Part 2 (1/2)
”Thank you.” Ewan placed a hand on each of Braden's shoulders so as to savor his reaction. ”Anyway, Maggie, whether she has buck teeth or not”-he glared at Lochlan in warning, before turning back to face Braden-”has led all the la.s.ses into hiding.”
Braden's frown deepened. ”Hiding from what?”
”From us wicked, l.u.s.tful men.”
Braden stared blankly at Ewan as the full, horrific impact of the words dawned on him. ”Surely you jest.”
Braden looked to Lochlan for verification. ”He jests?”
”Nay,” Lochlan sighed. ”He's telling the truth. It seems the women have decided that I must put a stop to the feud against the MacDouglas or else they'll serve us no more.”
”Inany capacity,” Ewan added for effect.
Braden's face actually paled as he stepped away from Ewan. He reached out and grabbed a handful of Sin's cloak. ”By Satan's hairy toes, Sin, it appears I've died and gone to h.e.l.l.”
Sin snorted. ”Guess again, little brother. 'Tis too cold here to be h.e.l.l.”
Braden shook his head in disbelief, then a dark look came over him as he faced Lochlan. ”All right,laird , what did you do to the women to get them so riled?”
”Me?” Lochlan asked, stunned by Braden's a.s.sumption that he had done anything to the women. ”I did nothing. Why, I've tried everything I can think of to make them see reason. I've threatened and cajoled.
h.e.l.l, I even tried seducing Maggie myself, but-”
Braden's derisive snort interrupted him. ”Well, there's half your problem. I can a.s.sure you, ordering a woman to lift her skirts isn't the way to get her into your bed.”
Lochlan felt his jaw drop in indignation. ”I beg your pardon, I have more subtlety than that.”
”The devil you do. You forget, I've seen your clumsy attempts at seduction firsthand.”
”Clumsy? Why, I've had more women than you, you whelp.”
Braden c.o.c.ked one arrogant, taunting brow.
”Well,” Lochlan conceded after reflecting on the matter for a second. He doubted if a Saracen sheikh with a harem could claim more women than Braden. ”Maybe not more than you, but certainly more than Ewan.”
”That's not saying much,” Braden inserted. ”My left boot has had more women than Ewan.”
”Hey, now,” Ewan snarled. ”You'd best be keeping your insults directed at the brother who tolerates you. I'll not take kindly to such.”
Ignoring him, Braden draped an arm over Lochlan's shoulders and pulled him close, as if about to impart some great secret. ”Now, listen to me, my dearest brother who tolerates me. You are laird to a powerful clan. 'Tis not your feeble attempts that seduce women so much as your t.i.tle and fair face.”
”My what?” Lochlan asked, offended by his condescending tone.
” 'Tis true,” Braden continued. ”There's not a woman among them who wouldn't love to lay claim to a night with a laird. Is that not right, Sin?”
”Why ask me? Am I a woman to know these things?”
”Well...” Braden paused.
Whatever thought he had, he must have reconsidered, for he quickly returned to Lochlan. ”As I was saying, your t.i.tle and face are all you need.”
”Aye, well, neither impressed Maggie. She dispatched me in record time. At this point, she's left me with no alternative that I can see. If they aren't out by midday tomorrow, I'm leading a raiding party against the kirk and dragging them out by force.”
Braden released him. ”You don't want to be doing that. They're women, Lochlan.Our women.”
”You think I don't know that? Our mother is in there with them. But what choice do I have?”
A speculative look came over Braden's face. Lochlan could almost see the workings of his mind. Good, Braden was always a mastermind when it came to dealing with women.
”I can think of another choice,” Braden said. ”What say you, I talk sense into the wench and get the women back where they belong-in the kitchens and in our beds?”
Lochlan considered it. If Braden could end this peacefully, then it was certainly worth a try. He didn't like the thought of hurting one of their women any more than Braden did.
Perhaps his brothercould succeed where he had failed. Braden had always been good at settling hot-blooded issues peacefully.
There had only been one time when he had failed. Lochlan winced at the memory.
There had been enough tragedy in their family. The last thing he wanted was to add anything more. He would give Braden a chance to talk the women out.
But only one. He couldn't afford any more than that.
”Very well. But know this: At the rate Maggie's going, my men will either storm the kirk on their own, or they'll toss me out on my a.r.s.e and elect a new laird.”
”Women,” Sin muttered. ”I can't believe they'd construct this rebellion against you while you have a feud to contend with. The last thing you need are your men distracted by women's foolery while they have lands to protect.”
”Aye,” Braden agreed. ”I'm surprised the MacDouglas isn't taking advantage of this mutiny.”
Lochlan glanced out the window in the direction of the kirk. In spite of his anger, he did take a moment to savor the amus.e.m.e.nt he felt over the bit of news he'd received. ”I'm sure he would have, had his own women not done the same thing to his clan.”
”What?” Braden asked.
”It's true,” Lochlan continued. ”His own wife has joined them. I received word of it just three days ago.
The Lady MacDouglas has made a laughingstock of her husband.”
”Is he willing to talk peace, then?” Sin asked.
”Nay. Even if we could agree to terms, neither of us dares it. If we concede to the women over this, then they'll think they have power over us and anytime there's a matter they don't like, they might very well hie themselves into hiding again. I shudder to think of the consequences. Can you imagine?”
”Aye,” Braden said with a wicked smile. ”It could be amusing.”
Lochlan glared at him.
”Well, it could,” Braden said, dismissing Lochlan's ire.
He swept a confident look over the three of them. ”For years the lot of you have mocked me over the fact that no woman can resist me. Well, now, my brothers, you shall be grateful to me for my gift.”