Geordie winced despite himself, and James Innes nodded.
“Brodie did no’ see it coming, and likely could no’ have protected himself anyway if he had. The beast grabbed hold and shookhis head from side to side and came away with meat in his mouth when Brodie kicked out at him and rolled to the side. Moansaid Dwyn crawled several feet away and only called off the dogs when Brodie pulled out a dirk and started slashing at them.Angus and Barra listened at once and moved to stand in front of her, their bloody teeth bared as they growled at him. Brodiemanaged to crawl to his horse, cursing Dwyn and the dogs the whole way. He used his horse to get to his feet and Moan saidhe was bleeding something fierce, both from his arm and from between the legs. But he managed to mount just as Moan reachedDwyn. Despite me man’s presence Brodie vowed he’d make Dwyn pay for what her dogs did that day.” His mouth tightened. “Lairdof Brodie or nay, Moan could no’ stand fer that threat against his lady. He drew his sword and hurried toward him, but Brodiemerely put his heels to his horse and left before he could reach him. We have no’ heard from the man since.”
Geordie ground his teeth together, a muscle in his jaw ticking as he thought on how close Dwyn had come to being raped andforced to marry the bastard.
But James Innes wasn’t done, and added, “When Moan went back to Dwyn, she was ordering Barra to drop what was in his mouth.The beast let it go as he reached her. ’Twas one o’ Brodie’s ballocks and the end o’ his cock. A good two inches o’ it.”
“Ah, Christ,” Geordie breathed, but not in sympathy with Brodie, in fear for Dwyn. If the man blamed her for the dog doingthat, how would he punish her? What torment would he think was equal to what Barra had done to him?
Dwyn had tried to tell him, Geordie thought. She’d said the man was dangerous, but in his arrogance he’d assured her she wassafe now they were married. Of course, he hadn’t known the extent of the damages the man had sustained, but only because hehadn’t let her tell him. When she’d tried to, he’d silenced her with kisses and reassurances. He was a fool, Geordie thoughtwith dismay. He knew Dwyn was special. She was not your average woman given to hysterics. He should have known that if sheworried about Brodie, there was a reason, and he should have listened and let her say all the things her father had just toldthem, because he knew without a doubt that’s what she’d been trying to do when he’d silenced her with a finger over her mouththe last time she’d tried to tell him.
“We shall have to hope Brodie still wants Innes, then,” Aulay said now, drawing his gaze. “It will force him to keep her aliveif he wishes to avoid all-out war with eight clans.”
“Aye,” Geordie said grimly, and then shifting his gaze to James Innes, he assured him, “It does no’ matter that I gave upall rights to Innes land should our marriage end by death or any other reason. If he kills her, we will still hunt the bastardto the ends of the earth. We will no’ let him try to force Una or Aileen into marriage, or attack Innes.”
James Innes blinked in surprise at that, and then turned to Aulay and said, “He does no’ ken. Dwyn could no’ have told him.”
“Nay,” Aulay murmured, and reminded him, “Dwyn was going to present it to him after the ceremony as a wedding gift, but wenever held it. They were wed right here while Rory was sewing up Geordie’s wounds from battling the men by the loch.”
“Aye,” James murmured with a frown. “Perhaps she planned to tell him after the wedding at Innes.”
“What do I no’ ken?” Geordie asked with a frown. “What gift?”
Aulay opened his mouth, and then closed it and walked out of the room.
Geordie gaped after him with disbelief and then struggled to sit up.
“How is yer head?” Rory asked grimly, stepping forward to help him get upright, and then stacking pillows behind his backto keep him that way.
“Better,” Geordie said through gritted teeth. It was still pounding something fierce, and sitting up intensified that enoughthat he didn’t stand up as he’d originally intended, but it was better. Shifting his gaze to James Innes, he asked, “Whatthe hell is the gift Dwyn did no’ give me?”
James hesitated and glanced toward the door as if hoping Aulay would appear there, but when he didn’t he sighed and ran ahand through his hair. “In truth, the gift is already given. Ye just have no’ been presented with it yet,” he muttered finally.
“With what?” Geordie asked insistently, and then movement drew his gaze to the door as his brother returned with a scrollin his hand. Pausing at the bedside, Aulay held it out to Geordie.
“What is it?” he growled, simply staring at the scroll and not taking it.
“’Tis Dwyn’s gift to ye, brother.” Aulay extended his arm farther and pushed the sealed scroll toward him. “Read it.”
“Nay. Just tell me,” he said stiffly, almost
