in it. Isla will see a bath is sent up afterward. Do ye need anything else?” Fiona asked.
Anna shook her head. The one thing she needed, only Duncan could supply.
Fiona hurried from the room. Duncan sat in the chair next to the bed. He picked up her hand and, holding it to his lips, he kissed each finger.
“Anna, I beg ye forgive me. I cannae lose ye. Ye are my life. My words that day—I knew they were wrong the moment they left my mouth.”
Anna saw tears pool in his eyes. Though she regretted his pain, her heart leapt with the knowledge he still loved her.
“Duncan, ’tis not your fault. I was the one who rode away.”
His jaw clenched and his expression hardened. “Dinnae think to absolve me of this. I shamed ye in front of the men and others. I drove ye away with my senseless jealousy and anger. Because of my actions, ye almost died. I am the one who is supposed to honor ye, protect ye.” Bitterness filled his voice.
“Duncan, I am not Callum. It was not your fault then, and it is not your fault now. I will be well soon enough, and an evil man is dead. I should have been able to ride to the loch in peace to clear my head whilst you cleared yours. ’Tis not your fault an enemy took advantage of my solitude.”
He leaned over the bed and kissed her on the forehead. “Does this mean ye forgive me?”
The tortured look in his eyes was more than she could bear. She would have said or done anything to remove it. “Yes, I forgive you. I love you. You are to be my husband, aye?”
He hugged her, burying his face in her hair. “Aye, I will be yer husband if ye will still have me.”
Anna nodded. “Duncan, my love for you does not change simply because of a few harsh words spoken in anger.”
“Anna, the past nine days have cured my jealousies. If the words are important, ye have my vow I will never behave that way toward ye again, nor will I ever speak to ye out of anger in public. I am not foolish enough to believe we will never quarrel. Howbeit, I will save those words for when we are alone. The fear, guilt and humiliation I have lived through have conspired to scour my very soul.”
His confession and promise reassured her, but somewhat confused her. “I do not understand. Humiliation?”
Duncan gave a grim chuckle. “The men—yer men—knew exactly what happened. Though not a word was spoken, the anger aimed at me for days was unmistakable. I would fear for my life if ye were to leave us. Those same men volunteered without hesitation to rescue ye.”
She considered his words. While deeply moved by their loyalty, Anna didn’t wish it to be at Duncan’s expense. Not knowing how to respond, she reached for his lips instead. The kiss was born out of desperation and a hunger for what they’d almost lost. As it ended, he pressed light kisses all over her face and neck, until Anna couldn’t help but smile. When she opened her eyes, his gaze told her they were whole again.
Epilogue
Before dawn on her wedding day, serving lads brought a bath upstairs, fragrant oils scenting the water. Isla scrubbed her mercilessly and used a special mixture on her hair, creating a mass of glossy black waves. Wrapped in a warm robe, Anna sat while Nessa and Mairi dressed her hair.
They wove flowers and thin strips of gold fabric into the gathering of curls atop her head, allowing tendrils to drape loose around her face and shoulders. At last finished with her hair, the women carefully placed a gossamer-fine silk chemise over her head. Anna fingered the fabric in wonder.
“Mairi, where did you get this? It is quite beautiful, but is much like wearing nothing at all.”
Anna’s soon-to-be mother-by-law gave her a knowing smile and leaned in to whisper. “I never properly thanked ye for yer special gift to me. Kenneth was too embarrassed to thank ye, though he has enjoyed it as much as I. ’Twas only fitting to return the favor.”
Anna’s cheeks heated and her nervousness spiraled upward until she found it hard to breathe. Mairi poured her a cup of wine.
“I remember my wedding day. I was tender of nerves, also. The only advice I can offer is to think on the love ye share with Duncan. Remember the plans ye have made together.