Ian by Elizabeth Rose

Verra wrong, as I dinna care what ye think o’ me, and I will do what I want and no’ ye nor me brathair will plan me life fer me any longer.”
    “Ye dinna want te marry a MacTavish, Kyla.”
    “Quit sayin’ thet,” she spat. “Unless ye are plannin’ on askin’ me te marry ye, why should ye care? Is thet it? Tell me. Is thet why ye want me single fer the rest o’ me life?”
    “I did na mean it thet way.”
    “O’ course ye did na. Becooz ye want me te die without e’er couplin’ with a man or to ken what it is te be in love.”
    “Och, will ye listen te me already? It is nothin’ like thet at all.”
    “Then what is it ? Please tell me. Becooz if ye dinna want me – which we’ve already seen – then what other reason could ye possibly have te want te keep me from marryin’ a man and havin’ bairns? That is, from havin’ somethin’ thet e’ery girl has but me? Bid the devil, between ye and Aidan and the way ye treat me, I’m goin’ te die before e’er havin’ the simple pleasures o’ life.”
    “What?” he asked, finally starting to understand her. “So, ye’er sayin’ thet the only reason ye’re agreein’ te the alliance is te be married and have bairns?”
    “ And te help the clan,” she said. “Becooz let me tell ye, I’m tired o’ waitin’ fer a man te sweep me off me feet, or te even take me te his bed, as I doubt thet it’s e’er goin’ te happen. Besides, I have no choice. I am a part o’ the clan and neither o’ us can go against our chieftain’s wishes. By God, if ye dinna want me, then get outta me way and stop tryin’ te keep me from bein’ happy.”
    “Kyla, I did na ken it meant thet much to ye te be married. But I swear, marryin’ a MacTavish is no’ goin’ te make ye happy.” He daringly put his hand on her arm and thankfully she didn’t push him away. Her eyes just turned downward and she seemed to be thinking.
    “If there’s any reason ye can give me no’ te go te the MacTavishes and get married . . . then tell me now , Ian. If no’ – then I ne’er want ye te mention it again.” She looked up to him with hope in her eyes and determination on her face as she waited for his answer.
    Ian knew what she wanted him to say. That he wanted her for himself. Which he did, but not in the way she wanted it – in marriage. Not right now, anyway. And he couldn’t let her go because he knew how ruthless and deceptive the MacTavishes really were. And he also knew that once she was there she would probably find out all his secrets of his dark past. Secrets he’d kept buried for the last three years and wanted to stay that way.
    He was a different man now than when he went searching for his true family, trying to discover who he really was. He was happy with the MacKeefes , and realized he never should have left in the first place. They were his family. The only family he’d even known. And he didn’t need anyone jeopardizing that. Nor did he want Kyla exposed to a clan and trapped in a marriage that he knew she would end up regretting. If only she could just listen to him, but he knew she wouldn’t. She was a strong-willed lassie with a stubborn streak and would go to any extreme to get what she wanted and also just to prove a point.
    While there were no real battles between the MacTavishes and the MacKeefes for years now, they still were not to be trusted. But how could he tell her that he knew this firsthand, and that he had betrayed the MacKeefes and lived with th eir rivals for an entire year?  That he’d married one of them and almost had a bairn with her as well? Or that he’d killed their chieftain in rage, not even waiting for him to turn around, and then left before anyone knew it was him that had done it? He couldn’t. She’d think he was nothing but a liar and a coward. And he was no longer sure that he wasn’t.
    The MacKeefes though t Ian was some sort of savior and honored him and his friends and looked up to them. The three madmen as