Page 14 of Awakened By Time
Zeke shook his head. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Paddraig, but I don’t want to marry your daughter.”
* * *
Brenna stoodoutside the great hall listening to her father’s conversation. How dare he offer her up to yet another man? She’d told him she didn’t wish to marry. She couldn’t believe her ears and it angered her all the more when she heard Zeke turn down his offer. Why wouldn’t he want to marry her? She would make a good wife. She’d run his castle better than it had ever been run. The nerve of him to not even consider it. It was a good thing she wasn’t looking for a husband, or her feelings would be hurt. Clearing her throat to alert the two men to her presence, she entered the great hall. They both turned to gaze at her and she forced herself to breathe as she looked into the eyes of the impossibly tall, impossibly handsome man who’d done his best to rescue her.
“Brenna, me love. Ye look much better now. I’m afraid our friend, the Laird of San Francisco, didnae get to see ye at yer finest out there in the field.” He turned to Zeke. “What do ye think. Isnae she lovely?” He wrapped his arm around Brenna’s shoulders as if it was a common occurrence for his daughter to run away and one he had no issue with.
“Very,” was Zeke’s brief answer.
“Why do ye nae take our guest on a tour of the castle, me dear? I’m sure he’d find it most interesting.”
She eyed her father with suspicion. She knew what he was up to and she also knew this man didn’t want her.
“I’d like that,” Zeke said.
“Come back after yer tour and we’ll speak more about finding yer sister.” He practically pushed Brenna into his arms as he ushered them out of the great hall.
“I’d appreciate that,” Zeke replied.
“Shall we?” Brenna slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and smiled up at him. She had to find a way to get this man to take her away from here. She no more wanted to marry him than she did Nevil, but if her Dathoughtshe’d be marrying him then he’d be happy to see her off on her way. She could then make it to Breaghacraig and to the safety of Dougall’s home.
* * *
Paddraig may have founda way out of his agreement with Nevil Munro. He didn’t care who Brenna married as long as she married someone and went off to live with them. Greer was most anxious to see her gone and it was his goal to keep his wife as happy as possible. If it meant ridding himself of his only daughter, then so be it.
“Where is Brenna?” asked Nevil as he returned to the great hall and scanned the room.
“She’s showing our guest around the castle,” Paddraig poured whisky for Nevil.
“Alone?” he questioned.
Paddraig nodded. He poured himself yet another tot.
“Do ye think it wise to leave yer daughter, me betrothed, alone with another man.” Nevil’s disdain for Paddraig was showing.
“Dinnae worry yerself. I wish to speak with ye about our agreement.” He placed the decanter back on the table and took his time savoring his whisky. He’d show Munro who was in charge around here.
“What do ye wish to discuss. Wehavean agreement, dinnae we?” Nevil was getting testy with him.
“Not completely. Ye see I dinnae wish to give up any of me land and it seems ye would like a good bit of it.”
“It’s a small price to pay for me to take yer daughter off yer hands. Yer wife has made it abundantly clear to me that she wishes her gone.”
“Greer has no say in this matter. I disagree with this new contract. ’Tis too much. Our original agreement is all I’m willing to offer.”
“What is this? Earlier you couldnae wait to be rid of Brenna. Ye would have given me anything I asked of ye and now of a sudden ye’ve changed yer mind.”
“Aye. I have.” Paddraig could see Nevil’s anger rising and he wished to calm him. “Think on it. We can talk more later.”
Nevil stormed from the room and Paddraig smiled to himself. He’d get exactly what he wanted out of this deal. He only had to convince the young Laird of San Francisco that it would be in his best interest to marry Brenna.