Page 34 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

He looked at his brother as he spoke and saw his eyes widen in shock, just as he heard the collective gasps and murmurs around him at the suggestion. Dunn raised his hands to silence the murmurs, but Bran focused only on his brother. He waited until Andrew met his eyes, the shock still evident in them, and then he nodded to show that he meant what he said. Andrew would indeed be perfect for her. He would treat her with love and respect, and Bran would not have to worry about her being taken care of because his brother would see to it.

“Andrew?” Tor called out, trying to get his friend’s attention. Andrew blinked, appearing to have been lost in thought. Tor looked at Bran one last time, as if to make sure he knew what he was doing. Just like he had with his brother, Bran nodded his head in reply to the silent question.

“Andrew?” Tor called out once again, sighing heavily, as though Bran’s words had taken all of the energy out of him.

“Och!” Andrew looked around the room, unable to utter a word. “Uhm…”

“Andrew, I can assure ye that marrying Idalia would be the best decision. I ken that ye were nae prepared for this, but Idalia is a beautiful woman and beyond her beauty, she is a wonderful girl. Her heart is pure, and she cares for everyone whose path she crosses. She is strong-willed but that is only because she knows what she wants, and she always strives for it. Ye are my brother and I love ye. I want yer happiness and I ken that Idalia will make ye happy and fill yer home with joy. Ye will have nae reason tae regret choosing tae make her yer wife.”

Bran looked around as he spoke and once again noticed the looks of those around him as they exchanged glances. He peered down at the ground and closed his eyes, realizing once again that he had said too much; his words not helping to convince them that he did not love Idalia or want to be with her.

“Bran, I need tae ken. If ye think she is so great, then why are ye nae marrying her?” his brother asked him, looking at him with a confused expression.

“She deserves better than what she will get being married tae me.” This time, although he could feel the gazes of the people, he did not look at them. He looked only at his brother. “But I promise ye that ye shall nae be missing anything. I ken this is an arranged marriage and ye dinnae have feeling for each other, but I ken that ye would come tae love each other.”

Andrew nodded and released a sigh. “All right. If ye are sure ’tis what ye want, then I will be glad to help out and marry her if there is nae other option.”

“Great!” Dunn clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “It is good that we have this sorted out now. Andrew shall be married tae Idalia.”

He looked at Bran one more time. He was trying to keep up a smile, even though he felt anything but happy. He was only content that Idalia would end up with a loving husband.

“Are ye sure ’tis what ye want?” he asked him and nodded when Bran replied positively.

“All right, then. We will, of course, ask Idalia if this is an arrangement she is happy with before we proceed, for we will nae be better than the man she is currently hiding from if we force our decision upon her. If Idalia says aye, then the decision is taken. Is that really what ye want, Bran?”

“Aye, I am certain of it,” Bran said, wishing they would proceed with the arrangement without asking him anymore if he was certain of his decision. Of course, he was not, but was there really anything he could do and still respect himself? No. His heart began beating terribly fast at the realization. Everything in him willed him to stand up and say he had changed his mind, that he would be glad to marry her and had never wanted anything more than he wanted her and his daughter to be a family. But Bran remained seated.

“Then it is settled. After Idalia has agreed and the wedding has been celebrated, we will go to take Mahala back,” Dunn said.

At the mention of his daughter, Bran forced himself to listen as they talked about the plan to save her from August Raymond. He might not be able to spend time with Idalia himself, but the thought of Idalia being with his daughter and knowing August was no longer a threat filled him with happiness. His Mahala would soon be with him, and they would both be happy together.

While Idalia was married to his brother.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Idalia had been moping all day. Her thoughts were scrambled, and her feelings annoyed her like nothing else ever had. For the first few hours after she and Bran had returned to the castle, everything had been perfect. She had been filled with so much happiness to be back with her family.

It had been so good to see Leonor again and to know that her sister was not angry with her, as she had feared. When she had returned to her room with her sisters and Adamina, she had been happy to have their company, enjoying their attentions and the stories they told of all she had missed in the very short time she had been away from home.

She had been so happy to see her nephew again. Although she had never wanted to have a husband or children of her own, she loved her nephew dearly and enjoyed immensely to have him in her arms. Idalia had not realized how much she missed him until she picked him up from his cot and the little one grabbed her hands and let out a happy giggle as though he was as excited to see her as she was to see him.

The only part of her day that had been difficult for her was being forced to admit her feelings for Bran. It was not long before she had been left alone after everyone else had retired for the night that she faced having to deal with her feelings all on her own.

She had spent the night tossing and turning in bed as she thought of Bran. Try as she might, it was impossible to get him out of her mind and she soon gave up on the idea, he invaded her thoughts. She thought of the moment they had on the boat, replaying it over and over again in her mind until it was all that she could think of.

Idalia closed her eyes and imagined his fingers dancing across her body as he pleasured her the way he had done in the boat. She had never known such pleasure and she wanted to experience it again with him.

She did not understand why he could not allow himself to be free with her, why he refused to give himself to her just as she had given herself to him and it frustrated her terribly. It frustrated her all the more whenever she recalled that he had been the one to kiss her and encourage her feelings for him. Why couldn’t he have left her alone to continue to hate him for going along with August Raymond’s plan to abduct her? Why had he shown her that there was more to him than that?

Idalia had been glad to know that she had not lost the man who had saved her life to August Raymond. She was glad to see that he had not been possessed with the darkness that dwelt in August. She was happy that all of this was for his daughter whom he was willing to risk everything for. She would never fault a man for doing all that he could to make sure his daughter was safe and able to live a normal life.

She could not understand how Bran could see himself as a terrible person and she doubted that whoever would hear of all that he had done would fault him for it also. He was a good man who had lost his way and she wished that she could help him see that.

Idalia had gone to bed with thoughts of Bran in her mind and it had come as no surprise to her when she dreamed of him. She had gotten out of bed and pulled back her curtains to allow the sunlight into her rooms, positively excited about what she was about to do. Idalia had quickly called for her breakfast before she went on her hunt for Bran.

As she neared his room, Idalia was disappointed to see that he was not in it, so she had gone off to meet her sister, Leonor who had not come down for breakfast.

She arrived at her sister’s room just as she opened the door.