the best. His thoughts turned immediately to Maddison, who was still lying slumped against the wall, her eyes open but seemingly in a trance. He wiped some of Rollo’s blood from his face with the back of his arm and went over to her, scooping her up and holding her close to his chest.

“Och, Odhrán, thank God, thank God, ye’re safe,” she sobbed against him, gripping his shirt in her hands convulsively. All that, and she was still worrying about him!

“I’d kiss ye, me bonny lass, but I think I should probably wash me face first,” he told her gently, wanting to soothe her and make her feel safe again. The next second, her lips were pressed to his, telling him wordlessly all she had to tell him, from the depths of her heart. And he kissed her back, understanding every word.

A short while later, he left his men to clear up the mess and placed Maddison in front of him on the horse, enfolding her protectively with his arms and thighs, before riding back home slowly with Liam and Tadgh.

“That was good fight,” Liam said with satisfaction. “I must admit, I enjoyed running Rollo through on yer behalf, Odhrán. I ken ye dinnae see it as doin’ ye a favor just now, but ye will in time.” He laughed. Odhrán had to chuckle.

“Nay, ye did the right thing, Liam. Ye usually dae,” he told his friend. “Ye were only lookin’ out fer me.”

“See, he appreciates our efforts, Braither,” Tadgh piped up, “although for a minute there, when ye finished Rollo off like that, I was afeared Odhrán was gonnae start fightin’ ye fer spoilin’ his fun.”

“Well, if it was nae fer this brave we lass here kickin’ up a fuss, we might never have had the chance tae kill the swine at all,” Odhrán mused, kissing the top of his wife’s head. “And she saved me from havin’ tae give me lairdship up tae boot.”

“Aye, she’s a fierce one all right. A good lass tae have on yer side in a fight, I’ll grant ye,” Tadgh admired, making them all laugh.

“I could nae let that pig take Odhrán’s birthright. Not after all his hard work,” Maddison said. “I cannae believe ye were gonnae give it away tae him like that, Odhrán.”

“What else was I supposed tae dae? I had tae pick, ye or the lairdship. It was an easy choice. When I got tae thinkin’ about it, the idea of bein’ plain old Mr. and Mrs. Lennox, havin’ a wee farm, with a tribe of bairns and a few cows and sheep, it seemed quite appealin’,” Odhrán replied, smirking. The other three laughed.

“Hmm, plain old Mrs. Lennox, eh? I’m nae so sure about that. I dinnae ken the first thing about farmin’, and besides, I’ve grown tae like bein’ Lady Lennox.” She looked up at Odhrán and whispered so only he could hear, “Because I love the Laird of Lennox with all me heart and soul. Forever.”

“And I love ye, me Maddy, heart and soul,” Odhrán whispered back, planting a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Forever.”

EPILOGUE

Two weeks later, Kincaid Castle

“I must admit, Maddy, I’m a wee bit nervous,” Odhrán admitted quietly as he and Maddison entered the keep at Castle Kincaid, arm in arm, one evening about two weeks later.