Once they all arrived at the castle, Evan gave orders to have Armstrong and his accomplice held in the basement. Gavin climbed the stairs, weariness in his steps, and headed to bed.
As Katie began her trek upstairs, Evan put his hand out to stop her. “I have a few things to discuss with Alasdair about our trip. I would like to start out tomorrow.”
Katie nodded, weary from their ordeal and from thoughts of her future. “Aye.”
Evan leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “Wait up for me. I won’t be long.”
Katie had enough time to take a bath and help Meggie finish packing her things. She stood for a while by the window, watching the stars as they popped out, filling the sky with magic. She sighed and settled in the chair next to the fireplace, brushing her damp hair.
The door opened and Evan stepped into the room. It appeared that in addition to making plans with his brother, he’d also had time for a bath. Damp curls covered his forehead, and he wore well-fitting clean trews and a linen shirt stretched across his massive chest.
She tried very hard not to admire her husband or the way he walked across the room with the grace and confidence of a man who kenned his place in the world. He smiled at her as he approached. Her stomach knotted and her heart pounded.
How she loved him. Yet, at the same time, she didn’t have a lot of hope for their future together.
He knelt at her feet and took her small hands in his large ones. “I am verra sorry for the way I treated ye. I should not have ignored yer wishes and ideas. Ye are a smart lass, and I promise to try my best to listen to ye.”
“I appreciate that, but what about the paper ye so blithely burned? Ye ken I had hoped to find a way to have something for my brother, since my da left nothing but a crumbled castle and infertile fields.”
“Aye, I ken.” He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. “But ye also ken that the paper was not proof of anything.”
She shook her head, fighting back the tears. It had been such a long day and nothing seemed to be better now, either. “I would like to go to bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
Evan stood and took her hand, leading her to the bed. She climbed up and settled in, her heart heavy. He sat alongside her and reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper. “I love ye, Katie, with my whole heart, and I cannot start off our marriage with this heaviness between us.”
He took her hand and placed the paper into it.
“What is this?”
He continued to hold her hand and search her face. “I signed these papers leaving the MacDuff lands, castle, and clan to Gavin when he comes of age.”
Katie’s mouth dropped open, and she shifted on the bed, sitting cross-legged. “Can ye do that?”
Evan shrugged. “Who will stop me? They had to dig long and hard to find me to take over the place, and by right, any sons we have will be next in line to inherit. Since I plan to have plenty of land and opportunities for our lads, I see no reason not to hand this one over to yer brother.”
Katie threw her arms around his neck and cried.
He patted her back, then pulled back to look at her face. “Ach, lass. I thought ye would be happy about this.”
She took in a shuddering breath and wiped her eyes. “I am. I am verra happy.”
“Why is it women cry when they’re sad and when they’re happy?” His frown almost made her laugh.
“Thank ye for this, Evan. I didna want to start off our marriage with this between us because I love ye too.”
His brows rose, a crooked smile lifting his lips. “Aye. Because I’m so braw and handsome?”
“Nay. Ye are passable, of course—”
He grabbed her and pushed her back, then leaned over her. “Passable?”
“Well, maybe a bit more than passable.”
“And a great lover?”
“Aye. Passable.”
“Lass, if I hear that word from ye again, I will keep ye here in bed for days to prove to ye how much more than passable I can love ye.”
It didn’t take days for him to remind her of his prowess, but Katie did admit to a bit of soreness from his multiple displays of expertise when she mounted her horse the next day for the trip to Argyll. As she settled into the saddle and adjusted her skirts, she smiled at the memory of when she’d surprised her husband and climbed over him and took control. At first he was reluctant, but her enthusiasm soon convinced him, and he’d become quite eager to indulge her. She grinned. It seemed there was more than one way to be in charge. As they made their way over the hill, she looked back at the castle and thought of her life when she’d first laid eyes on the place, with the faded piece of paper clutched in her hand in a broken-down wagon. She had been expecting a much different life to unfold than the one she was now headed toward.
She turned her back on the castle and the life that was not to be. With a satisfied smile, she caught Gavin and Evan deep in conversation as they rode ahead of her. Meggie and Alasdair chatted amiably, and the few others who’d decided to come with them formed the rest of their group. She inhaled deeply when the sun broke through the clouds as they moved forward.
To Argyll.
To the MacNeil clan.
To her new life.
With a husband who was much more than passable.
Epilogue
Seven months later
Katie placed her hand on her swollen belly and watched
