A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,152

asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”

Aunt Leah put her hand on her mouth. “Oh my, well, that’s wonderful. I just hope it’s not a hasty decision after everything…” She shook her head. “On second thought, it seems as though he should propose.” She gave Elspeth a pointed look. Aunt Leah had seen his clothing littered about Elspeth’s room as well as her state of undress, and she was no fool.

“He asked earlier, before any of this happened.” Elspeth smiled up at him as she wetted a cloth.

Tavish turned his head toward Aunt Leah. “Truth be known, I started to fall in love with your niece two years ago. Seeing her again ensured I fell the rest of the way.” He moved his warm gaze to Elspeth. “I’m only sorry I didn’t make that happen sooner.”

Elspeth dabbed at his foot, and he flinched. “Sorry!”

“It’s quite all right,” he said. “Necessary, in fact. Do your worst.”

“I will do my best—with love.”

He grinned at her. “That is all I can hope for.”

Epilogue

December 29

Elspeth could scarcely believe it had just been over a week since the terrifying events at Balthazar’s Inn. Everyone that had endured that evening had promised to gather at the inn in the summer to make a new, better memory. And Elspeth and Tavish would do it as the Lord and Lady Strathclyde.

They’d stopped in Dunkeld to collect her father, who’d been shocked to hear of what had occurred, especially that his daughter was to be wed, and continued to Dumbarton. They’d arrived just two days ago and had been married the day before, much to the tearful delight of Aunt Leah, Elspeth’s father, and Tavish’s grandmother. Elspeth looked forward to spending the day with them. As soon as the sun came up.

For now, she snuggled against her husband’s side in his wide bed, a smile stretching her cheeks.

“Methinks you are awake,” Tavish murmured as his lips caressed her forehead.

“Yes. I didn’t think you were, however.”

“I wasn’t, but when you wiggle against me like that, I can’t remain asleep.”

She laughed before kissing his chest. “I’ll remember that. I was just thinking about the day ahead and how lovely it will be to celebrate with everyone. I’m glad Dougal and Neil arrived yesterday.”

It turned out that Carrie had, in fact, known how to find Neil. He’d been hiding out not far from Calvine. She’d sent word to him, and, at Tavish’s invitation, he and his brother had come here to Dumbarton. The first thing he’d done when he’d arrived was apologize to Tavish for stealing his sword and causing this mess.

Then Neil had explained that he’d written a note to Dougal about the sword being hidden at the inn, which the men from the order had found when they’d searched Dougal’s cottage. Dougal had lied about not knowing about the sword out of fear for his brother. At last, they’d learned how the brigands had known to come to the inn.

“Do you think they’ll accept your offer of going to the colonies?” Elspeth had been astounded to learn that Tavish not only owned three ships on which he transported Jacobites to America, but that he owned property in a place called North Carolina, where many of them had settled and would build farms.

Tavish stroked her shoulder. “I think they will. Neil was quite excited by the prospect, and I think Dougal is just glad to have his brother safe.”

“I am glad to have all of us safe.” Elspeth shuddered when she recalled what they’d had to do at the inn.

Tavish took his arm from her and started to slip from the bed. Elspeth reached for him. “Where are you going?”

He smiled at her. “Nowhere, but I need to do something.” He left the bed and stoked the fire, then returned carrying Lann Dhearg of all things.

She bolted upright. “What are you doing with that? Please don’t set the bed on fire!”

He chuckled as he climbed onto the bed. “That won’t happen. I didn’t have a chance to tell you the true secret of this sword. We’ve scarcely had a moment alone since we left the inn, and last night, well, I had other, more pressing matters to attend to.”

Heat sparked in Elspeth’s core as she arched a brow at him. “What secret?”

“How I kept it from bursting into flame when I fought Kent outside your room. My grandfather had told me there was a way to control the flame, but he didn’t know what it was. We knew that