Page 19 of The Chieftain
Ilysa picked up her skirts and raced out. She stopped on the dim-lit stairs where she could see into the hall without being seen, her heart pounding. She did not have to wait long before Connor and James left the hall for the adjoining building.
Hurry, hurry, she chanted in her head as she fixed her eyes on Deirdre’s lover. When he finally left the hall and disappeared into the stairwell that led to the upper floors of the keep, Ilysa realized that her plan might actually work.
She did not know how long to wait. Would Deirdre and her lover talk first? Ilysa recalled how the pair behaved in the storeroom and decided that, if they did talk, it probably would not be for long.
Once they actually started, how long did it take to fornicate? From all the remarks Ilysa had heard from other women, the time varied considerably. She did not want to act too soon, before it all began. On the other hand, if she waited too long, it could all be over and the man gone.
Ach, this would drive her mad. Ilysa took a deep breath and decided it was time.
***
“My sister has a sweet, biddable nature that would please any man,” James said as the two of them sat at the small table in Connor’s private chamber.
“Aye, she has,” Connor said because it was expected, though Deirdre did not strike him as either sweet or biddable.
“I can tell that her beauty has charmed ye as well,” James said, smiling.
Deirdre was undeniably attractive.
Over the last week, Connor had thought on it long and hard and concluded that he could do no better for his clan than make this alliance. Alexander of Dunivaig had the warriors and galleys Connor needed to fight the MacLeods, and he was offering an extremely generoustochar, or dowry, which Connor’s beleaguered clan could sorely use.
And yet, Ilysa’s caution about Deirdre not being the right wife nagged at him. He was still annoyed with her for suggesting Deirdre would embarrass him.
“There are two things that are essential to me when I take a wife,” Connor said.
“Beauty and what else?” James said with a laugh.
“My first requirement is that her clan commit to fight the MacLeods with mine,” Connor said. “Your father cannot fight for Trotternish while battling the Crown’s forces elsewhere, and I cannot risk an alliance that could draw me into the rebellion.”
“As I said before, I believe my father is very close to accepting the Crown’s terms,” James said. “Very close, indeed.”
Close was not good enough, but Connor needed this alliance, and he needed it as quickly as possible.
“My other requirement,” Connor said, “is that I have my wife’s absolute loyalty.”
James bristled, but it had to be said.
“I’ve heard about your mother, of course, so I won’t take that remark as an insult,” James said in a stiff voice. “You’ve nothing to fear in that quarter. My sister comes to her wedding as an untouched virgin, and she will be a virtuous wife.”
“In exchange for her loyalty, I will give her mine,” Connor said. “We will have the usual trial marriage for a year to assure that she can bear children. But so long as she is my wife, I will take no other woman to my bed.”
“I won’t hold ye to that,” James said with a wink.
Connor would hold himself to it, however. Thanks be to heaven that Deirdre was beautiful, for she was dull as dirt. He quickly chided himself for disparaging the woman who would be his wife. She deserved his respect, and he was determined to be content with her.
Bedding her would certainly be no chore. Ach, he had been celibate for far, far too long. He thought of her long legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands…
“I’m glad we have matters settled,” James said. “If ye don’t have your own clerk, I brought one with me who can prepare the marriage contract.”
Before Connor could reply, the door burst open.
CHAPTER 7
God preserve me. Connor clenched his fists as Niall, who was one of the guards at his door this evening, escorted Ilysa into the center of the room.
“Niall, I told ye I was not to be interrupted for anything short of an attack,” Connor said between his teeth.
Although Niall had just turned eighteen, no man could have gotten past him. He was, however, pliable as warm wax when it came to females. He trusted every last one of them, and he thought Ilysa, in particular, flew with the angels. If Ilysa said one word about Deirdre being the wrong wife, Connor was going to strangle her.
