"She's below."

Sin arched a brow at him. "Why is she below, alone?"

Braden blatantly ignored the question. "I thought you were going to die."

Sin scoffed as he shifted in the bed, then cursed as he drew rigid in pain. Hissing, he stared at his burned arm and curled his lip. "It takes more than a little fire to kill me."

"That wasn't a little fire."

Sin gave him a droll stare. "Trust me, brother, it was a little fire."

Unwilling to argue the matter, Braden shook his head. "I never should have left you."

Sin looked at him with a fierce frown. "What the devil are you talking about now?"

"I should have made you come outside with me."

Sin's look spoke loudly,Are you mad ?

"I'm not some wench in need of my baby brother to protect me, Braden. In case you haven't noticed, I happen to be one of the most feared knights in England and the Holy Land. It's not your banner that makes armies surrender on sight, but mine."

"Still, you are my blood."

That deep, probing stare of Sin's delved into him. "This has nothing to do with me, does it?"

"Of course it does," Braden insisted. "You are my blood, and I was protecting Maggie while I should have been protecting you."

"Nay, little brother. A man protects those who need it most. Those who cannot protect themselves."

"But I chose her life over yours."

Sin c.o.c.ked his head to one side. "Since both she and I are alive and well, I fail to follow your logic."

"You're not well. You could have been killed."

Sin snorted. "I am merely singed. I a.s.sure you, I've suffered much worse than this. But what of Maggie?

What happened to her?"

Braden clenched and unclenched his jaw as he thought over that morning's events. Over and over, he could see her on the ground as the MacDouglas plunged his sword down. The terror of the moment, and the fear in his heart for her life, were forever branded in his memory.

"Her plan worked," Braden whispered. "But when Robby saw the fire, he tried to kill her."

"And?"

"I saved her."

"You risked your life for her?" Sin asked in disbelief.

Braden nodded.

Sin laughed. "I'll be d.a.m.ned, little brother. You've finally succ.u.mbed to Cupid's arrow."

"It's not funny," Braden snapped. "I am powerless against her."

Again that probing stare delved into him. "Are you?"

"Aye," Braden said with a sigh. "One look from her and I am completely undone. What if she asks me one day to forsake my blood? Where would that leave me?"

"Wallowing in sweet bliss, I would imagine."

"You're not funny."

All the humor fled Sin's face. "And neither are you. You know, Braden, I learned not to trust out of necessity. But you..."

Sin didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to. Braden knew what his brother meant.

Braden had never personally been betrayed. It was only by watching his brothers that he had learned the hardest of life's lessons.

"Do you think I can trust her?" Braden asked.

"That I cannot answer. The only way to find that out is to try it and see."

"And if she's not trustworthy?"

Sin sighed and shook his head as if exasperated by him. "You're stronger than Kieran. You'll survive it.

But I think, little brother, that you're missing the real question. What if sheis trustworthy?"

"Then I'm a monkey's a.r.s.e."

Sin smiled. "We seem to keep coming back to that, don't we?"

Braden laughed. Sin was right. It was time for him to stop being shortsighted and to take a chance.

All these years, he had been afraid. All the times he had thought himself so strong, when he was actually weak and too terrified to take a chance.

But Maggie...

She was worth it.

Worth his life, worth his heart. Worth everything. And he wouldn't let his stupid fears keep them apart another minute.

Braden was going to find her, and then he was going to marry her.

"Wish me luck."

Sin nodded. "Bon chance, monfrere."

Braden rushed from the room, needing to find Maggie.

He took the stairs two at a time as he ran into the crowded hall to find her. There were probably three score people there, who were laughing and catching up on all the events that had happened over the past few weeks.

Braden looked about, but nowhere did he see Maggie's short russet hair or her laughing amber eyes.

Where was she?

Braden headed for the door.

"Braden MacAllister!"

The MacDouglas's shout brought instant silence to the hall as Braden froze dead in his tracks.

His entire body tense, Braden turned toward the laird, expecting the very worst.

His face unreadable, Robby MacDouglas crossed the hall with his hands on his hips. The laird narrowed his gaze on Braden.

Nothing and no one moved or made a sound as the two men sized each other up.

When Robby reached for him, Braden took a step back, ready to brawl. Then, to his utter surprise, the man threw his arms about him in a brotherly hug. Robby clapped him hard between his shoulder blades.

"I owe you and your brother, for the life of my wife and child. From this day forward, the MacDouglases will be allies to the MacAllisters."

Braden blinked in disbelief as loud shouts filled the hall, echoing off the stone walls.

The man wasn't trying to kill him? He could barely accept that reality.

Robby clapped him hard on the shoulder once more and stepped back. "You're a good lad, to brave my wrath and bring peace to our clans. You, truly, are a born negotiator."

It crossed Braden's mind that the credit didn't really belong to him. Maggie had done it. But now didn't seem like the time to contradict the MacDouglas. Not when peace was so newly formed.

"Thank you."

Robby nodded. "You're probably looking for Maggie?"

"Aye."

"She was outside earlier, headed toward the stable last I saw."

Braden went cold at the news.

Nay, surely she wouldn't...

Oh, who was he fooling? 'Twas Maggie he was dealing with.

Like as not she'd already left for home on her own. It was just the sort of thing she would do.

Terrified, he left Robby and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. If she had done something so foolish as to head back to MacAllister lands on her own where those thieves could find her, he would kill her himself.

His entire body quaking in fear, he threw open the door of the stable and nearly ran over a small child.

"My pardon," he said to the boy. "I'm looking for..."

Braden's voice trailed off as he looked to the lad and saw himself.

Chapter 19.

Braden froze as reality crashed through him. He quickly calculated the last time he had been with a woman from the MacDouglas clan.

It had been right around the time when the feud began. Maybe seven or eight years ago. Right about the same age as this boy. He winced.

Maggie was going to kill him!

His mind numb, all he could think of was the look on her face when she found out, and the kick to the groin she was sure to give him the instant she saw the lad.

Oh, bother, he was in for it now.

The child eyed him warily.

"h.e.l.lo," Braden said, trying not to scare the child, while inside he was shaking in horror from what he knew he had done. "What's your name?"

"Connor," the boy said. "Who are you?"

Braden didn't know what to answer.

I'm your fatherjust didn't seem like the best way to introduce himself to the lad who, like as not, would hate his very soul.

So, instead, Braden switched the topic. "Where are your parents?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't have any. Oh, wait!" he said, his eyes shining instantly. "I do have a mother now." He placed his forefinger to his lips as if in deep thought and frowned. "But I can't remember her name."

"You don't know your mother's name?"

The boy scratched his nose. "My real mother was Fia, but she's with the angels now. And this other woman is taking me home to live with her."

Fia. Braden searched his memory. The name was so familiar to him, but for his life, he couldn't recall her. But the mere fact that he recalled the name as familiar said it all.

Dear Lord, this really was his son. He was sure of it.

He struggled to breathe as emotions swept through him: shame, happiness, guilt, terror. He ran the full gamut of human experience in the s.p.a.ce of several heartbeats.

"What of your father?" Braden asked tentatively.