Hugh's gaze darted hopelessly to the priest's somber face. "Father Gerrard, this can't be. Surely there is some way to undo it. An annulment! There is still time! The marriage hasn't been consummated."
Redmayne chuckled. "I should love to hear you plead your case. Perhaps if you convince the pope there is to be another virgin birth?"
"What the devil?" Hugh blazed.
"My son, there is something you should know," Father Gerrard said gently. "Mary Fallon is expecting this man's babe."
The words seemed to age her brother twenty years. His gaze flashed to Ciaran, loathing, fury, helplessness warring in his features. A cry tore from Fallon's throat as Hugh swung his fist at Ciaran's face. Ciaran didn't even attempt to deflect the blow. It connected with a sickening thud, making him stagger back a step.
"Hugh, for God's sake! Stop it!" Fallon shrilled, diving between the two men.
"You bastard!" Hugh roared. "What kind of cur are you?"
"He's my husband, Hugh! I love him!" It wasn't a lie. That fact suddenly terrified her.
"How... how could this have happened?" Hugh demanded, dazed. "I've never even seen him, didn't even suspect you were involved with a man."
"Perhaps you thought I was playing pattypans up at the castle all this time," she fired back. "You're gone all the time. I got tired of being alone."
Hugh flinched. "Fallon, this can't be... I can't believe—"
"I'm a woman grown now. Is it so impossible to imagine that a man could want me?"
Hugh looked as if she'd slapped him. "No! Of course not! It's just... I never even knew this man existed. I know nothing about him at all. Why didn't you tell me?"
She was stinging with guilt, hurting inside, raw with regret and the fresh wound of loving Ciaran, a wound that opened countless other gashes left on her lonely heart. "You've always seemed far more concerned with your estates and your ships and your infernal ledger sums than with me. I didn't think it would be of any importance to you."
"Fallon, that's enough!" A hard hand gripped her arm, and Ciaran whipped her around to face him. A bruise was purpling the side of his jaw. Damn, he'd been so anxious to fight with Redmayne, why the devil didn't he pound Hugh back? But there wasn't even anger in his features when he looked at her brother, only fierce intensity and burning shame. She wished they'd both pound each other to pulp. That way she wouldn't have to see what a disaster she'd wrought.
"Your brother has every right to be angry," Ciaran ground out. "He feels responsible for you."
"Well he's not. Not any more! I'm a married woman now.”
She might as well have been yelling at the stone walls of Ciaran's castle for all the attention either man paid to what she'd said.
"Mr. Delaney, I know that I deserve nothing but your contempt. Even so, would you be generous enough to talk privately with me so I might explain?"
"Explain?" Hugh raged. "You ruined my sister! Took advantage of an innocent young woman. She's carrying your child. Your child." Hugh's voice broke. He turned away. But not before Fallon saw his features contort in anguish. "Why the devil am I blaming you?" he muttered, broken. "This is my fault."
"My dear son," Father Gerrard reached out in comfort, but Hugh jerked away, burying his face in his hand with a strangled sound akin to a sob. Silence fell. Even Redmayne was eerily still. After what seemed an eternity, the priest urged gently.
"Go back to Misthaven, the three of you. Speak, with forgiveness in your hearts, and understanding. Heal this breach before it scars you further."
"They cannot possibly leave yet," Redmayne inserted. "I must insist we share a glass of wine, make a toast to the happy—and fruitful—couple."
"We're leaving," Ciaran snarled. "Now." With that, he grasped Fallon's hand and hauled her toward the door.
"But I must insist—" Casually strolling in front of them, Redmayne blocked the exit with his own uniformed shoulders.
Green eyes locked with ice blue, sizzling like the metallic hum of clashing blades. "Am I under arrest, Captain? The only way you're going to keep me here is in chains. I'm taking my wife back to her home. Your involvement in this affair is over."
Fallon's stomach lurched. What was Ciaran doing? Begging to be taken into custody? One gesture from the captain would bring half the garrison down on their heads.
"Chains? Arrest?" Hugh's head snapped up, and he stared at the two men. "What the devil?"
"It's nothing, Hugh," Fallon insisted. "Just a mistake."
"The question is, who made it?" Redmayne purred, his gaze never leaving Ciaran's face. Astonishingly, in the end it was Redmayne who backed down. In surrender? Or was he manipulating this as well for some dark purpose of his own?
