Page 32 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

“There is one thing I have been wondering about. How did ye end up meeting Idalia?” Dunn asked him suddenly, drawing his mind away from the gloomy topic they had been focused on for too long.

“Oh… uh, well, August Raymond sent for me and told me he had a task for me. I had expected to hear that he wanted someone dead, but then he told me it was a different type of task. There was a woman he wanted for his bride, and I was to bring her to him. Although I was nae enthused about abducting anyone against their will, I was glad he seemed to finally be over his obsession for Idalia and that his mind was focused elsewhere,” Bran began.

“He asked me nae tae remove the sack that would be placed around her head and although I was curious, I was nae ready tae risk the chance that he had people watching me once again, so I didnae open it. I already had her on a boat, taking her tae him, when she began tae scream and threaten me.” Bran smiled despite himself as he thought about how strong-willed she was, the little spitfire. “I had tae take off the sack as it was the only way tae get her tae stop her screaming, and when I saw it was the Lady Katarina’s sister…”

Bran looked at the men once again. Just like the last time, they had given him all of their attention, and did not try to speak until they were certain he was finished with his story.

“I was horrified, but I still planned tae take her. My conscience got the better of me halfway through and I decided tae face the consequences of my actions by letting her go and pretending she had escaped. I tried my best. I had decided tae face August while she escaped… but she refused tae go without me when she found out I had a daughter.”

It had seemed like an impossible task to get him out of the gloomy mood he had been in merely minutes ago and yet, here he was, smiling as he thought of her and all that she had done. He could not believe how brave she had been. He knew that many in her position would have taken the first opportunity to run away and save themselves, especially since there had been no plan to guarantee their safe return. But not her. They had even tried to take his daughter from August. Not only was she brave, but she was also selfless. Bran had never met anyone like her and he doubted he would meet another.

“When it became clear we would nae be able to get my daughter out of her tent without being seen, we had tae leave her behind, but that was only after I realized that contrary tae all his threats, August Raymond had no plans of ever hurting his niece. ’Tis nae a chance I was willing to risk, however. We faced many hardships along the way, but Idalia continued to help in many ways,” Bran said. He cleared his throat and pretended to cough when he realized he had been singing her praises for quite long enough. Not that she didnae deserve it.

“Even when I was captured by August’s men and told her tae run back here for help, she came back tae save me. I did nae ken how tae feel when I saw her there. On the one hand, I was glad I did nae have tae return tae August’s camp but, on the other hand, it was reckless of her tae ignore her own safety and decide tae come save me. I had already kenned she lived by her own rules, the wild lass, but in that moment, it was clear she would always dae whatever she believed tae be right, nae matter what anyone else thought.”

Bran paused in his long explanation when he noticed the others exchanging odd looks, strange smiles on their faces. He frowned, wondering what they could possibly be finding funny.

“What are ye doing? What is with the looks?” he asked curiously, turning to his brother with raised brows as he waited for him to answer.

“It just sounds like ye are in love with Idalia from all that ye have said,” his brother said, arching his brow.

“What?! Nay, I’m nae,” he denied quickly, not looking any of them in the eyes.

Bran could not help but think of her. Was he really in love with her? She really was very brave and more selfless than anyone he had ever known, but that did not mean he was in love with her, did it? Bran thought about her smile and the way she acted and struggled to keep himself from smiling.

He thought about the morning when he had kissed her. Then there was their time on the boat. Bran could see hear her moans of pleasure ringing in his head and her face of ecstasy when he pleasured her had been etched into his brain.

Bran had sought her out ever since they had returned to the castle, watching her as she hugged her sisters and laughed, chatting with them easily, and he had craved for her attention to be directed towards him. He craved her laughter, her touch, her conversation, her stubbornness, her kindness and selflessness. He even craved her anger, but did that mean he was falling in love?

Yet, Bran doubted he could love someone as pure as her when he was a monster. He did not want to be the reason her light and purity was lost to the world. He would never do that to her, not when she had been nothing but wonderful.

“Nae, ’tis impossible for me to love her. I dinnae even deserve tae have such feelings for her, or anyone else, nae after the turn my life took this past year.”

Bran watched as Dunn held his brother back when Andrew tried to speak, and he was grateful to him. He was not saying any of these things to receive the assurance that he was, in fact, a good man. Andrew may likely never see him as anything other than the idea of him he already had, and he was grateful for it. But that did not change the fact that he had, indeed, become a monster. The only thing keeping him sane was the conviction that one day he would be with his daughter again and they would be a family, away from the influence of August Raymond.

“Well, it dennae matter what yer feelings are. The easiest way tae make sure that August Raymond dennae come for Idalia again is for her tae be married,” Dunn said, shattering Bran’s thoughts.

He looked at the man in shock. Married?

Bran felt his heart beating too fast in his chest at the thought of Idalia getting married. For a moment he imagined what it would be like to be wed to her. He imagined her being a mother to his daughter. Idalia was a lovely and kindhearted woman, and he knew she would love Mahala as though she were her own.

Bran shook himself out of his thoughts.

“Well, I cannae be the one tae dae it if that’s what ye are proposing,” he said finally, looking at the faces that crumpled at his words. He knew they hoped he would want to be her husband and he wished he did not have to disappoint them. But, unfortunately, they would not be getting their wish. She deserved something better.

“Very well, then,” Dunn sighed. “Idalia is a very beautiful woman, and I am certain that any man would be lucky tae have her. Ewan, for example, comes to mind. He is a loyal friend and a good councilor. However, I have my doubts whether his heart is not already taken…” he drifted off. Then he stood suddenly. “However, now is nae the best time to discuss this topic. As ye ken, Idalia is a strong-willed woman, and it would nae sit well with her tae find out that we have been discussing her future without her kenning about it first. Besides, it has been a long day and I am sure we all need our rest, especially Bran here.”

“Aye, ye are right. How about we give this a rest, and after we have discussed it with Idalia, we can talk about the topic of finding her a spouse. And about what we’ll dae tae rescue Mahala and make a plan. For now, we cannae dae anything right away,” Andrew said, standing up as well. He looked at Bran and smiled at him. Bran returned his smile and stood up to hug him.

“I am glad tae see ye are nae dead. It has been quite a difficult time and it is good tae have family around.”

Bran smiled a watery smile. He was glad that despite all he had told them about him, they did not judge him and still welcomed him with open arms.

“I am glad tae see ye too. I thought of ye every day, and I am glad ye are all right.”

Andrew made his way out of the room along with Dunn and Tor. Bran sat back down on the bed after they left and lay down, thinking about when he would see his daughter. He hoped August would not take the opportunity to tell her terrible things about him and make her hate him. Bran knew he would do everything he could to make sure it would be difficult to take Mahala away from him. It did not matter whether he cared for her or not, August would still make sure he punished Bran for going against him, and he knew his biggest weakness.

Bran lay on the bed, completely exhausted and yet finding it difficult to go to sleep. As his mind flashed between Mahala and Idalia, he closed his eyes and hoped that in the days to come, he would find a way to get his daughter back and introduce her to the most loving people she would ever meet.