he would marry. He would marry Sorcha, and he would make her happy. Because heaven forbid what she would do to him if he didn’t.
Chapter Thirty
Sorcha had stayed up half the night talkingwith her father and promising him that she truly loved Alec. Her father had never mentioned Alec’s condition, and she hadn’t, either.
She knew he was well aware of the truth, but her love for Alec was more important than Alec’s life after death.
Dressed in her soft yellow gown, she entered her late mother’s favorite salon. She didn’t even have time to glance at the daffodils and lilies she’d spoken with the night before. She knew they were draped across the room overhead, but she was so stunned by the other occupants of the room that she noticed nothing else.
On one settee sat Elspeth and Lord Benjamin, who held their tiny red-haired witch in his arms. Not far away, Caitrin sat with Lord Eynsford on her mother’s prized, white brocade divan. In one of the high-backed chairs, a very expectant Blaire struggled to her feet when she spotted Sorcha. But she wasn’t quick enough to intercept her, as Rhiannon appeared out of nowhere and threw her arms around Sorcha’s neck.
“Oh, Sorch!” Rhi gushed. “I am so happy for ye.”
Sorcha clutched the weather-controlling witch to her tightly. “Rhi! What are ye doin’ here? Ye’re no’ gonna cry, are ye? I doona ken if the flowers will survive a downpour.”
Rhi pulled back and swiped a tear of joy from her face.
“I’ll be careful of yer flowers, ye goose.”
Sorcha glanced around the room and now noticed Lords Kettering and Blodswell hovering nearby as well. “Where did ye all come from?” Rhi and Blaire in particular should be at their new homes in England.
“Do ye think we would miss yer weddin’, Sorcha?” Blaire asked, stepping forward to squeeze Sorcha’s hand. “Ye were the only one, ye ken, who was at each of ours.”
That was true, but, “How?” Was this what Wallace had meant when he’d said everyone had come home?
But she knew the answer to that, and her eyes found Cait, still seated on the divan beside her husband. “Ye are the slyest witch ever born, Caitrin.”
The blonde grinned. “We all have our talents, Sorcha Ferguson.”
Sorcha sighed and shook her head. “We will have a long talk, ye and I.”
Cait tipped her head sideways as though she was seeing the future event in her mind. “Aye, we will.”
Where was Alec? And Papa? And Wallace? And Mr. Crawford, for heaven’s sake?
“Relax, lass,” Lord Blodswell said quietly as he came to stand beside his wife. “Alec is in with your father and the vicar, signing some papers.”
“How did ye ken what I was worried about?” she asked.
He grinned back at her. “After six centuries, one learns to read expressions fairly well.”
How she adored Lord Blodswell’s calm demeanor.
“Thank ye again, my lord, for savin’ him.” For turning him into the creature he was now. If he’d died beside that icy loch, she never would have found her one true love. The situation wasn’t ideal, but it was so much better than if she’d never had him to begin with.
“Oh, I think you’re the one who has saved him, lass.”
But she hadn’t. Not in the way Rhiannon had saved Blodswell. Not in the way Blaire had saved Kettering. Alec hadn’t become human. He hadn’t become human because he didn’t love her. Sorcha grasped Lord Blodswell’s arm and dragged him into the far corner. “I havena saved him,” she whispered. “Ye must ken that.”
With a genuine smile, Blodswell tipped her chin up so she had to look into his soft green eyes. “We’re all saved in different ways, Miss Ferguson. The man I saved, the man I tutored to live this life, was angry and bitter. He had no care for anyone or anything other than his own damaged heart. Never doubt that you saved him, my dear.”
“But…” He was still a vampyre. Still incapable of returning her love. But Sorcha couldn’t bring herself to say the words aloud.
“Love him, lass. Love him with all your heart.”
“I already do,” she admitted.
Blodswell winked at her. “I know. I can see that too.”
From the doorway, Sorcha’s father cleared his throat, signaling his arrival. “Well, I see everyone is here. It appears, lass,” he looked directly at Sorcha, “that your weddin’ party is larger than I anticipated. There are even more in the ballroom. Shall we join them in there as I doona believe they’ll all fit in here?”
Sorcha crossed the