Lass' Valor (The Pith Trilogy) (13 page)

She
appealed even more to him now.

Kate
had courage, and if her beauty wasn’t enough to bring him around, her valor
would. Brendan’s cheek burned from her slap and he rubbed his skin in
disbelief. He’d stood there with his mouth agape in shock that Kate had struck
him again. She didn’t seem the type to become so angry. His niece’s sobs drew
his attention, and he realized that he might have upset her with his fierce
frown. He immediately changed his expression and walked to Bonnie. She cast her
gaze to the floor, knowing how upset he was. Now he had to comfort her, or
there would be no living with the lass. Lord knew what she’d do to him. After
hearing what she and Kate had done to that lady, he’d be beset with pranks
aplenty.

He
picked her up and hugged her. “You weren’t supposed to tell about that.”
Brendan sat in Colin’s chair and placed Bonnie on his lap.

“Is
Kate angry with you now?”

“Aye,
she’s very … furious.”

“I’m
sorry, Uncle, I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to tell. Are ye angry with me?”

She
placed her wee face against his neck and cried. Brendan sighed, mindful that
she was contrite. “Nay, fairy, I could never be angry with you. I’ll see you
later.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek and set her on the punishment chair,
hoping she would stay there. Colin came down the steps, and Brendan waved to
him as he strode out the door.

Colin
stopped at the bottom of the steps, watching his daughter curiously. He noticed
she sat in the punishment chair, and her sweet face was downcast. She was
definitely upset about something.

“Button,
why are you sitting in my chair?”

“Oh,
Papa, I did something bad.” She wept softly.

“You
did? When? You’ve only been down a few minutes. Who told you to sit in my
chair?”

“No
one, Papa, I knowed you would make me ‘cause …”

“What
did you do?”

“I
asked Uncle if he was done wooing Kate to get the man’s name.”

“That
is very … bad. What happened?”

“Kate
smacked him. She never gets mad, Papa, even when she saw my hurt back, she
didn’t yell or scream. But I knowed she was mad ‘cause she turned red. She said
she was going to get even with the lady for hitting me, that’s why we put
insects in the lady’s bed and did those things.”

“I
see.” Colin couldn’t believe what his daughter had told him. He swallowed his
ire, closing his eyes at the vision of it. It seemed he owed Kate more than he
realized.

“Come
here, Button.”

She
jumped from the chair and came to him. Colin lifted her, kissing her lightly on
her lips, then he couldn’t help it, he hugged her tightly. He was so thankful
she wasn’t harmed, and each time he thought about it, he’d tense again.

“I’m
so glad you’re all right. We have Kate to thank for that. She’s a woman of
valor. Do you know what that means, Button?”

Bonnie
shook her head. “Nay, Papa, what?”

“It
means she’s courageous and brave.”

“Is
that good, Papa?”

Colin
chuckled. “Aye, it’s very good. I know a way you can make it up to her.” He
caressed her hair and gave her a reassuring smile.

“How,
Papa?”

“There,
you see.” He pointed to the cat that lay by the hearth, licking its long fur.
“I say you take it to her later. While you’re there, you will tell her you were
mistaken. Brendan told me he was going to woo Kate. I asked him to try,
try
to
get the man’s name. Now, tell me what you are going to do?”

Bonnie
repeated word for word, his instructions as she usually did when she had done
something wrong. Colin nodded, satisfied that she knew what she must do.

*****

Later
that night, Brendan walked with Colin and Bonnie to Kate’s cottage. He waited
outside and watched Bonnie enter. If this harebrained scheme worked, he would
owe Colin a cask of brew, and would have to beg Scottie Gordon, their ally, for
it. The Gordon’s produced a drink finer than any other in the Highlands.

Kate’s
anger would delay him in obtaining the man’s name, and he couldn’t have that.
He wanted revenge and wanted it now. Brendan paced impatiently along the
pathway, waiting for his niece to come out. A few minutes later, she skipped
through the doorway.

“Well?”
Brendan waited for her report.

Colin
laughed and picked his daughter up.

Bonnie
smiled at her father. “She said she wasn’t angry with me, Papa.”

“See,
Brendan, I told you it would work. She’s not angry anymore, right Button?”

“She
might still be angry with Uncle, ‘cause Kate said he was the last person that
she wanted to see.” She placed her head on Colin’s shoulder and closed her
eyes.

Brendan
chuckled. “Aye, it worked all right, I think to the minx’s own benefit. Better
get her to bed, Colin. I’ll see you on the morrow.” He waited until they
reached the hill before he looked inside the cottage. Once the inside darkened,
he knew Kate retired for the night. He would wait a few more minutes before
entering.

What
the hell was he going to do? She wanted to marry her betrothed, the damned
Barclay, and would ask Henry to arrange it as soon as possible. He wasn’t good
at wooing. Mayhap he should talk to Robin. Robin was a ladies’ man before he
had married Tess. Brendan decided against talking to Colin or Gil, because they
would just tease him. Colin had been able to get Julianna to marry him after
she’d run out of the chapel on their wedding day. At least, Colin knew how to
handle her. Nay, it was unthinkable, because Colin would tease him
unmercifully.

Lassies
always followed Douglas around, but he didn’t have time to ride to his cousin’s
land. For the first time in his life, Brendan had no idea how to proceed. Well,
hell, he didn’t want her to marry another. She belonged to him. After all, just
because the king decreed her betrothal to another, didn’t mean it was set in
stone. At first, he couldn’t accept the king’s word about Kate’s betrothal to
the Barclay, and now he was certain that it wouldn’t happen. He’d be a fool not
to marry her himself.

Now
all he had to do was secure Katie’s agreement. But would she accept her fate?

The
king has arranged an acceptable marriage for me.

He’d
cringed when she had spoken those words. She was right, he was unacceptable,
and he’d never be able to convince her to wed him. He needed to talk to Robin
and soon.

Brendan
opened the door, quietly entering the cottage. A chill set the air, and she
snuggled beneath her covers. The hearth lit the room in a light glow, and he
could see her form as he approached the bed. He was careful not to touch her
when he slipped beside her, but she slept soundlessly and wasn’t awakened by
his movements. His blood simmered being so near to her. He noticed her creamy
skin, her little ears and beautiful chin. Then his eyes moved to her breasts.
Her breasts were perfect in his opinion, not too large, not too small. He
cleared his throat, trying to get a hold of himself.

Katie
shifted on the bed, rolling closer to him, and ended up on her back. He leaned
to kiss her softly on the lips, but she grabbed his head with both hands,
holding him firmly.

“What
do you think you’re doing, Brendan MacKinnon?”

“I’m
kissing you.” He lowered his mouth, setting it on her soft lips. She weakened
when his tongue fondled hers. Her warm mouth sent heat undulating through his
body. He moaned at the pleasurable experience of kissing her. Timidly, she
moved her tongue against his.

Brendan
was so into kissing her that he hadn’t realized her hands pulled his hair. Was
she trying to push him away again? Nay, she pulled him closer. He pressed his
body against hers, wanting and needing to be as close as he could get. His hand
meandered toward her breast, and he felt the firmness of it under his fingers.
He broke off the kiss before it progressed beyond his control. With a raspy
breath, he searched her expression for a sign of a truce. He didn’t see one.
Her eyes blazed, and he wasn’t certain if it was from anger or excitement.
Brendan placed his head on her shoulder, his breath heated her neck and he felt
her shiver beneath him.

“Katie,
if we don’t stop right now, I’m not going—”

She
shoved him. “You better leave. I’m sorry, Brendan, for making you want to woo
me.”

“You’re
doing more than that, lass.” Brendan kissed her again, but she pushed him away
this time. “Are you still angry with me?”

“Aye.”
She declared it with such spirit that he couldn’t help but grunt.

Briefly,
he wondered if he should just tell her that he knew her betrothed and declare
his own intention. Nay, he needed more time to figure out a way to convince her
that he meant to nullify the king’s decree.

“I’ll
see you on the morrow, fairest Katie.” Brendan left, feeling better about the
situation. Only now instead of fearing her wrath, he dreaded the fact that he
couldn’t keep his hands off her. He stood outside her cottage and heard her
mumbling to herself.

“You’re
messing with fire and you’re going to get burned. Madam Serena was right, the
warrior is causing turmoil. Her prophecy came true. I did meet the vision of my
dreams because of the child. A child I rescued, who caused me to take a somber
mission.”

Brendan
tried to understand her words, but they didn’t make much sense to him. He
wondered what she was talking about. Who was Madam Serena, and did she refer to
him as the warrior? Had the lady made a prophecy about him? Her words unsettled
him, and she continued to mumble to herself.

“Well,
if I have to deal with turmoil, then I will at least cause him some grief.”

He
looked through the window and saw her snuggle contentedly in her bed.

“I’ll
drive him crazed, and I’ll begin at sunup.” She smacked her pillow and settled
down to sleep.

He
stood there for a long time, just listening to the quiet of night, thinking
about her words. When he finally started off toward the keep, he smiled. So she
wanted to drive him crazed, did she? He’d have to wait to see what she planned.
If it was anything like what she’d done to that lady, he was sure to have some
laughs. One thing he did know, he had to be alert and stay on his toes.

The
next morning, Brendan found himself flat on his arse. He’d gone to the training
field early that day, so he could get to the hall early enough to keep an eye
on Katie. His training session didn’t go as well as it normally did, mainly
because his attention wasn’t focused on his opponent. Nay, his mind wasn’t on
his task at all. It was certainly a good thing he’d sparred with a seasoned
soldier, instead of an inept beginner. He left soon after and trotted off
toward the hall.

He
stalked her most of the day, not letting her out of his sight. Guilt plagued
him throughout the night because she thought he was wooing her for the
guardian’s name. What would she say if he told her the truth—that he wooed her
because he wanted her? He also felt contrite because the deception hurt her.
Before she slapped him, he’d gotten a glimpse of the hurt in her eyes. Once she
accepted their fate, he would make it up to her. How, he had no idea.

She
sat across the hall, and he continued to follow her with his eyes.

“He’s
driving me mad, Janice. Can’t you send him from the hall?”

“Kate,
my name is Julianna.”

“Oh,
my apology, Julianna, but if he shan’t leave, then I will. He keeps watching
me.”

Julianna
grasped her sleeve. “Stay, I’ll send him on an errand.”

Brendan
wanted to laugh when Julianna approached him and asked him to go on the errand
for her, but he nodded. All the same, he decided to give Kate a few minutes of
peace. His hearing was beyond exceptional, and he’d heard their every word. He
quickly left and went to the stables, where he’d been told Bonnie was. She was
where she was supposed to be, helping the wolf hound master with the litter of
pups. His promise kept, he intended to stop at Robin’s on the way back. He
hesitated in knocking, but Tess opened the door before he could change his
mind. She almost fell over seeing him, and seemed awkward, because he stood
silent. He willed her to leave, by setting a stern look.

“I’m
going to the keep to see Julianna,” she said.

Brendan
thought she would never leave. He wasn’t one to visit, and felt bad about
causing her departure. She smiled, before she closed the door.

“What
are you doing here?”

Brendan
knocked Robin back a step with a shove to his shoulder, their customary
greeting. “I stopped by to say hello. Can I not do so?”

“Faigh
muin, Brendan, you never stop by. What do ye want?” Robin pulled out a chair
from the table, turned it, and sat astride.

“Can’t
a brother stop by to have ale with you?”

“All
right, Brendan, here.” Robin handed him a tankard of ale, and poured one for
himself.