“He’s not going to know what all this is,” she said, unable to keep the worry from her voice. “When he wakes up, he’s going to be so confused and pretty angry. Especially if he sees Reilly.”
“No clan love between the O’Rourkes and the O’Malleys?” Colin asked.
“Actually, he’s a MacWilliam,” Bri replied. She met Reilly’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “His name is Aidan…and he’s my brother-in-law.”
James paused in his ministrations, and Colin simply froze in the front seat. Silence reigned.
Reilly smiled.
• • •
Brianagh stood in Reilly’s bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked much the same, but so much had changed in the two months she’d been gone.
Colin and James both informed her Matthew flew to Ireland after two weeks. He’d led the search groups and pleaded for her safe return on television, both in Ireland and in the States. He’d kept up the effort until last week, when he produced a document claiming she’d given him all rights to her business prior to her trip.
Somehow, she wasn’t terribly shocked.
Brianagh ran her fingers through her hair, inspecting her reflection. She’d almost forgotten what she looked like. Her eyes were a deeper blue than she remembered, and her hair—still wet from her shower—looked longer, darker, and wavier than before. She glanced at her arm and grimaced. She needed to see James about that sooner rather than later. The cut was deep and red, and Bri had no doubt it was infected. Medieval swords probably had more germs than she cared to admit.
She finished drying off, luxuriating in the softness of the warm towel, and dressed in her jeans and one of Reilly’s T-shirts, feeling out of place and uncomfortable. She found herself wishing for a long, fur-lined dress. Or, better yet, her husband.
Brianagh found James on the couch downstairs, holding a beer against his forehead, his eyes closed.
“How’s the patient?” she asked, sitting beside him.
James didn’t open his eyes. “If he lives, it’ll be a miracle. He should have a blood transfusion, I think, but Reilly said no.”
“I agree with Reilly,” Brianagh replied softly. “James, I need you to take a look at something.” Pulling the sleeve of her shirt up, she showed him her wound. “I can’t raise my arm very high, and it aches something fierce.”
“Jesus, Brianagh,” James exclaimed. “This is, what? Four inches long?”
“And pretty deep,” she admitted, wincing as he inspected it.
“How old is it?” He led her to the kitchen and pulled down supplies from one of the cabinets.
“A few days…”
“Do I even want to know?” he asked, squirting some antiseptic on her.
She bit her lip against the sting.
“Whoa! What happened?” Reilly asked, walking into the kitchen as James scrubbed his hands at the sink. Reilly’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me. Burke.”
“And his sword,” Bri confirmed. “He was making a point.”
“I’ll kill him myself,” Reilly growled.
“I’m rather hoping Nioclas got to him first,” she said. “Colin pulled me away, and I don’t know what happened. I have to get back to him as soon as possible.”
Reilly and James exchanged a look.
“What?” she demanded, instantly suspicious. “What do you know that I don’t? He’s not dead,” she added forcefully.
A heartbeat passed, then another. “Bri…” Reilly finally spoke, his eyes troubled. “We don’t think you can get back.”
Brianagh narrowed her eyes. “Come again?”
James prepped a syringe, then stuck her arm with it. She didn’t even flinch.
Reilly sat down at the table with her and massaged his temples. “We can’t just time-travel whenever the mood suits us,” he explained. “It has to be in protection of the line. Your line. Colin was able to go back because you would’ve died had he not pulled you out.”
“Really?” she whispered, the color draining from her face.
“Aye,” he said seriously. “You must be protected at all costs, Bri. You’re important. Your child, and your child’s children, will be important to history in ways you can’t even imagine.”
“Nioclas will protect me.” Bri took a fortifying breath. “He will. I just have to get back to him!”
Reilly swallowed visibly. “No, Bri…he won’t.”
“He will!” she cried indignantly. “He promised. He never breaks his promises!”
Colin entered the kitchen from the garden, looking cautious. “Whoa! What the hell happened to your arm?”
“Colin, you have to take me back to Nioclas,” Brianagh said, her voice catching. “You have to. Please, Colin—”
“I don’t think I can,” Colin said quietly.
Reilly left the room as James prepared the stitches.
Brianagh’s desperation turned to anger. She turned to James. “James, can you…?”
“Nope. It seems that only one descendant in each generation has the time-travel gene. I, thankfully, am not that descendant.” He began to stitch her numb arm. “Colin’s the lucky man.”
“Can’t you just try?” she snapped.
James shook his head. “I can’t, Brianagh.”
“I don’t understand.” She seethed as Reilly came back, a large book in hand. She shot daggers at him with her eyes. “You did this to me! You let me believe I was from here—from now!—and then you threw me into Nioclas’s arms without even a how-do-you-do. And now, after all this, after I’ve fallen in love with him, you force me back here!” She choked on her tears. “How could you do that to me, Reilly?” She swept them all with a glare as James finished her stitches. “How could any of you do that to me? We’re family.” She swiped angrily at her tears. “At least, I thought we were!”
Reilly opened the book and slid it across the table. “This is why we can’t bring you back,” he said, his sadness almost palpable. “I’m sorry, Bri.”
She wiped the tears away and scanned the text in front of her, then stopped cold.
On the first day of 1458, the Lady of the MacWilliam clan (Brianagh, formerly O’Rourke, 1428–unknown) disappeared. Her death was never confirmed. The Laird of the MacWilliam clan (Nioclas, formerly Burke, 1423–circa 1458) was rumored to be killed in a battle with his father, Richard Burke, who regained control of the MacWilliams.
Under his lairdship, the MacWilliams died quickly—all clan elders were tried and hung for treason against their laird, and any women who could not bear his children were also killed. Any MacWilliams who tried to leave the clan were hunted, then killed publicly as a warning to other clans.
The MacWilliam line died out fifteen years after Richard Burke regained control. Causes of death included brutal murder, starvation, and torture. Laird MacWilliam’s body was never fou—
Her heart shattered, Brianagh pushed the book away. Her tears made it too difficult to see the words on the page.
• • •
Reilly glanced out the window, watching Brianagh as she sat on the low stone wall in the back garden. “Fate is an evil thing.”
Colin placed his hand on Reilly’s shoulder. “I wish we could help her.”
Reilly sighed. “I know.” He stared at her for another moment.
Brianagh hadn’t moved for almost three hours. She sat in the bitter cold, her face expressionless.
“My entire purpose was to keep her safe,” Reilly exploded, slamming his fist into the wall directly above the hole he’d punched in it an hour earlier. “I keep every man who could possibly throw a wrench into fate’s plans away from her for her entire life. You think fate maybe could have given Brianagh her love for more than it took to get her pregnant? MacWilliam was a good man, damn it. He would’ve died for her—hell, he did die for her.”
“Wait a second—Bri’s pregnant?” Colin echoed, completely confused. “How?”
Reilly leveled a stare at him. “The normal way, I suspect.”
Colin looked back at Brianagh. “How do you know?”
“You’re still here, aren’t you?”
Colin’s eyes grew wide. “So, Bri has a child, then—what? The child is sent back—”
“To his proper time, just like Bri was, aye,” Reilly said darkly. “That’s what I figure.”
“Does she know?”
James joined them at the window. “I don’t think she does,” he said solemnly. “Do you think she’d be sitting out in the cold if she knew she was carrying the love of her life’s child?”
“How’s MacWilliam?” Colin asked.
“I think he’ll be ready to come out of it soon,” James said. “You’ll need to be the only one with him, Ry. Even as hurt as his is, he’s incredibly powerful.” Turning his cheek, he showed them the bruise on his jaw.
“He punched you?” Reilly asked in surprise. He thought Aidan to be weakened from the loss of blood, but clearly, he had something left.
“Sure did. Started mumbling in Gaelic. I caught dungeon and father.” James rubbed his jaw carefully. “I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his full-strength blow.”
Reilly paused. “Wait a minute…Aidan is here.”
Colin looked at him pityingly. “Yes, Ry. Aidan is here.”
Reilly shoved Colin out of his way. “I’ve not lost my mind, you fool. But if Aidan is here, you can bet that Burke never stopped looking for him. He was the one man who could rally the clan, and take it back from Burke!”
“I don’t follow. Do you follow?” Colin asked James, who just shook his head and focused on Reilly as he flipped frantically through the Ireland Through the Ages: Powerful Clans of the 14th and 15th Centuries book.
He found his page, leaned over, and scanned the words. He flipped a few more pages…then froze.
“Here,” he said, and read aloud, “Richard Burke had another son—Aidan MacWilliam, formerly Burke, 1426 to unknown—who allied with Laird MacWilliam. Burke spent much of his gold attempting to locate his second son. However, those efforts proved unsuccessful. Missives found in recent excavations from other local clans—Maguire, Clanricard—wrote of the second son, verifying his existence. His death was never recorded.”
“If he thought Aidan was a threat,” Brianagh said from the doorway, “Burke would use anything he could to lure him back, so he could kill him.”
“Aye,” Reilly agreed. “Anything.”
“Again, I’m not following,” Colin cut in. “Could you two speak English, please?”
Brianagh locked eyes with Colin. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need to brush up on your Gaelic.”
“Why?” James asked, curious.
“Because,” Reilly said with a reluctant smile, “he’ll be needing it, where we’re going.”
Colin frowned.
“I’ll be the first to admit that I will grab at any hope that Nioclas is alive,” Brianagh stated. “But I’ll also be the first to tell you that Burke would take great pleasure in torturing my husband for as long as he could before killing him.” She fought the tears that threatened. “If Burke believes Nioclas knows where Aidan is, you can bet your life that he’s holding him in a dungeon somewhere—either his castle, or mine.”
“Aren’t we possessive?” Reilly said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.
“For the first—and possibly last—time, I think you might be right, Reilly.” Brianagh straightened her shoulders. “My destiny is not here. I think it’s about time I take it back.”
“Good lass,” he said approvingly.
“You mean I have to go back there?” Colin asked.
“Aye,” Bri and Reilly chimed together.
“Let’s take a couple days to prepare,” Reilly said. “Bri, you research everything you can about what happened, or didn’t happen. Colin, you and I need to work on your swordplay more. And James—”
“I can’t go. I’d just get in your way, with my lack of sword skill and poor Gaelic.” He shook his head. “I’m much better suited to staying here, cleaning up any mess you’ve left behind. Especially Bri. I’ll handle Mom and Dad, as well as the press and, if necessary, her death certificate.”
Brianagh swallowed. “Because I won’t be coming back?”
“With any luck,” James agreed, somber.
They were interrupted by a banging at the front door.
Chapter 27
Colin joined Reilly at the door and folded his arms. Brianagh could feel the combined fury of them both, and seeing them stand together, appearing utterly relaxed…even she was a little frightened of them.
And they were on her side.
Reilly and Colin waited patiently as the silence drew out.
Finally, Matthew de Burgh said, “Just sign the damn papers, O’Rourke. She left it all to me.”
Colin looked down at the papers Matthew shoved under his nose, then glanced back up. “No.”
“All you’re doing is delaying the inevitable,” Matthew sneered. “You don’t want to sign? Fine. All that does is create more paperwork for me. And let me just point something out. Money talks. Reputation talks. And she agreed to be my wife in a very public way. Everyone knew she was crazy about me. It’s not so far-fetched that she’d leave me—a very capable businessman—in charge of her business. You fighting me for it just drags your name through the mud.”
“So this is why you took the trouble to propose?” Colin replied. “Clever.”
“Sign the papers, O’Rourke.”
“How about this,” Colin responded. “You answer my questions, and I’ll sign your papers.”
“Games?” Matthew smirked. “I thought you were above that.”
“I’m not,” Colin growled. “Was the entire reason for dating Bri just to get her company?”
“It sure as hell wasn’t to get her into bed,” Matthew replied with a snort. “She isn’t exactly what I would call eager. She hasn’t a responsive bone in her body.” He laughed.
Reilly tensed, but Colin stayed him.
“Okay. Question two,” Colin continued evenly. “If you wanted the company so badly, why not just offer for it?”
“A hostile takeover of a matchmaking company?” The frustration was evident in Matthew’s voice. “It’s a PR disaster. No person paying the kind of fees Brianagh charged would want to be involved in a company bound by red tape.”
“All right,” Colin said slowly. “Question three. How many women were you with during your time with Bri?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, not that it matters now. So if I were you, I wouldn’t say anything, to save her feelings…if you ever find her, that is.”
Brianagh ducked between Reilly and Colin. “Hello, Matthew. How kind of you to search for me.”
Matthew’s jaw dropped.
“I know,” she continued. “As you can see, I’m very much alive. And very much willing to tell everyone how I’ve never—and will never—sign anything over to you.”
“Brianagh, it’s not what you think,” he started.
Brianagh looked him up and down, then shook her head. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” Looking over her shoulder, she asked, “If Nioclas ever met Matthew, I don’t see how it would end well.” She turned back to Matthew. “Nioclas is my husband. He’s a very jealous man, and a very strong one. Irish warrior and all that.”
“You’re married?” Matthew asked. “But you’re engaged to me!”
“Well,” she mused, “I was.”
“BRIANAGH MACWILLIAM!”
“The medicine wore off,” James called from the kitchen.
Bri gave Matthew a quick smile. “That’d be him. He gets a bit…passionate when I’m not there. Gotta go. Good luck with the hostile takeover.”
• • •
Two hours later, Brianagh and Reilly finally had Aidan calmed down enough to explain what was happening. He looked shell-shocked.
“Please let James put the IV back in,” Brianagh as
ked patiently. “It is giving you good medicine, Aidan. You’ll heal faster with it.”
“Your healer has some powerful magic,” Aidan replied forcefully. “My head feels as though it’s separated from my body!”
“That’s the pain medication,” she explained. Glancing at Reilly, she continued. “Aidan, we need you to be as strong as possible. We think Nioclas is in grave danger.”
“How so?”
Reilly gave him the abridged version of their suspicions.
Aidan nodded. “Aye, I can see Burke doing exactly that. If he subdued Nick and was able to take him alive without threat of being overthrown again, he’d take it.”
“I don’t know where the dungeons are in the castle,” Brianagh said. “We need your wits and your sword.”
“So I really am somewhere in the future?” Aidan asked.
“Yes,” Brianagh exclaimed. “You could believe it when we were in the fifteenth century just fine, why not now?”
“It’s hard for a mind to wrap itself around,” Reilly said in understanding. “Perhaps you can see me as less of an enemy and more of an ally, now that you know the full truth of it?”
Aidan snorted. “I still think you’re an arse.”
“So do I,” Brianagh confessed, “but he’s the best kind of arse.”
Aidan let out a sigh. “Do you swear to me that your healer won’t attempt to poison me?”
Brianagh clasped his hand in her own. “Aidan, I vow it.” She looked into his eyes. “I love your brother, more than anything or anyone. I need you to help me save him. Please.”
“Aye,” Aidan grumbled, giving in. “Let your healer at me. But no devil sticks. And no leeches.”
“We don’t do leeches anymore,” James said from the doorway where he’d been waiting during the exchange. “They’ve been proven ineffective.”
“Aye, and your devil sticks are effective?”
“It’s just a tiny needle,” Reilly scoffed. “A warrior such as yourself, afraid of the tiniest stitching needle known to mankind?”
Aidan glared at him. “I don’t know why anyone likes you.”
The Winter Laird Page 22