Page 30 of Awakened By Time

“Paddraig, why did ye have to cross him?” Greer stood, hands on hips and anger in her eyes.

“The land wasnae part of our original agreement. I’ll nae give him what he wants.” Paddraig tossed back a tankard of ale, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “If he harms one hair on Brenna’s head, he’ll pay fer it with his life.”

Greer rolled her eyes in her head and turned to leave.

“I ken what ye’ve been up to,” Paddraig said, halting her mid-step.

“What do ye mean?” she asked.

“I ken ye’ve wanted Brenna gone from the moment ye set foot in Castle Treun.”

“Aye, but ye wanted it too.”

“I agreed with ye that she should be married and have a husband and a home of her own to care for. Did it really matter whether ’twas Munro or Barrett?”

“Nae.”

“Ye say it didnae, but I think ye wished her to be married to Munro because ye believed he’d treat her badly.”

“Paddraig, how can ye say that? I was only thinking of what was best fer her. Laird Munro has much wealth, a strong army to build an alliance with ye, and land. She’d have everything a lass could dream of.”

“Except the one thing she wanted, which was love.” Paddraig choked back the tears. He really needed to stop drinking, it was turning him into an overly sensitive old man. When would he learn? He’d allowed his poor judgement to interfere with Dougall’s choice of a wife and now he’d done it again with Brenna. He only hoped that Zeke Barrett would treat her the way she was meant to be treated—with respect. He was a sorry excuse for a father. He’d been blinded by his young, beautiful wife. She filled his brain with nonsense that he chose to believe, instead of remembering how precious Brenna was to him. “Go! Away with ye. I cannae bear to look at ye.”

Greer sneered at him. “Nor I ye. Ye are a sorry excuse for a father and a sorrier excuse for a husband.” She stormed from the room, leaving him wondering how he would fix this mess he’d created.