However, Maggie was not a trifle to be forgotten. She was an intelligent, capable woman who refused to be used by any man. She would not let him past her defenses, and she would not fail her mission.
Looking at Pegeen, she promised herself that she would never, ever fall victim to her treacherous body. Her feelings could be controlled. They must be!
“I have known Braden since I was but two winters old,” she said quietly, “and never once in all this time has he ever given me so much as a glance. Don’t you find it odd that all of a sudden he’s interested?”
Pegeen patted her hand. “Nay. You are very pretty.”
Maggie scoffed. “Is that why men fail to court me?”
“Men fail to court you because of your brothers. Have you not seen the looks they cast at any man who comes near you?”
Maggie thought about it. Her brothers had always been a bit overbearing. She was the youngest of seven, and the’d watched over her like tyrants over treasure.
Still, it didn’t change anything.
“Braden is only after one thing,” Maggie insisted.
Pegeen crossed her arms over her chest. “And that is?”
“To get us back into our homes.”
Pegeen cocked a brow. “Is that not what we want as well?”
“Aye, to be sure. But we want to go back after they have settled this feud. If Braden has his way, we’ll go back and the bloodshed will continue.”
Pegeen shook her head. “Surely, he wouldn’t be so cruel.”
“You honestly think not?”
“But his mother...?”
“She sees him through the loving eyes of a doting mother. She is blind to his motives.”
“Then what are we to do?”
That was one question Maggie wasn’t sure of. But one thing she did know, the earth would cease to exist before she ever succumbed to Braden’s honeyed words and hot glances.
Her heart might be partial to him, but her head was not. So long as she possessed her reasoning abilities, she would not let him sway her.
Maggie was the one woman on this earth who would never be moved by his charming good looks. And if there was one thing she’d learned while living with six boys, it was how to handle a man.
Aye, Braden had no idea what he was in for.
“What are we going to do?” Maggie repeated Pegeen’s question. “I’ll tell you. We are finally going to see to it that the devil gets his due. If Braden wants to stay here, fine. But I promise you this, he won’t enjoy a single moment of it.”
Three
Braden immensely enjoyed the sight of Maggie leaving the women’s dormitory and walking toward the small alcove where he was standing, concealed by shadows.
After Maggie had left to see to Bridget, Lochlan had headed back to the castle while Ewan and Sin had gone to help Father Bede repair a leak in the nave.
Left alone, Braden had decided to wait for his prey.
And such a sweet bit she was too, all fiery and passionate. He actually felt the urge to lick his lips in anticipation of her surrender.
Aye, she would be sweet to savor. Such a spirited treat, just ripe for the taking. He couldn’t wait for a taste.
A gentle breeze blew across the yard, caressing the unruly tendrils of her thick, russet hair. His palms itched to unbraid those riotous curls and he ached to fist his hands in the midst of them, to spread them out across her bare white shoulders and see them flow down the length of her naked back to caress her pale hips.
