Highland Heiress - By Margaret Moore Page 0,85
a bit of a smile. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain if that sends clients to my door, but it does get a little tiresome.”
She thought of something that might erase that grim expression from his face.
“Dr. Campbell said my father’s doing much better than expected,” she said as she led him to the sofa and drew him down beside her. “Keeping him away from drink and having Mrs. McAlvey’s help has been very beneficial. Dr. Campbell thinks that if things continue this way, my father may live for at least another eight months—certainly long enough to see his first grandchild.”
“I’m glad he’s…” Gordon paused and his visage became a stunned blank for a moment. Then his eyes lit up with a joy that lifted her happiness to new heights, too.
“Grandchild!” he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet as if she’d poked him with the fire tongs—and he liked it. “Moira! Are you…are we…a baby?”
“Yes, we’re having a baby,” she laughingly confirmed.
He pulled her up and into his arms before kissing her face, all over. “Oh, Moira!” he gasped between kisses. “This is wonderful! I couldn’t be happier. Or feel more blessed.”
For several minutes, they embraced and kissed and held each other. Moira clung to him tightly, loving him, loving the life they shared after all they’d been through.
So when Gordon eventually pulled away, she was taken aback to see that he looked even more gravely serious. “I’m so happy, I nearly forgot. I’ve had news about Robbie.”
No wonder he had looked so serious! “Is he…dead?”
“No, he’s alive.”
“Alive?” she gasped, relieved and yet not quite willing to believe it. “Where is he? Has he been caught? Is he in prison?”
Her husband took her hand. “Sit down, Moira, please, and I’ll explain,” he said, and she obeyed, barely realizing where she was sitting.
He sat beside her and pulled an envelope from his jacket. “I received this letter this afternoon. It’s from Robbie himself. He’s somewhere in America. He’s sorry for everything that happened, and regrets causing us any pain or heartache.”
“I’m glad he’s not dead,” Moira replied with heartfelt relief and sincerity. “But his coat…or was that someone else’s?”
“No, it was his. He was going to drown himself, but at the last moment, the tide turned and he took it as a sign that he, too, could turn the tide of his life—and he has.
“He enclosed a document giving me power of attorney over his entire estate. He’s instructed me to sell all his property and the mill to pay off his debts. If there’s any money left after that, I am to give it to you to use in the building of a school. He wants nothing for himself.”
“Nothing? But how will he live?”
Gordon drew the letter out of his jacket pocket, opened it and read:
“I want nothing because I deserve nothing. I’ve done terrible things that I regret more than I can say. I would say it cost me the best woman in the world, but she’s far better off with you, Gordon, than she would have been married to a weakling like me. So I am starting over here in this new world, with a new name, and working to earn my bread. I can’t say it’s enjoyable, but already I feel more of a man here than I ever did in Scotland.
“I only hope you can both forgive me. Whether you do or not, I wish you every happiness and many joyful years together.”
As Gordon silently folded the letter, Moira put her hand on his arm. “I’m glad he’s alive, Gordon, and I think we can be hopeful that he’ll be all right. Perhaps,” she added softly, “he’ll find a good woman to love and have a family, too.”
“I’d like to think so,” Gordon said, tucking the letter back in his jacket. “After all, if it weren’t for Robbie, I’d never have been traveling along that road and found a beautiful young woman taking refuge in a tree.”
“I’m thankful, too,” Moira said as she looked into his eyes shining with love. “If he hadn’t invited you here, I would never have met the love of my life. I love you so much, Gordon McHeath!”
“As I love you, my lady,” he replied, as he bent his head to kiss her.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8944-8
HIGHLAND HEIRESS
Copyright © 2011 by Margaret Wilkins
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two