Page 2 of Secrets of a Kilted Seduction

When Tadhg was almost insensible, she said to the others,“Right, hold him tight will ye, please?” She used shears to cut off the fletching, so that when she located the arrowhead and exposed it using a sharp blade, she could use her pliers to pull on it and extract the remaining section of shaft in one go.

“Ready?” she asked her helpers, the blade poised in her hand as she steeled herself for the gory operation.

“Aye, ready,” they chorused.

A while later, after the tricky surgery was completed, and she had sent Odhrán and Liam away, she fancied she could still hear Tadgh’s roars of pain echoing about the cottage rafters. Now, as she moved about the room tidying away her supplies, she could only hear his gentle snores as he slept peacefully. She wanted to keep him under observation until he awoke.

She busied herself making up some salves and painkilling potions for him, trying to calm her confusion at having him so close.

“Alana.” His voice finally came, sending shivers up her spine, just as she knew it would.

She put down the pestle she was using to grind some leaves, wiped her hands on a clean cloth, and went over to him. Trying to maintain her cold, clinical approach, she once more tested his temperature with her hand and looked in his eyes.

“Alana, will ye speak tae me, please?” he said softly, trying to trap her with his gaze. She turned her head slightly, determined not to let him.

“The arrow came out cleanly. If ye dae everythin’ I say, then ye might make a full recovery, but that shoulder will always be a wee bit stiff,” she told him with deliberate brusqueness. “Ye may be developin’ a fever, so I’ve made ye somethin’ tae take fer it. It’ll help with the pain and help ye sleep. Ye’ll need plenty of rest until I give ye a clean bill of health.” She turned away and went back to her pounding, feeling his stare raking her back.

“Thank ye, but that wasnae what I wanted tae talk tae ye about,” Tadhg said.

She told herself not to answer, but it was just too hard to resist. Now she had done her work and judged him out of immediate danger, the anger was starting to take over.

“I cannae think of anythin’ we have tae say tae each other,” she replied as evenly as she could manage, for her heart was racing painfully in her chest.

“Ye ken that’s nae true.”

“I certainly dinnae. Ye were gone somewhere fer four years. I’ve moved on since ye left. I have nae interest in talkin’ with ye. I’ve more important things tae think of than waste time with ye.” She banged the pestle down into the mortar with barely restrained fury, her heart racing uncomfortably.

“Alana, please, listen tae me. Just give me a few moments, and I can explain everythin’ tae ye,” Tadhg tried again. His refusal to give up roused her anger further, and she whirled on him, still clutching the stone pestle in her hand like weapon.

He was watching her from the pillow, his handsome face pale and lined with pain. Seeing him like that tore at her, and it was hard not to melt and run to him, to kiss and embrace him. She clutched the pestle tightly, forcing herself to stay where she was.

“I told ye, I dinnae care about yer explanations. They’re of nae interest tae me. Now, please shut up and let me get on with makin’ this medicine fer ye.” She turned her back on him again, desperate to hide how truly shaken she was.

“Alana, dinnae dae this. I can explain if ye’ll just let me.”

The damn holding back her fury broke inside her, and she whirled around, advancing on him, brandishing the pestle. She stood over him, looking into his eyes coldly.

“I very much doubt ye could ever explain tae me satisfaction why ye walked out on me right before our weddin’, without so much as single word, and then stayed away fer four whole years!” She shouted the last words, seeing him flinch as they hit him. “And then ye come back, with an arrow in yer shoulder, speaking tae me as if nothing happened!”

“I understand ye are angry with me, and I ken I’ve hurt ye greatly. But that was never me intention. If only ye’d listen tae the truth⁠—”

“Be quiet! I’ll hear nae more about it. I’ll dae me job and heal ye, but whatever ye say, whatever yer explanations, I dinnae care tae hear them. Ye almost destroyed me, Tadhg. I want naethin’ more tae dae with ye.”

“Alana, please,” he said, his eyes beseeching. His hand shot out and clasped her wrist, trying to get her to stay. She broke away, terrified by the hot, tingling current his touch sent shooting up her arm.

She glared at him, rubbing her wrist where his fingers had been. “Never tae touch me again,” she told him, her anger like cold fire now. “Ye broke me heart intae a thousand pieces, and then ye stamped on them. And now, after four years of silence, ye think ye can come strollin’ back intae me life and expect me tae welcome ye with open arms, is that it?

“Nay, of course, I dinnae—” he began, but she cut him off.

“Let me tell ye, Tadhg MacTavish, I’m nae the same lassie ye abandoned. Dinnae touch me, dinnae try tae speak tae me unless ’tis absolutely necessary. Because I care naught fer ye. I will never, ever trust ye again. And I’ll certainly never let ye hurt me again!”