“Did she say anything about that?”
“She tried. I wouldn’t let her — what is there to say when actions speak louder than words?” he asked, as he tried not to let Peggy’s own words sway him in any way.
“I just think, Adam, that perhaps ye should have given her the opportunity to explain herself. She may have known nothing of her father’s plans and was as shocked as you were. She was probably betrayed by the fact you would think she was capable of such.”
“Peggy, why are ye speaking to me of this if you are only to take her side?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side,” she said. “I am simply pointing out that perhaps there is another option ye never considered.”
He nodded, not wanting to listen to her words, but they slowly penetrated his consciousness anyway.
“Adam… have you ever considered just why ye’re so angry at her?”
“What do you mean?” His head snapped up to her face, which was awash with sympathy for him.
“You wanted to marry this girl, and suddenly she told you she was going to marry another. No matter her reason, that must have hurt. Did ye perhaps so easily believe she had betrayed you in order to provide an outlet for your anger? When you love someone—”
“I dinna love her.”
“No?”
“No, I simply… cared for her.” He uncrossed his arms and began pacing back and forth over the worn wooden floor in front of her.
“I dinna believe you would have such deep emotions for someone you simply cared for,” she said softly.
He rubbed his temples. “I don’t know, Peg. I just… dinna ken what to do.”
“Well,” she said, folding her hands in her lap. “What do you admire about her? What made you want to marry her?”
He sighed. “I admire her gentle spirit. She appreciates the beauty of life, be it a lovely dress, the crystal of our loch or rain falling from the sky on a cloudy day. She has not an opposed word to say about anyone, be it her father or even the fiancé I know she dreads. She sees the best in everyone. And she has a loyalty unlike any I’ve ever seen. While ’tis the reason we are apart, I also admire her for it.” He paused for a moment, reflecting on the words that had come unbidden from his mouth. “Damn it. I do love her.”
Peggy let out a stifled giggle, and he looked up at her to see what she found so humorous.
“Oh, Adam,” she said, and he could see the smile she tried to hide behind her hand. “Never have I seen a man so angry to discover his love for another.”
“What does it matter?” He shrugged. “’Tis not as if anything will come of it.”
“Adam,” she said, hopping off her stool and walking over to him. “Do you know, before she left back to London, she gave her beautiful fine dresses to the women of the village? Molly and some of the others had expressed such envy over her garments that she gave them all away. And when she was here, we had so much time together. She told me of her hopes and dreams. She wants love, Adam. She’s a romantic. She lives by her emotions, wanting to spend her life in the arms of a man who will love her in return. That vile man you say is now her fiancé — the man who shot her, Adam — he is not that man. You say she is loyal, but you must make her understand that there is more to life than that. Save her, Adam. Be her knight in shining armor. Sweep her off her feet, and throw her over your mighty steed, bringing her back to the castle where she belongs.”
“Oh Peggy,” he said, with his first laugh since his return to the Highlands. “You are the romantic, sister. But you’re right. You’re right!” His heart began to race. He would never admit it to his sister, but he had been a fool. While Rachel was loyal to a fault, she was too kind, had too gentle a spirit, to have ever conspired against him. She was too honest, and he had taken his anger out on her. If nothing else, he needed to apologize to her, to tell her how he truly felt. If she still decided to resign her life to that of a martyr, then so be it. But he had to do what he could.
“And maybe, if you return, you can get your wind design back?” Peggy asked hopefully, brightness coming into her eyes.
“Trenton can have the wind machine,” he said. “But his daughter… his daughter I will fight for. Even if it means I must remain with her in London, I— I’ll stay there with her.”
“But you hate, London!” said Peggy, a troubled look coming over her face. “And your family is here!”
“I do and ye are,” he agreed. “And of course, I would love nothing more than to return here to you, with Rachel by my side. But… but I dinna ken if I can live without her.”
“Then that,” said Peggy, smiling at him despite the tears in her eyes, “is true love. I’ll pack you a lunch.”
And with that, she marched over, enveloped him in a huge hug, and then walked out the door, leaving it open behind her.
24
The plant was never silent, but it certainly wasn’t as busy at midnight as it was during the daylight hours. Rachel tiptoed quietly along the floor in her leather-soled boots, following Sullivan Andrews through the back door and down the corridor, where he unlocked the door to her father’s office.
“My father allows you to have a key?” she whispered softly over his shoulder as he pushed open the door.
“No,” he responded. “I had one made when we first moved into the building. I felt it was prudent to have two copies of each key made in case of an emergency.
