Irritated by his words, Maggie tried to think her way through this. How could she get Lochlan to end the feud? “Then what am I to do?”
“Surrender,” he said simply.
“And nothing changes.”
“It will change. Lochlan can negotiate peace with the MacDouglas.”
“But will he?”
She saw the uncertainty in his eyes. And the debate. She could almost see the workings of his mind and she wondered what lie he would devise to feed her.
Finally, he spoke, “Nay, even I am not such a beast that I’d lie to you about this. Not when it’s so important to you. Lochlan canna stop the feud so long as the MacDouglas is after Ewan’s life.”
Which was exactly what she suspected.
Still, she respected Braden for being honest. The man might be a scoundrel and a rogue, but he did draw the line at lying. It was nice to know at least one moral was still intact in his wicked body.
However, that didn’t help her for the moment.
How could she end this if...
Maggie paused as an idea occurred to her. It was ludicrous really, but no more so than the idea of getting the women to withhold themselves from their men. Surely, if she could get the Lady MacDouglas to follow her, she could get Robby MacDouglas to listen to her?
After all, the entire feud had started because of a woman, and now that he was married to another, why would he continue the feud over Isobail?
Perhaps he was even looking for a way to back out without losing face himself.
Aye, ‘twas a possibility.
Maggie let the idea loose in her mind. The more she thought it over, the more reasonable it seemed.
It really was a possibility. And if it were the truth, then maybe if she got to the MacDouglas, she would be able to make him see the futility of continuing the feud.
Right?
The very least she could do was try.
Making up her mind, she met Braden’s gaze levelly. “If I can’t get Lochlan to end this, then I’ll have to get to the MacDouglas and talk sense into him.”
Braden laughed aloud at her words. “Are you insane?”
“Nay, I am serious. If I explain it to him, he’ll?—”
“Laugh in your face, then cleave your head from your shoulders and hang it from his walls.”
“I will make him see reason.”
Braden stared at her in numbed disbelief. Never in his life had he met her ilk.
She was something to behold, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, that something wasn’t sane.
And by the tilt of her chin, he’d say her mind was as fixed as Fergus’s had been. There wasn’t going to be any way to talk her out of this.
Still, he felt the need to try. “Is there anything I can say that would sway you from this madness?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Not even the fact that the MacDouglas will more than likely rip out your heart and toss it to his dogs?”
