Lyon's Gift (34 page)

Whose life are you living
anyhow, Meghan Brodie?
she heard Fia’s
voice ask.

It was so real to her in that moment that
she had to peer over her shoulder to be sure it was not Angus who
had spoken to her.

Och, but she truly was going mad!

She narrowed her eyes at Angus. “Did you say
something to me?”

Meghan felt more than saw that he shook his
head at her in the darkness—and why had she thought he would speak?
She had to wonder, even, if the man had a tongue to speak with.

“
I didna think so,” she
said peevishly, and returned to walking beside him in
silence.

They continued onward without another word
spoken between them, and Meghan, clutching at her sore arm, began
to consider once more what she would say to her sweet brothers.

Would they be disappointed in her?

She knew they would be, because she had,
indeed, let them down.

Well, she just wouldn’t tell them
everything. In fact, she would tell them naught at all! All they
needed know was that she had snuck away from Lyon. If Lyon came
after her, she would deal with that then.

And if he did not... Well then, she would
keep her secret until the day she joined Fia in her grave. Then she
would spill her tears upon Fia’s shoulders. Fia was the only one
who could possibly understand—the only one who ever had.

Meghan was wholly uncertain what to expect
when she arrived home, but the very last thing she expected to
discover... was Alison MacLean.

They arrived at the break of the new day,
and Meghan froze at the sight of her friend there within the
courtyard, escorted safely home by Baldwin and surrounded by her
brothers.

And Lyon Montgomerie was nowhere within
sight.

CHAPTER 26

Lyon sat at his bedside desk, poring over the
manuscripts by candlelight until the wee hours of the morn, reading
Meghan’s notes. He sat there, brooding, his head within his hands,
watching the candle burn down to its quick.

He couldn’t sleep.

Couldn’t think.

Why did things still feel so wrong?

He’d done what he’d thought he was supposed to—set
her free. He’d taken MacKinnon’s example and had accorded her
choices. But now he couldn’t forget the look in her eyes as he’d
bade her good-bye and walked away, leaving her to Baldwin’s care
with that look of utter confusion upon her face.

And then the unspoken fury in her crossed eyes as
she’d realized he was truly setting her free.

Christ, but what had he done to her?

And how could he simply leave her now?

He read her notes once more, drinking in her wisdom,
hearing her cheeky voice, seeing her smile as he’d peered down into
her face, and slammed his fist down upon the desk. Damned if he
could just walk away!

So what the devil was he doing sitting here,
brooding like a sullen boy?

When in his life had he wanted something and not
gone after it?

Never, that he could recall.

Damned if he was going to this time!

He surged upward from the desk, knocking it over,
spilling his manuscripts in his haste to go after her.

He had done the right thing, he realized—except for
the fact that he’d let her go without telling her what was in his
heart. And it was not too bloody late for that!

Meghan could scarcely believe the anger she
felt.

“
And he woke you, took one bluidy
look at you, and sent you off?” she repeated, enraged by Alison’s
tale. She was weary from her long walk home, her arm hurt, and her
heart ached all the more! “You didna have to e’en ask?”

Alison shook her head, and her own eyes were full of
fury for Meghan’s sake.

“
Bluidy Sassenach bastard!” Colin
spat, though he did not understand the half of it.

Meghan clutched at her arm, heartbroken.

“
Och, Meghan, here you go,” Alison
said, removing the sling from about her own neck. Hanging it about
Meghan’s, she helped her to place her arm within it.

She felt like weeping.

She felt like screaming.

She merely stood there, allowing Alison to tend her
arm, though her heart felt mortally wounded.

So much for her hopes that he would love her for
more than her face.

So much for his love!

Then again, he had never claimed to love her, Meghan
reminded herself. He had only said he
wanted
her. And that
he wanted her heart. Wanting was a far different thing from vowing
his love, and that he had not.

Foolish girl, she berated herself.

She held back the tears, telling herself that it was
better to learn the truth now, rather than later.

Alison reached out to embrace her. “Now, now,” she
crooned, “dinna cry, Meghan!”

Meghan gulped back a sob, unable to restrain it, and
returned Alison’s embrace with her good arm.

“
Och, but you look horrid!” Alison
said, breaking into tears. “I’ve never seen you look so
ugly!”

Meghan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “You
look horrid, too!” she cried, unable to hold back her sobs any
longer. “And you put your bruise on the wrong cheek!”

Colin and Leith and Gavin all exchanged awkward
glances with each other.

“
Daft women,” Colin said, shaking
his head. “All right now, Alison. Enough! Let someone else hug her
too!” And he moved in to hug Meghan as Alison released
her.

She wept upon Colin’s shoulder, and then Leith’s,
and then Gavin’s.

“
Welcome home, Meghan,” Gavin said
softly. “We’ve missed you, lass!”

“
Enough to spare me your sermons?”
Meghan asked through her tears.

Gavin chuckled. “Well, that I don’t know. We shall
see, I suppose.”

Meghan choked on her laughter. “’Tis good to be
home.”

“’
Tis good to have you home!”
Leith said. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, to be sure!”

“
I am so sorry! I should never
have risked myself so.”

“’
Tis not as though you did so
apurpose, Meghan,” Leith replied.

“
It’s my fault,” Colin
interjected. “I should never have let yet go alone to meet
Alison.”

“
How can you say such a thing,
Colin? It was hardly the first time I’d gone into those woods
alone. What will you do, silly mon? Escort me everywhere I go for
the rest of our bluidy lives?”

Colin frowned, at a loss for words, and she went
on.

“
I dinna think so! I can just
imagine what all your women would say then, you silly
fool.”

“
Aye,” Gavin put in. “Precisely
what they should be saying anyway—nay!” He spoke with such
heartfelt conviction that Meghan felt at home immediately. One
thing everyone could count upon was Gavin’s piety in the face of
anything at all. He was unswerving in his faith.

Colin cast Gavin a pained glance, and Meghan
laughed, telling him, “Dinna say such a thing, Gavin. He will die
else wise.”

Leith and Colin both chuckled and so too did
Alison.

“
And Meghan,” Leith continued,
“I’ve something to tell you...”

Meghan looked up at her eldest brother to see that
he had moved behind Alison, and she suddenly recalled her friend’s
message.

“
Oh! And I you!” she exclaimed.
“Alison asked me to tell you, Leith, that not only will she wed
you, but she will wed you with all her heart!”

Leith peered down at Alison in surprise. “Is this
true?” he asked her, his hands going to her shoulders. He turned
her to face him.

Alison smiled shyly up at him, and Meghan was so
happy for the two of them—so happy she could cry! With a
heartbroken sob, she cast herself between them. Alison took her
once more into her arms.

“
Bluidy, rotten, heart-stealing,
lying, conniving Sassenach wretch!” Meghan cried out. “I’m so happy
for you, Alison!”

“
Och, now!” Alison said, patting
Meghan’s back, soothing her. “I know you are, Meghan! Just think...
we’re going to be sisters now, in truth!” she said
cheerily.

“
I’m so happy!” Meghan exclaimed,
and wept as though her heart would rent in two.

“
Alison,” Colin said, his tone
contrite. Alison turned to look at him, continuing to pat Meghan’s
back. “Thank you for risking yourself for Meghan,” he said. “That
was a brave thing for you to do, lass. We owe you a lot for
it.”

Alison smiled brightly at him. “You owe me naught
for that, Colin Mac Brodie! But thank you anyhow!”

“
Och, now who could that be?”
Leith said suddenly.

Meghan was so busy weeping, burying her face against
Alison’s shoulder, that she didn’t see the approaching riders, nor
did she hear them, until Colin exploded with anger.

“
Gaddamn him!” her brother
said.

“
How dare he show his face here!”
Leith said angrily. “English bastard!”

“
It’s bluidy Montgomerie!” Gavin
said, aghast.

Meghan froze.

She peered up to see Lyon and his men approaching
quickly.

Seated high atop his destrier, with his golden hair
flowing behind him, he rode toward them, his look wrathful and full
of purpose.

“
Och, God!” Meghan exclaimed,
coming to life as her brothers drew their swords and went to greet
him. She seized Alison by the arm. “I cannot face him, Alison. Come
with me!”

And she dragged Alison toward the chapel.

CHAPTER 27

He didn’t bother to deal with her
brothers.

Meghan knew he must have spied her, for the
rumbling of hooves reverberated throughout the sanctuary as he
reined in before the chapel doors. His voice was an echo within the
stone building as he commanded his men to remain and guard the
door.

Meghan heard her brothers’ furious voices
beyond the chapel doors. Threats passed between the men, and she
prayed they’d not come to arms.

“
I merely wish to speak
with her,” Lyon assured her angry brothers. “And I shall go once I
have said my piece.”

Meghan scarcely had time to return the sling
to Alison and to replace her veil. No sooner had she hid herself
behind a pew when Lyon came bursting into the chapel.

Meghan gasped at the sight of him and lay
down on the floor upon her belly in a desperate attempt to conceal
herself from his view.

She couldn’t face him just now! Couldn’t
look into his eyes! And she bloody well didn’t care what he had to
say—didn’t wish to hear a word of it!

“
Meghan!” His voice
thundered within the tiny chapel. It bounced off the walls and
battered against her heart. Her heart racing madly, she shimmied
beneath the pew, desperate to conceal herself from his
eyes.

Watching breathlessly as he approached
Alison, his stride full of purpose and his expression stem with
determination, she shuddered at the sight of him. He wore the same
tunic and braies he’d worn yesterday, with the plaid belted at his
waist, and his eyes seemed to glitter like the blue of a hot
flame.

Och, but he was beautiful—beautiful but
treacherous to her defenseless heart, for her arms cried out to
hold him still, despite his falseness.

“
Meghan,” he said with
feeling, taking Alison by the shoulders and turning her about to
face him.

The breath left her lungs as Alison cried
out softly. Meghan felt ashamed for putting her friend once more in
such an untenable position. And yet she just wasn’t brave enough to
confront him herself.

He fell to his knees before Alison, and
Meghan blinked in surprise as he took her gently by the hand.

“
I read your notes upon my
papers,” he disclosed, “and sent you away because I thought it was
the right thing to do. Forgive me, Meghan!”

Alison remained silent, and Meghan bit her
lower lip to keep from crying out that he was a lowly bastard, and
that she would never forgive him—not ever!

Did he want her absolution now for being
such a shallow-minded knave?

“
You see,” he continued,
“you were right! I have been searching all my life for something I
should have discovered within my own self long ago. And it took
you, Meghan Brodie, to open my eyes!”

A fine way he had of showing his
appreciation, Meghan thought bitterly.

“
Can you ever forgive
me?”

Never!

Alison stood frozen, staring down at him,
and Meghan knew she was afraid to speak. Not Meghan! If she were
standing there before him, she thought she would rear back and slap
his much-too-bonnie face!

“
Meghan,” he said, staring
up at Alison’s veiled face. He shook his head. “All those years I
searched for contentment in the arms of so many
women...”

Meghan felt nigh to bursting with outrage at
hearing that. How dare he remind her of such a thing just now! How
dare he rub salt into her wounds!

“
And I never found it,” he
confessed. “Not until you…”

Meghan blinked in confusion.

Me? she thought, and mouthed the word,
stunned by his revelation.

Me?

“
Aye,” he answered, as
though she’d spoken the question aloud. “Not until you!” he
repeated, and then said, “Do not look so surprised, my
love.”

My love?

Shock reverberated through her as surely as
his voice echoed within the church walls. Meghan’s heart pummeled
her ribs as she lay there upon the cold wood floor, listening to
his confession.