Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“Watch me again. Lady Brenna,” she tapped her knee, “watch how fast I am.” As soon as she was sure she had everyone’s attention, she sailed off in the opposite direction once more.
Brenna and Quade both started to laugh, trying to keep quiet about it.
Alex looked at them both in turn. “Brenna?”
“Aye, Alex?”
Four pairs of eyes followed Lily’s journey back and forth in the hall, all of the watchers smiling except for Alex.
“Why does the wean run so slow? The lads are much faster than she is and they are quite a bit younger…And why are you two laughing?”
Brenna and Quade glanced at each other and broke into louder laughter. When she was able, Brenna finally answered her brother. “Because she does no’ ken she is slow.”
Brodie whispered, “I was going to say the same thing, Alex, but I did no’ want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Why does the lass think she is fast when she is so slow, Brenna?”
“Because this is the fastest she has ever run.” Quade’s shoulders shrugged as he offered his explanation. “She is the fastest ever in her terms.”
Alex stared at him with wide eyes.
“Aye, she could barely walk before your sister arrived. She had been frail for almost three summers. She rarely made it off her pallet, much less out of her chamber. She was too weak.” Quade’s face stretched into an indulgent smile as his daughter ran back toward them.
Brenna couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was so taken with his daughter.
“Here I come again, Papa! Look, I am even faster now!” Her arms swung over her head in her excitement.
They all watched her tear back across the hall toward them, and Brenna and Quade laughed hard enough to make Lily giggle. She stopped in front of Alex and stared up into his eyes, her face beaming with pride. “Do you want to see how high I can jump, too, Laird Grant?”
“Aye, aye, Lily!” Brenna said through her laughter. “We are so proud of you! Keep running and jumping.”
Alex continued to stare at the three of them. He finally bent down and patted the wee one’s back. “Aye, lass. You are the fastest.”
Leaning over, Lily gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Laird Grant. I hope you do no’ take Lady Brenna away from me. She fixed me. See how much better I am now?”
The big laird was conquered.
Chapter Twelve
Brenna is NOT happy with her brother.
Five of them now stood in Quade’s solar. Alex’s arms were crossed in his laird stance—as Brenna oft called it—and Brodie looked equally serious next to him. Quade and Micheil stood against the opposite wall with Brenna somewhere in between.
Alex spoke first. “Ramsay, since you had your tongue halfway down my sister’s throat, I expect you will be agreeable to marrying her as soon as possible.
“Alex!” Brenna could not believe he had said such a thing.
Even if it was true, it didn’t need to be said in front of everyone.
She blushed a dark shade of red. She had blushed as soon as she had seen the look in her brother’s eye after he caught her in such a compromising position, but it had been dark in the passageway, even with the torches.
Plus, after the way Quade had been kissing her, it was hard to think clearly.
All right, she shouldn’t have been kissing Quade, but she wouldn’t change it.
She had liked it too much. Her whole body would still be tingling if not for her brother’s angry countenance.
Brodie wasn’t any better, except she could see his smirk trying to break out.
She knew he didn’t dare smile in front of Alex.
Hellfire, what was she to do now? She supposed she could marry Quade. Her feelings toward the lad had grown, especially when he kissed her like that. Whew! How long had they been standing in the hallway devouring each other anyway?
Either way, her brother was just being a big bully. He had promised their mother she would have a say in who she married, and he had promised her the same thing. Alex would never force her against her will. Would he?
“The marriage will take place in two days’ time. Find a priest, Ramsay. I need to get home to my wife.” Alex’s eyes were pinned on Quade, daring him to argue again.
“Alex, stop!” It was time for her to get involved. She would not allow Alex to run her life. “This was clearly a mistake and it willnae happen again. I promise.”
“’Tis too late, Brenna. The damage is done. I did no’ notice you pushing him away, so you should be agreeable.”
“But I am no’ agreeable,” she shouted.
“You were agreeable enough to let him run his hands all over you.”
“I am no’ agreeable to marrying him. I willnae force anyone to marry me.”
“I do no’ care if you are agreeable or no’. This man, chief or no’, willnae shame my sister and get away with it. You will marry him, Brenna.”
“Nay! You promised our mother that I would have my say in who I married. And I say nay!”
“Sorry, but it appeared to me you were saying aye when you had your arms wrapped around his neck and you were pushing yourself against him. You will marry him!” Alex’s bellow shook the rafters.
Quade stepped forward. “I do no’ care if she agrees. I willnae marry her.”
Alex strode forward until he was but an inch away from Quade’s face. “What do you mean you willnae marry her? You had your hands all over her. Or is that how you treat every lass, like a common wench?”
Quade did not back down. “Nay, I do no’ treat every lass as such. Brenna kens how much respect I have for her. But one kiss does no’ force a marriage. I repeat; I will no’ marry her.”
“You have an odd way of showing your respect, Ramsay. You will marry her at the end of my claymore, if you wish.”
“Nay, I will no’ do it, no’ for you or for anyone.”
Brenna suddenly realized what Quade had said. Her brow furrowed. It was one thing for her to deny a forced marriage, quite another for him to react this way, as if marrying her would be the worst fate in the world.
She marched over and stood in front of Quade, her hands on her hips. “What do you mean you willnae marry me? Was everything you said to me a lie?”
Quade gaped at her. “Nay, Brenna. I have never lied to you.”
“Lady Brenna to you, Ramsay,” Alex barked.
“Aye, Lady Brenna. But nay. I wasnae lying to you. I meant every word I said. Could we nae discuss this somewhere else, Lady Brenna?”
“Nay, now you are insulting me. What is so wrong with me that you willnae marry me?” Brenna’s throat constricted on her, but she couldn’t stop.
“You were going to kiss and run? I have heard of men like you. I thought you had feelings for me.” She swung out in frustration and slapped his arm.
“How could you?” Tears threatened to fall, but she would not give him the satisfaction.
She should have stayed away from him. Never again would she fall prey to a lad’s kisses, no matter how they made her feel.
“Stop, will you no’? You ken I cannae marry you. We have discussed this.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.
“You also said it was a mistake when you kissed me before and it wouldnae happen again. But now it has happened again. What is that supposed to mean? You do no’ want me at all? Or do you?” She dared him to deny her again to her face.
Hellfire, she was in a room full of men, each of them trying to run her life.
Quade said he wanted her with his actions, but then he insulted her by denying her brother’s direct order.
What in blazes did he mean? Was he using her?
Had he no feelings? When she was in his arms, he acted as if he couldn’t get enough of her, but now he could hardly look at her.
This lad was making her absolutely daft.
And Alex? Alex just wanted to order everyone about.
Wait until she informed Madeline how miserable he was when he was away from her.
There was no reasoning with any of the men in this chamber.
She wasn’t daft, they were. She glanced at her brothers again and narrowed her eyes when she saw that Brodie had finally broken out into a grin.
She promptly walked over and slapped his arm.
“And that’s for laughing. How dare you laugh at me when they are all trying to tell me what to do!
You were there when Mama said I was to have a say when it came to marriage. ”
She squared off with Alex. “And I am going to have my say. He does no’ want me and I do no’ want him. This was a big mistake and I can promise you, without a doubt, that it will never happen again. You will never see me kiss Quade Ramsay again.”
Brenna marched in a circle with her hands on her hips.
She had to get out, that was the only solution.
She had to leave while she still had an ounce of her mind left.
Finally stopping in the middle of the room, she glared at all of them before whispering, “I will no’ marry Quade Ramsay and you cannae force me, Alex.
And neither can you, Quade Ramsay. I want you out of my life. ”
“I want to go home. Now.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
And later, a wedding and a reception. Alex, the gruff chieftain…
Brenna ate until she was stuffed. Logan gave her more than she could manage. The minstrels and musicians began their songs, hoping to get the crowd dancing.
A loud voice interrupted them as a lad made his way over to Alex Grant. “Laird, I would like permission to dance with your youngest sister.” The young lad stared at his toes as he stood in front of Alex Grant.
“Nay!” Alex’s bellow shook the rafters and the lad scurried away with a sheepish glance at Jennie.
“Alex, how can I enjoy myself if you bark at everyone?” Jennie was close to tears as she looked back and forth between him and her other brothers, Robbie and Brodie. “There must be someone I can dance with besides my own brothers. I am no’ a bairn anymore.”
Brenna elbowed Quade at the dais to be sure he was watching the show her brother was putting on for all to see.
“Your brother is jesting?” Quade peered at her.
“Nay, he loves to scare off all the lads. He did the same for me. No one dared to come near me.”
He kissed her cheek. “Och, I will be sure and thank him. Otherwise, you may have swooned for another and I want you for myself.”
She swatted his arm affectionately. “I was never interested in another. It does not mean he has to spoil the special night for her. ‘Tis her only sister’s wedding.” She squeezed his hand before yelling at her brother. “Alex!”
Alex made his way over to her with narrowed eyes. “’Tis only due to your injury and your wedding that I answer your beck and call.”
Madeline followed her husband and took the seat beside Brenna’s. “Alex, love, you need to ease up and allow your sister to dance a wee bit. There must be someone she could dance with this night.”
Alex scanned the room. “Nay, ‘tis no one.”
Jennie’s face fell and her arms dropped to her sides, her lids blinking back tears.
“There is one solution I can propose. Why do you not dance with your sister?” Madeline gave her husband her sweetest smile.
Brenna stifled her laughter as she glanced at her husband, who choked on his ale. Logan stood a few steps away grinning, and Brenna’s other brothers were laughing so hard they started to choke. Avelina came over when she noticed the sudden family grouping.
“’Tis impossible, wife, and you ken that. I do no’ dance.”
“Alex, I know it is not your favorite thing to do, but you are quite capable. Sorry, Jennie, but if he dances, it will be with me.” Maddie smiled at her husband.
“Besides, if I carry a wee lass and we dance, it will be like rocking her to sleep.” Brenna noticed how quickly he softened his demeanor.
Apparently, his feelings for his wee wife had not diminished one bit.
Quade spoke up. “May I make a suggestion?” He gave Logan a pointed glance.
Alex barked. “Aye, please!”
“I do no’ want any randy lads dancing with my sister either.” Avelina’s face fell, as though she were imagining an evening empty of dances.
Logan broke through the gathering and held his hand out to Jennie. “Would you care to dance, my lady?” He gave her his best courtly bow.
The girl’s face beamed as she waited for her brother’s approval.
Quade interrupted. “Seems like a perfect solution to me, Alex. I have two brothers to dance with Jennie and you have two brothers who can take turns dancing with Avelina. It should suit everyone.”
Alex searched the group of faces before giving a gruff, “Aye.”
His wife stood up from her chair and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Very wise decision, dearest. Now would you care to escort your wife for one dance?”
Brenna squeezed Quade’s arm as her brother’s chest puffed out a wee bit more, if that were possible. “I so enjoy watching my brother tamed by a wee lass. He would do anything for Maddie.”
Epilogue
A small piece but one of readers’ favorites. Alex at his best.
Lady Brenna Ramsay stood at the base of the stairs in her brother’s great hall, a sense of happiness and peace suffusing her body.
She and her sister, Jennie, had delivered her brother’s wee daughter the previous night.
She had just checked on Maddie and she was sound asleep in her chamber with her maid, Alice, fussing over her.
The scene that greeted her eyes was beautiful.
Thanks to the snowstorm raging outside, practically the whole family was gathered together.
Jennie and Avelina sat at the table planning the garments they would sew for the wee lass while Brenna’s two nephews ran circles around the perimeter of the hall.
Lily, Torrian, and Growley scrambled at the boys’ heels, their combined laughter bouncing off the rafters.
Brenna’s brother, Alex, pumped up like a peacock after the birth of his daughter, paced the hall with his wee one, who was strapped to his chest with his plaid, cooing in the softest voice she had ever heard him use.
She couldn’t help but giggle. Alex had stayed by his wife’s side during the birth, and he was so excited to finally have a daughter to love that he wasn’t even disappointed that the lass had arrived with a shock of dark hair instead of Maddie’s beautiful blonde curls.