Dwyn wanted to think that the priest couldn’t be bought that way, but she wasn’t sure. She was sure he wouldn’t marry them though, if he was convinced she was already married. So she opened her eyes, and let her lipsspread in a wide smile.
Brodie frowned, obviously knocked a bit off-kilter by her reaction to his threat.
Before he could speak, she said, “The thing I find most amusing is that ’tis the actions o’ both you and Katie that actuallysaw me wed to Geordie Buchanan.”
“What?” he squawked with disbelief.
“When me feet got sliced up by the glass ye say Katie is responsible for, I could no’ walk. Geordie is the one who carriedme everywhere afterward for the next two days and nights, and that certainly pushed us closer together,” she told him, andexplained, “It was the second day o’ his carrying me about that we ended up alone in the orchards so that me feet could dryout in the sun, and that is where he first almost made love to me. He carried me back inside and, although I did no’ ken itat the time, while his brother Rory tended me feet, Geordie went to Aulay and me father to have the marriage contracts drawnup.”
She let that sink in and then added, “That was when I was poisoned. A terribly unpleasant experience, by the by. I was verysick . . . and ’twas Geordie who tended me and held me while I retched through the night. We fell asleep together on his bedafter one such round o’ retching, and I woke in the morning still in his arms.”
Brodie was starting to flush almost purple with his rage, but she continued. “O’ course, having slept through the better parto’ the day, Geordie knew we would no’ sleep that night. We’d be the only ones awake, and because he’s an honorable man, andbecause he did no’ think he could resist anticipating our wedding through that night, he got me father’s permission to handfast.”She met his gaze as she added, “So ye see, if no’ for Katie, I might no’ even have handfasted with Geordie.”
“The stupid bitch,” Brodie breathed furiously.
“Oh, it gets better, m’laird,” Dwyn assured him with amusement. “Because that night we knew we’d no’ sleep was the night wewent to the loch where yer men tried to drag me off, then wounded Geordie before he could kill them both. And that is whyI am now married. Because when I got him back to the keep, Father Archibald came to give him the sacraments o’ the dying,and Geordie asked him to marry us in case he died.” She allowed a moment for that to sink in and then announced, “We weremarried in his room, both o’ us in pain and bleeding, with me father, me sisters and his brothers Rory, Alick and Aulay andAulay’s wife, Jetta, as witnesses.”
Meeting his gaze she said firmly, “I am married, m’laird. The wedding at Innes is merely to allow the rest o’ his family, and me people at Innes, to witness it andwelcome their new laird, Geordie Buchanan.”
Sitting back, she shrugged. “So ye see, I should really thank both you and Katie. If no’ fer what she and yer men did, presumablyunder yer order, I’m no’ sure Geordie and I would be married now at all. We may no’ even have been betrothed.”
Judging by the fury building on Brodie’s face, Dwyn gathered the man finally believed she was married to Geordie. Now shejust had to worry that he might kill her for it.
Chapter 17
“Oh, Geordie, me poor sweet man, I’m ever so glad to see ye awake and recovering.”
Geordie stiffened at those words as Katie hurried into the room, but forced himself to relax. Turning his head, he watcheddispassionately as she rushed around to where he sat on the side of the bed with his feet in the rushes.
“Thank goodness I found ye and was able to get ye back here for Rory to heal,” the maid said as she placed the ewer and bowlon the bedside table. Turning to peer at him then, she shook her head unhappily. “Ye’re soaked in blood.”
“Most o’ it is Simon’s,” he pointed out, his voice even. “I’m sorry ye lost him, lass. I ken ye were lovers.”
Katie blinked, and toned down the smiling, replacing it with a sad moue. “Aye, well, I liked him well enough, but I did no’love him. No’ like I do you.”
Geordie ignored that and lowered his head. “I loved him. He was like a brother to me.”
“Well . . .” Katie paused and was silent so long he almost raised his head, but then she said with practicality, “Fortunately,ye’ve six true brothers still alive and well. Here, let me help ye out o’ yer clothes so we can get ye cleaned up.”
Geordie caught her hands as she reached for the pin of his plaid, and squeezed firmly, barely keeping himself from breakingher fingers as he growled, “And Dwyn is gone. Taken by that bastard Brodie. He’s probably torturing and killing her as wespeak.”
“Nonsense,” Katie snapped, trying to tug her hands free. “All he wants is to marry her. She’ll be fine. And ye’re better offwithout her. She was no’ right fer ye anyway. She could no’ make ye happy like I can.”
Geordie raised his head and speared her with cold eyes. “But I do no’ want you. I want her. And she does make me happy. ’Tiswhy I married her.”
“You— She— Ye’re no’ married,” she got out at last. “The wedding was to take place at Innes. And ye do no’ love her. Ye loveme. ’Tis only Aulay that made ye end our relationship. I ken that. One
