“But when you’re intent on hiding it—”
“It just causes pain.”
Abigail nodded and then said, “Let’s make a pact not to regret the past, but rejoice in our present and future.”
“Pact.” Guaire put his hand out.
Abigail shook it. “Pact.”
When they returned to the fortress, Niall made no effort to hide his longtime affection for Guaire. Abigail was delighted to discover that the Highlanders were much more accepting of the love between the two men than her parents or their people would have been. Everyone but Una.
Abigail knew something would have to be done about the other woman, but it would have to wait. Talorc had told her that he had something to show her. She waited for him in the great hall while he and Barr conferred on the soldier’s duties for the day.
Finally, everyone else was gone and the only two remaining in the hall were her and Talorc.
He stopped in front of her, looking her up and down and sending tingles everywhere his gaze traveled. “I cannot believe you are my mate. You are so perfect for me.”
“I feel the same.”
They shared a kiss, but when it started to grow passionate, Talorc pulled back. “Come with me.”
“Anywhere.”
He smiled, clasping her hand firmly in his. He led her into one of the storage rooms. She looked around in the gloom but did not see anything in particular she could imagine her husband wanting to show her. He lit a torch, though it was hardly dark enough to make that necessary. She understood better when he shut the door and slid a locking bar into place.
How odd to have a lock on the inside of a storage room. She would have asked him about it, but he looked so intent, she hesitated to say anything.
He went to the far wall and pressed something on the shelves holding food stores for the tower. The shelves swung out like a heavy door to reveal an opening in the wall about four feet high and two feet wide.
He transferred the torch to his left hand and put his right one toward her. “Come.”
She took his hand and let him lead her through the dark opening. They went down a set of steps into a secret room under the tower. All of its walls and even the ceiling were reinforced with stone.
“What is this place?”
“The Royal Treasure room.”
“Royal Treasure?”
Talorc nodded, pulling her toward a smooth stone casket engraved with carvings of wolves along all the sides and the top. “My father was a direct descendant of one of the seven royal Chrechte lineages through his father. When MacAlpin killed all the living princes of our people, he killed those who had inherited royal blood via their mother’s lineage, as was our tradition.
“The male lineages were not counted, until holders of the treasure were needed. Then seven men descendant from the seven Chrechte tribes were chosen to be keepers of our last royal gifts. It was this treasure that Tamara’s baron lover was trying to take when he tried to burn down our keep and kill our warriors.”
“And you are showing it to me?”
“Yes. I trust you with all that I am.” He put the torch in a holder and took both her hands. “The only one who knows of the treasury is the protector and his chosen helper. My mother did not know of its existence, nor did my sister Cait. I do not know how Tamara learned of it from my father, but she did. His second-in-command was the only other person who knew about it.”
“Niall and Barr’s father.”
“Yes. When my father told me of the treasure, on his deathbed, I chose to share the knowledge with Niall rather than his older brothers. My wolf chose him as my partner in protecting the treasure as he chose you to be my mate.”
“Your own mother did not know about this?”
“No.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“All that I am is yours.”
“You really mean that.”
He nodded. Then he turned to the casket. “Would you like to see it?”
“If you want to show me.”
“I do.”
He lifted the lid of the marble casket. Inside there were bones, a large cross like priests carried during mass, a smaller cross on a chain, a modest crown and a sword without even a jeweled handle.
“These are treasures of the heart, not of gold.”
He smiled, clearly pleased she understood. “The bones of the right hand of St. Columba, the warrior saint.”
“The hand that held his sword and his pen.”
“Exactly.”
“And the other bones?”
“The skull and right hand of Uven, son of Oengus, the last king over all the Chrechte tribes. The sword and crown are his as well. The cross on the left belonged to Columba, and the one on the right Uven wore into battle.”
“Your stepmother was a fool. This treasure may be worth dying to protect, but it is not worth killing to steal. Its value lives in the hearts of the people for whom it signifies history.”
“You are an amazing woman, Abigail of the Sinclair. Truly, my secrets are safe in your small hands.”
“And my heart is safe in your big ones, though mighty, they are gentle with it.”
“Always.” Then he saluted like a warrior, right fist over his heart.
She was smiling when she threw herself into his arms to kiss him.
She had found more than a place of security in the world that had been less than friendly since her tenth year; she had found true love and a sacred mate.
No woman could want for more.
Epilogue
Scotland’s king did not send a messenger to his favored laird, Talorc of the Sinclairs, in reply to his laird’s latest words. He came himself. To meet the woman that inspired such loyalty, he said. Though, it soon became clear he had a secondary motive. He wanted Barr to rule the Donegal clan until young Circin had been trained and reached an age to lead the smaller clan.
Talorc left the choice up to Barr. Barr accepted with the stipulation that Osgard could come with him. The old warrior had admitted to setting both Talorc’s horse after Abigail and putting pebbles on the stairs so she would trip. It was clear from his rambling confession that the old man had begun to confuse the present with the past.
He had not intended Abigail serious harm, though both pranks could have resulted in her death. He had wanted to show Talorc what a liability she was to the clan, so he would petition to the king for dissolution of the marriage.
Talorc wanted to kill him, but Abigail pleaded for mercy, and Barr’s suggestion was accepted as a workable compromise. Barr left with the four Donegal youths a week after the king.
Una left two days later, after once again countermanding one of Abigail’s orders. Talorc overheard this time and took immediate exception, sending the housekeeper back to her family’s clan, since the widow had joined the Sinclairs through marriage. Word came a couple of months later that Una had married, taking on a widower with four children under the age of six, and was blissfully happy.
Abigail enjoyed sharing responsibilities with Guaire as seneschal too much to take over Una’s position
