Page 84 of Seduction in a Kilt

EPILOGUE

One week later…

The weather was unkind, as it often was in the Highlands in early spring, with plenty of freezing rain and biting winds. However, there was the occasional outburst of golden sunshine that lit up the mountains and moorlands like a promise of something brighter to come.

At such times, the views would become breathtaking, and the small party of travelers comprising Liam, Ivy, Magnus, and Effie would pause in their journey, to admire the first blossoming of the golden gorse and purple heather on the moors, which lay spread out around them like a giant quilt.

On the afternoon of the third day, the towers of Castle Lennox came into view above the canopy of the surrounding forest.

“That’s it!” Liam announced with a big grin on his face. “That’s me home. I can hardly wait tae see them all, especially Tadhg.”

Ivy laughed to see his handsome features lit up by happiness. “He’ll be thrilled tae see ye too, I’m sure,” she told him. “I’m so excited about meetin’ him, and everybody else, of course.”

“Aye, I feel like I ken some of them already, and we havenae even met yet!” Effie put in.

“Effie loves meetin’ new folks,” her husband supplied with a chuckle.

“Well, with the job I dae, ye havetae like people. I’m most interested to meet Alana, though, her bein’ a healer as well. A healer is always learnin’, and I’m hopin’ we’ll be able tae help each other learn some new things.”

“I’ve nae doubt she’ll be thrilled tae meet ye, Effie. Honestly, Maddison and Alana are two of the nicest lassies ye could ever hope tae meet,” Liam told them cheerily.

“But what about Odhrán? He sounds a wee bit scary,” Ivy looked at him, having heard the story of how Odhrán had been forced to kill his own evil father but had then found happiness with the woman who had been his father’s prisoner, Maddison Kincaid. Ivy hoped she and Liam would be as happy as those two were according to Liam.

“Aye, he can be very forbiddin’ when he wants tae be, but he’s a grand lad and a good laird too. He’s brought peace tae his lands, which is why he agreed tae let me go and help Knox out fer a while.” He looked over and smiled at Ivy. “If nae fer Odhrán, I wouldnae have met ye.”

“I’ll be sure tae thank him fer that,” she said, blowing him a kiss.

They rode through the forest on a winding road and after about half an hour or so, came to the gatehouse. They halted outside the closed gates.

Ivy noticed Liam frowning. “Why have they nae opened the gates?” he asked aloud. As though in answer to his question, a helmeted head appeared at the battlements above them. A voice called down. “Hey, down there, strangers, identify yersel’s or yer nae comin’ in!”

Liam stared up at the man, while Ivy was sure she could hear the sound of stifled laughter coming from behind the gate. “Give over with yer games, Tam Littlewood, and let us in,” Liam yelled up.

“What? Who are ye? Ye at the front there, ye look like a right rapscallion. Ye’re nae comin’ in, nor yer friend neither. The ladies are welcome though,” the man shouted back.

Ivy was sure now that she could hear men chortling behind the giant wooden gates and began to laugh. Liam shot her an aggrieved look. “Dinnae encourage them,” he said before bursting into a grin.

“If the lot of ye fancy keepin’ the night watch fer the next month, then ye’re goin’ the right way about it,” he yelled up.

“Open the gates, ye silly buggers!” came a deep, commanding voice from behind the gate. “That’s me braither out here, and I’ve already waited too long tae see him.”

“Tadhg!” Liam shouted, his face a picture of delight as he rode up closer to the gates as they began to slowly creak open. Ivy watched curiously as a dark-haired man who closely resembled Liam came striding out.

“Braither!” he shouted joyfully. “I’m right glad tae see ye back!”

Liam slid from his saddle, and the two men laughingly feigned a few affectionate punches at each other before gripping each other in a bone-cracking bear hug. A flurry of back slapping and good-natured ribbing followed. The sight of the two brothers being reunited pierced Ivy’s heart with warmth, for she knew how much Liam had missed Tadhg. Clearly, his brother felt the same.

Finally, Tadhg smiled at them all and said, “Welcome tae Castle Lennox. Let’s get ye all safe inside, and then we can make some proper introductions. Everyone’s dyin’ tae meet ye all.”

Liam took the reins from Ivy’s hands, then signaled to Magnus and Effie to follow as he led her and his own horse through the gates after Tadgh. Ivy looked around her at the large, well-kept cobbled courtyard and the high walls surrounding them. A huge stone castle keep rose up before them, gray and forbidding.

Ivy, Magnus, and Effie dismounted wearily and handed their mounts over to grooms to be tended to after their long journey. They all looked around as the keep doors suddenly swung wide open with a bang, and a huge, muscular man in his early thirties clad in a fine blue coat, leather trews, and knee boots came striding out.

“Liam, me friend, so ye’re back at last!” he shouted as he made a beeline for them.

“Odhrán, ’tis good tae be back, me friend!” Liam exclaimed with obvious pleasure, going to meet him. As the man drew closer, Ivy could see that though he looked fearsome and bore some battle scars on his cheeks and forehead, he was actually very good-looking. He was almost boyishly handsome, with long, straight dark hair, and large gray eyes. His wide grin lit up his face.

So, this is Odhrán, Laird Lennox, is it? The man responsible fer me happiness, Ivy thought, warming to him instantly.