We slept until afternoon the next day, and while we were both still a little high on each other, reality set in quickly. Laurel and Raudrich’s wedding was now over. It was time for Maddock to speak to Nicol about Brachan, and I needed to finally see Machara for myself so we could try to get a read on her intentions.

“I know we’ve much to do, but I am famished, lass.”

My stomach was growling, as well, and now that I didn’t have raging sex hormones clouding my judgment, I was beginning to feel a little guilty for kicking Mr. Crinkles out of the room.

“I am too. Why don’t you go and speak with Nicol now? We slept for over half the day, so I’m sure he’s already awake from his morning slumber. You’re not going to feel better about anything until you get that off your chest. I’ll check on Crink and try to win him back by finding him some fish and get some food for us, as well. Meet here in a little while?”

I’d slept on my side while Maddock spooned me, and the entire night he’d held onto one of my breasts as we slept. His hand was still there.

“Aye, ye are right. I must speak to Nicol before we plan anything else. It willna take long. Nicol is always a man of verra few words.”

“Okay, then. You’re going to have to let go of me first in order to get dressed.”

“Ach, lass. I doona ever want to let go of ye.”

I squirmed away from him so I could roll off the bed. Otherwise, I was afraid we would be there all day.

“Too bad. Get up, sleepy head. It’s a big day. One that we can’t afford to waste.”

He was still procrastinating when I walked out the door to get us food.

---

Maddock was still gone when I made it back to the room with Mr. Crinkles draped over my arm and Paton hot on my heels with a tray of bread and cheese—no fish—for me and Maddock.

“I knew the only reason Maddock wouldna let me escort ye back when ye fell ill was because he fancied ye.”

“You’ll keep it a secret, won’t you, Paton?”

He set the tray of food down carefully then doubled over with laughter. “Kate, lass, everyone in the castle has been awake since dawn, but not a one of us saw either of ye until moments ago. There is no secret for me to keep. Everyone knows.”

That should’ve been obvious to me, but it hadn’t crossed my mind. “Even my mother?”

Paton crinkled up his nose. “Aye, and wouldna ye know it, she still likes Maddock better than me. He is the one tuppin’ her daughter, yet for some reason, I’m the one she still canna stand.”

“She likes you, Paton. That’s the only reason she gives you such a hard time. It’s not like you don’t ask for it. You annoy her on purpose because you like getting a reaction from her.”

He shrugged as Maddock appeared in the doorway. “Mayhap so. It looks as if yer lover has returned. I’ll leave the two of ye alone.”

Maddock punched his arm as he walked by. “Why doona ye have a little more respect than that, Paton? Lover sounds as if we are doing something untoward.”

Paton laughed and blocked another swat from Maddock’s hand. “Some would say ye are.”

Maddock ground his teeth. “Get out, Paton.”

I could hear Paton’s laughter echoing down the hallway long after Maddock closed the door in his face.

I waited until Maddock was seated at the small table where I’d situated our food to ask him about his conversation with Nicol. “So…how did it go?”

Maddock sighed and looked down at the piece of cheese he held in his hand. “Nicol is beside himself. There is no doubt that the child is Machara’s. He has only ever been with her and Freya. While I’ve my own suspicions of Brachan, I’ve no desire to pass judgement before we’ve spoken to the lad. But if he plans to work with Machara, I shall have no qualms about killing him. Nicol, however, wishes to kill him on sight.”

“What?” Horror surged through my body. “Why? Why would he want to do that to his own son?”

“For years, Nicol told himself that his children with Machara were monsters. ’Twas the only way he could keep from losing himself to guilt and despair at their murders. If he allows himself to believe that Brachan might be different, then he must accept that all the others were, as well.”

“Do you think he will feel that way once he meets him?”

“No. I think when Nicol sees his own eyes looking back at him, it will send him into a grief that will be hard to come out of—one that he will have to work through in his own time.”

Maddock still didn’t know that Brachan was already on the Isle. He needed to know so he could protect Brachan long enough for Nicol to truly see him, but I couldn’t bring myself to break my promise to the man who’d saved my life.

“What does Nicol wish to do?”

“He wishes to meet with everyone at dusk. He will tell the others what I have revealed to him. Together, we will decide how best to go and search for Nicol’s son. Until then, I would like to eat and mayhap take ye to my bed once more, for I suspect that after Nicol speaks with us, I will be sent away to look for Brachan since I’ve seen him before. I need all the memories of being with ye I can get to keep me sane while I’m away from ye.”

I needed to find Brachan. I needed to tell him that the men would go looking for him if he didn’t make himself known soon, but I couldn’t tell Maddock that, and I certainly wasn’t opposed to being taken to his bed one more time.

“Do you intend to keep me in your bed until dusk? If we keep it up at the rate we went last night, we are both going to be so sore, we won’t be able to move.”

He lifted one brow mischievously. “I like the thought of that, but alas, no. ’Tis time for ye to meet Machara, but first…” He threw the cheese down, lifted me from the chair, and carried me to the bed. “I shall make love to ye once more.”