by Mia Pride
“That is the worst thing you have ever said, Gwynn.” He took a finger and tilted her chin up, locking eyes with her. “Your beauty outshines hers beyond any stretch of the imagination. She is the dark to your light. You are a pure rare beauty, Gwynneth.” He lowered his head and placed a soft sweet kiss on her lips, making her sigh with love for him. “Please, do not ever undermine my wife ever again,” Liam said in a husky voice.
Giggling, Gwynneth hugged him again and promised to stop minimizing his love for her. As they walked back down the hill holding hands, Gwynneth took the time to fill Liam in about her visit from Katriona and her warning about Fiona. To her shock, neither revelation seemed to startle him. Either he was good at masking his emotions, or the idea that Katriona could be a faery was just as commonplace to him as the thought that Fiona could be dangerous.
Arriving back to the house, he opened the door and said, “I have many things to accomplish before we leave in the morn. You can choose to stay by my side or stay here with Katriona. I trust her with your life. Which do you prefer?”
“I would like to stay with you, if I would not be in the way.” She sounded like a lovesick fool to her own ears, but it brought a wide grin to Liam’s handsomely chiseled face as his dimples flashed.
“That is what I was hoping you would choose. Come. Let us get ready to leave and make a few visits. Tonight, I thought we might invite all our friends and my mother over for a feast?”
This idea sounded perfect to Gwynneth, and she looked forward to something for the first time in a long while. They would prepare for departure, feast with loved ones, and then get away from Fiona by dawn.
Chapter 14
His plan to manipulate Una into marrying him was a disaster. Collin listened to her sniffling as she worked on the loom, determined to stay indoors and create tunics and blankets for her babe. What had happened after he left her two days ago in the garden? She had been in such high spirits when he left her and their connection felt stronger than ever. Una had reacted to his touch and it had given him real hope for their future.
That same night, he came home from his meeting with Mealla to find Una sobbing in bed, her eyes red and puffy as the tears tracked down her face. She refused to explain what had upset her after he had gone, but he could guess. Nothing would upset Una for so many days, other than an encounter with Brocc.
Two days had passed and Mealla was on him for answers. She wanted to put the next stage of their plan into place by the morrow, but Collin only wanted to retreat. There was no hope of Una agreeing to wed him, much less share his bed. And without either of those events occurring, how would Brocc walk in and find them together? More likely, he would walk in and find Una sobbing over him and whisk her away to his own place.
This was all a disaster. Sighing as he contemplated his next meeting with Mealla later that evening, he was determined to tell her to give it up. Their plan was not working and, to be honest, he was tired of feeling like he was betraying Una. He had set out to make her happy, but she seemed more miserable than ever, refusing to go outside and breaking out in tears without notice. He resolved to set things right. He would help Una reunite with Brocc.
Deciding to try one more time to get answers, Collin walked over to Una as she worked determinedly at the loom, her small hands working feverishly, as if in a trance.
“Una,” Collin said with a smile as he squatted down next to her. “Una, look at me.” When she did as he asked, the look on her face pulled at his heart and even further convinced him that he needed to give up his plans with Mealla. “Are you hungry? I have not seen you eat all day.” Una shook her head and looked back down, staring at her work.
Letting out a great sigh, Collin stood up and put his hands out. “Come on. We are going for a walk.”
“N-nay. I mean, not today. I have so much work to do before the babe comes and—”
“Your babe is not due for several more moons. You can spare a few moments to eat and walk.” He was determined to get some answers and help her regain her happiness. If he could not be her husband, he would take being her companion over nothing.
“I really should not, Collin. But thank you.”
Just as she started to sit down again, he grabbed her wrists and squeezed firmly. Her bright green eyes looked back up into his. “What happened to you, Una? I have waited in silence for you to tell me first, but you are sinking further and further into the darkness of your own mind! You must tell me. Mayhap I can help?”
Una seemed to go limp as her shoulders sagged and her head hung low. “I saw Brocc in the market after our walk through the gardens. He admitted he does not know what happened that night, he does not remember. We got into a terrible argument in the middle of the market and I am so anxious about running into him again and quarreling. I simply cannot bear to see him again. He already said he nay longer wishes to wed me, so what gives him the right to harass me?”
“He has nay right, Una, but tis obvious why he does it anyway.” Collin’s voice was low, but she did not seem to understand what he was trying to say. “He loves you, Una. Nothing could be plainer. Let me talk to him. I will fix this.”
“Nay! Please, do not!”
With a chuckle, he shrugged, “Why ever not? I wish for you to be happy.”
“Because,” she said under her breath, almost so quietly he could barely hear, “I have been thinking, and…I wish to marry you. I accept your offer.”
Collin froze, trying to process her words. This was exactly what he had always wanted, and yet, he could not allow it. He shook his head, never believing the day would come when he would turn Una away. “Una, you cannot. You are in love with another man.”
“I do not love him! I hate Brocc! All we do is argue and after catching him in bed with Mealla, I shall never trust him! Such a marriage could never work.” She put her hands on the curve of her hips and tapped her small slippered foot. Collin could see her irritation rising, but he found her too adorable to keep a straight face.
Collin walked over to her and placed his hands on top of hers, still resting on her hips, trying to make her see reason, “He loves you. You love him. You are carrying his child. Tis only a matter of two stubborn people, at this point.”
“Are you saying you do not want to marry me anymore, Collin?” she croaked in a shaky voice.
Collin groaned. This was horrible! How did this happen so suddenly? Just when he had convinced himself to let her go and help her with Brocc, she was suddenly accepting his offer! Tears welled up in her eyes and pity immediately washed over his face.
“By all the gods, nay, Una! Och, do not cry! I love you. You know this to be true. I would gladly marry you right now! But I do not want to be your second choice. I could not live knowing that you chose me because you gave up on Brocc.”
“I…I cannot stand to be in Brocc’s presence! I hate him! I would not marry him for all the cattle in Ériu!”
Collin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him hard, making shushing noises as he tried to calm her. “Tis alright, Una. I believe you,” he said reassuringly, “And I would love nothing more than to wed you.” But, he did not believe her at all, and that would be a problem. For now, however, he resolved to leave it alone and deal with this a day at a time. He should be elated, but the only thing he felt was shame. Would she have ever chosen him if she had not seen Mealla in Brocc’s bed? He would have to tell her the truth, all of it…but not today, he decided. He must speak with Mealla and let her know the deal was off.
“So then, tis done!” Mealla screeched in an irritatingly high-pitched voice as she leaned over their usual table and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her cheeks were rosy with excitement and she looked as beautiful as ever, but for some reason, Collin felt repulsed by her touch.
“For now,” he said in a strained voice.
“And, what does that mean?” she suddenly looked worried and froze in her seat, wide blue eyes staring at him with determination.
“It means tha
t I plan on telling her everything,” Collin squinted at her, waiting for her to hurl insults at him.
“You are a strange man, Collin O’Leary, I will give you that. You finally have Una and you are going to spoil it for everyone, simply to save your conscience?”
“She does not love me; she is fond of me. And the difference between those two things is a difference I cannot live with. She is only agreeing to marry me because of that little stunt we set up with you in his bed. I cannot live a lie. I will not bring her into a marriage without the full truth.”
“You are ridiculous, Collin!” Mealla reached over and dug her nails into his hand. He flinched in pain and pulled his hand back with a grunt. “I will not allow it!”
He sniggered at her as if she were nothing more than a silly lass. “And what are you going to do, Mealla? You have nay choice in this. Tis my life.”
“Well…when are you going to tell her? Tonight?” Suddenly, Mealla’s voice was weak, as if she had resigned to the inevitable.
“Nay, not tonight. A few days, mayhap on the morrow. I want to give her a chance to think over her decision. You should see her, Mealla. She is miserable. I get the feeling that accepting my proposal is the only thing making her feel like she has control over her life right now. I need to try and work out what to tell her, and when. Alone…”
Understanding his warning, Mealla put her hands up in defense. “Alright, alright. I understand. Then there is nothing I can do at this point. If you really want to sabotage your own happiness, that is your choice. For now, Brocc is not even in the village. He left last night on an unexpected raid. Apparently, the Aithech-tuatha have been seen lurking about in the woods near Darini. So, it looks like you are alone with Una for now.”
Collin looked at her with suspicion in his eyes. It seemed that this usually feisty, strong-willed woman just gave in a bit too easily, but there was nothing left to say, so he nodded silently and stood up quickly from the table, anxious to be away from Mealla with all speed. He could feel her malice boring into his back as he walked away, wondering why he ever allowed such a young reckless woman to convince him of her schemes in the first place. He had been blinded by love and lust for Una, but now that he had achieved his goal, victory never felt more like a loss.
Chapter 15
Spirits were high and the room was filled with the sort of pure laughter only shared by the most intimate of friends and family. The sweet and savory scents of the honey and rosemary ham Katriona had been slowly cooking all day filled the air and mixed with the unmistakable fragrance of bread baking in the kiln. Mead and ale were being passed around and mugs were constantly replenished.
Looking around, Gwynneth realized she had not felt this at ease since her wedding and she was filled with a sense of contentment at the moment. The house was lit brightly with tallow candles resting in iron candelabras, the firelight bouncing off the pure white of the paint and illuminating the room with a warm glow.
Not only had Duncan and his wife, Sharon, come with their three young children, but the three O’Cathalain brothers had arrived as well, bringing with them a basket of fresh strawberries from their mother’s garden. Gorman, Brion, and Rioghan were the three large brothers who went searching for Liam when he failed to return home several moons ago. The brothers went into the woods to track him down and, after a long series of events, helped to safely deliver Gwynneth back to Iverni. They were quiet men, and perhaps a little simple-minded, but gentle, loyal companions. She smiled at them as she remembered their days in the woods together. It was nice to have them here tonight to share in the feast and say farewells.
Aileen was standing near Liam, rubbing his shoulders while he lounged on a cushion laughing at something Duncan said while sipping his ale. Looking over at her husband and his mother, Gwynn felt a mingled happiness tinged with the taste of envy. Her mother had passed away during childbirth and she was never able to have a mother figure like Aileen in her life. He looked so comfortable with her and it was obvious by the twinkle in Aileen’s soft blue eyes that she was so proud of her powerfully built, incredibly loyal son. Gwynneth, overcome by a sense of pride, walked over to them both to give Aileen an affectionate squeeze while Liam reached up to pull her down to his lap with a chuckle.
The night was young and the food smelled delicious. Her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled. Just as Liam placed a hand over her swollen belly, the babe within her womb gave him a hard kick for the first time and he shouted with excitement to the entire room, “My child is strong! Tis either a strapping lad or a stubborn lass, like her mother, but tis strong!” Everyone laughed and raised their mugs as they continued their conversations.
In the corner, Gwynneth could see Ceara and Garreth enjoying their own moment of contentment and solitude. Ceara was sitting on Garreth’s lap, her fiery red hair falling around her face as Garreth whispered something amusing in her ear that made her emerald eyes sparkle with laughter.
Just like Liam, Garreth had his hand casually pressed against Ceara’s rounded belly as he lovingly rubbed in circles, continuing to press his mouth against her ear, whispering privately.
What a beautiful night this was, Gwynneth thought to herself. Even Katriona, by the insistence of Liam and Gwynn, had joined into the celebration. She was surrounded by the three large brothers, dwarfing her in size, and she beamed up at them in delight as she sipped her mead, listening to their stories with a smile on her rosy, plump cheeks.
Pulling the bread out of the kiln and announcing that the evening meal was ready, Liam removed the spit from the fire so he could carve the roasted pig. The guests all started to gather around the table to admire the spread before them. Liam placed a large plate of carved honey ham at one end of the table as Katriona placed the loaf of steaming round bread next to the basket of strawberries. A block of herbed goat cheese rested next to a bowl of fresh cut carrots and everyone took a seat as the food was passed around.
“Oh! I forgot my berry tarts! I made them for dessert and put them out on the table in the stable to cool down and never brought them in!”
“I will go and get them, Katriona,” Gwynneth started to stand up and Liam grabbed her wrist.
“You will not. Remember?” He flashed her a warning look, reminding her that she was not to be unattended at any point this evening.
“Oh do not be ridiculous! Tis just outside, only a few steps away!” she said as she tried to pull away from his grip.
“Nay, I will accompany you. You cannot carry them alone, in any case.” Having no further argument, and remembering her promise to try and control her stubborn whims, she gave him a sarcastically sweet smile as they strolled out to the stables.
The night breeze felt wonderful in her hair and she suddenly realized how stifling it had become in the warm smoky confines of the house. “Tis lovely out this eve.” Approaching the table full of tarts, Gwynneth stared down admiringly at the perfectly browned crusts with red sugary liquid oozing out of the tops. “Mmmmm,” she moaned as her stomach grumbled again. Gwynneth balanced two round tarts up her left arm and grabbed a third with her right. Liam did the same as he followed behind. Just then, he saw a gleam in the back stable stall that caught the corner of his eye.
“Did you see that?” he asked quietly.
“Hmmm?”
“I saw something…a light, or a reflection. I suppose tis nothing, but I am going to check.” Liam started to walk backward slowly, looking over his right shoulder while carefully balancing three tarts in his arms.
“What is it?” Gwynn asked as he reached the farthest stall where Gwynneth’s own gray and white mare was munching happily on hay.
“Nothing besides Dana,” he said with a shrug. “Perhaps the metal on her saddle hanging on the wall caught in a flicker of moonlight. Let us go back inside.”
As Gwynneth and Liam walked back into the house with the tarts, Fiona stepped out of the deeply-shadowed corner of Dana’s stall with a long iron dagger in one hand and snuffed out candle in the
other, a satisfied twinkle in her brown eyes as she watched with mirth as Gwynneth receded into the house with Liam at her side. Let them enjoy their meal, she thought with joy, for it would be Gwynneth’s last. She had the perfect plan to dispose of Gwynneth and when Liam arrived back home to Iverni, he would be a broken man over the loss of his wife. And Fiona would be there to pick up the pieces.
“Thank the gods for the warm weather today,” Ceara said as she smiled upward, tilting her head to the sky and soaking up the heat of the sun. Her long wavy red hair blew in the breeze as Gwynneth’s horse strolled slowly next to hers. “I have had it with the cold, rainy nights!”
Gwynneth giggled at her sister, “When is it not cold and windy on this isle, Ceara?” But she agreed, the weather was wonderful and she would enjoy it while it lasted.
They had left Iverni at the break of dawn, anxious to be on their way to Darini. It had still been dark when they saddled up their horses and rode through the iron gates surrounding their hillfort. They had decided against the cart for this journey, preferring a swifter means of arriving at Darini. Gwynneth did not mind the early start or the lack of cart, for the sooner they were away from Fiona, the better.
There was something about the warning Katriona had given her that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Fiona was trouble, but something more sinister was brewing and a foreboding feeling settled in the pit of Gwynneth’s stomach.