Page 68 of Married to her Kilted Enemy

“Och, dinnae worry, me darlin’. I just ken ye’re gonnae get a warm reception from me family. Tegan’s dyin’ tae meet ye,” she told him.

“How can ye be so sure?” he asked, noticing the mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Because I’ve been writin’ tae Lillie, tellin’ her how wonderful ye are and how happy ye make me. And I wrote me braither Diarmaid to tell him the truth about ye, the auction, and yer faither’s plans fer me family,” she confessed with a shy smile.

“Ye have?” He was surprised, and grateful. “That was sneaky of ye, but I’m awful glad fer it. I can handle Diarmaid on his own but facin’ him and yer other braither together is pretty dauntin’.

“What, even fer a big, braw laird like yersel’?” she teased him.

“Aye, but if ye tell anyone I said that, I’ll beat ye black and blue,” he warned her jokingly.

Servants appeared in the vestibule, bowing and curtseying to them in greeting

“Och, hello tae ye, Raymond,” Maddison greeted one of the stewards. “Are ye well?”

The man bowed and smiled. “Very well, thank ye, me lady. ’Tis good tae have ye back.” He turned to Odhrán and bowed respectfully. “Welcome tae Kincaid Castle, me laird. I hope ye’ll be very comfortable and enjoy yer stay with us. The family are waitin’ fer ye in the great hall. Will ye come this way, please?”

“’There’s nae need for that, Raymond, I ken the way. Ye can go about yer business, now,” Maddison told him and began leading Odhrán down a long hallway lined with carved doors and hung with paintings and tapestries.

“Very good, me lady,” Raymond said, bowing once more before doing as he had been bidden.

“Tis a nice, homely place,” Odhrán observed, taking in everything around him with keen interest as they walked along.

“Thank ye, darlin’. Aye, this is where I grew up, me old home. But home is with ye now, back at gloomy old Lennox Towers,” she joked as they came up to two huge doors, where two footmen stood on duty. As soon as they saw Maddison and Odhrán approaching, they too bowed and opened the doors wide. Odhrán swallowed hard, steeling himself for forbidding looks from Maddison’s formidable brothers. The last time he had seen Ciarán, they had hardly been on the best of terms.

“Dinnae be nervous now,” Maddison assured him in a soft voice as they stepped inside. She hugged his arm tightly. “Come on.”

Odhrán was immediately taken aback to see the vast hall was packed with people sitting at the rows of tables and benches, which were laid for a feast. Someone was playing a lilting melody on a lute somewhere, and the walls were hung with colorful pennants and banners. Flowers seemed to be everywhere too, filling the air with their sweet perfume. He wondered who they were expecting. Some important guest, he supposed.

“It looks like someone’s havin’ a party,” he whispered to Maddison as they started up the long aisle between the tables, towards the raised platform at the end of the hall.

“Maybe they are,” she answered cryptically. He had no time to decipher her meaning, however. He was distracted by the sight of the two towering men, her brothers, standing ahead, at what was clearly the laird’s table. They were talking to three women. One he recognized as the kind and diminutive Lillie. The other he did not know but from her more-than-average height for a woman, he surmised she must be Maddison’s sister-in-law, Ciarán’s wife, the warrior Tegan.

Next to her stood a slender woman with long fair hair. When the group realized they were approaching, they stopped talking and turned to look at them. At that point, Odhrán ran his finger inside his neckcloth, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

They were about halfway up the aisle when the applause began. It started behind them, taking Odhrán by surprise, though he tried not to show it. As they passed table after table, the clapping increased, growing almost deafening in intensity as it rang off the stone walls. Odhrán also began to notice how people were beaming at them as they passed.

“What are they clapping fer?” he whispered to Maddison.

“Us,” she replied simply. “They’re clappin’ tae welcome us, Laird and Lady Lennox. Ye can smile back at them, Odhrán, they’ll nae bite yer head off.” So, although he was rather bemused by the display, never having enjoyed such a rapturous welcome before, that was what he did.

They drew nearer to her family, and Odhrán looked down at Maddison to see her face alight with joy. It put heart into him, for he so wanted not to let her down in front of those she cared so much for. He stood a little bit straighter and lifted his chin, proud to be her husband, whatever reception he got.

As the applause died down, they mounted the shallow steps up to the table. Diarmaid stepped forward, his face the unreadable granite mask Odhrán was used to. The women all smiled at him, but Ciarán stood back, glowering. Odhrán had not expected him to be falling over himself with joy to see him. Maddison let go of his arm and threw herself into Diarmaid’s embrace. Odhrán was touched at the way he enclosed his little sister in a bear hug, the stern mask cracking into a broad smile.

“Diarmaid, I’m so glad tae see ye. It seems like ages. And ye look so well!”

“Ye’re lookin’ pretty good yersel’, sister. ’Tis grand tae have ye back home fer a wee visit,” Diarmaid told her, smiling at Odhrán over her shoulder. “Ye look happy,” he added. Odhrán breathed a secret sigh of relief.

“Och, I’m so happy, I couldnae begin tae tell ye,” she replied laughingly as Diarmaid released her at last. He held out his hand to Odhrán, who took it and they shook vigorously. Diarmaid patted him on the shoulder.

“Welcome tae our home, Odhrán,” he said. “We’re delighted tae have ye here.” He leaned forward and gave Odhrán a brotherly hug at the same time as whispering in his ear, “I’m glad ye stuck tae yer word about makin’ her happy, Odhrán. Ye’ve saved me the trouble of beatin’ ye tae a pulp.” He moved back, giving Odhrán’s back a hearty slap.

Meanwhile, Maddison was excitedly greeting Lillie, who, when they were finished hugging each other, turned to Odhrán. He bowed and kissed her hand, while she gave him a beaming smile that warmed his heart after Diarmaid’s somewhat worrying words.

“Welcome, Odhrán. We’re so pleased tae have ye come tae stay. How are ye? I heard ye had a concussion from a nasty bump on the head? Are ye all mended now?” she asked, her blue eyes twinkling. It was the first time he had really seen how pretty she was. With her delicate, animated features, she appeared full of good humor.

“Aye, I’m fine now, thank ye,” he replied, wondering what Maddison had told her.