They took their seats in her car and she snuggled closer to Adam, content simply to be in his arms. As the train began rolling out of the station, in no time she was completely, deeply asleep.
Adam relaxed into the seat as he held Rachel tightly, with no care for the stares of the passengers around him. He could hardly believe all that had just happened. Never could he have expected that Rachel would be there, waiting for him. He was concerned, however. She had clearly defied her father, and he knew how difficult the decision must have been for her. What had made her change her mind?
As much as he wanted to know all that had happened, Adam was a patient man, and he allowed her to sleep in his arms, for he had seen the exhaustion in her eyes. She awoke as the train pulled into Perth, and he allowed his sleepy fiancée to lean on him as they switched trains. When they boarded the Highland train that would take them to Inverness, he asked her if she felt the need to sleep longer or if she would like something from the dining car.
“We should eat,” she said, and together they rose. Never had Adam felt such a protectiveness, such a possessiveness, over someone, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. She looked back at him with a smile, and he could not help but feel the most fortunate man in all of the country that this beautiful woman was now his.
They sat, ordered their food, and then she rested her hands on the table as she looked at him with determination in her eyes.
“You must want to know the whole story.”
“I do,” he said, “when you are prepared to tell it to me.”
“Of course I am ready to tell you,” she said. “I simply needed a little sleep first.”
She laughed then continued, telling him of how she had spoken with Sullivan Andrews, allowing her to determine the true extent of her father’s treachery and thievery of Adam’s designs. She also told him of her father’s plans for her with Vincent Thompson, and how she discovered that Andrews knew nothing of the scheme. “It was not only you who he was fooling,” she said. “It was Sullivan, and me as well. Sullivan made me realize that while my father put a roof over my head and was ensuring that I would always be cared for, my happiness mattered naught. If he was not concerned about it, then I must take care of it myself.”
Adam reminded himself to thank the man for helping Rachel come to the awareness that she likely would have found herself at one point, but perhaps not until it was too late.
“Oh, and I have something for you,” she said, surprising him by standing. “I’ll be right back.”
He watched her take off back down the aisle to their seats, and it was but minutes until she returned, clutching papers in her hand.
“Here,” she said, holding them out to him.
“What is this?” he asked, then began to slowly skim his eyes down the page, realizing what he was reading.
“Are these patent papers?” he asked, somewhat in disbelief.
“Yes,” she said, a smile breaking out on her face. “Sullivan and I… slightly altered them.”
“You did what?” he asked, somewhat aghast.
“We broke into my father’s office and changed the patent papers before he mailed them in,” she said, seemingly quite proud of herself. “What you hold in your hand is a copy. It was what I was going to use to convince you that I truly did not conspire against you.”
“Rachel, this is… this is amazing,” he said. “I can hardly believe it, to be honest with you. Not that you needed to do anything to make me realize your true intentions. I should have known—”
“Hush,” she said. “We are over that now and onto the future. It will be some time until we hear anything further, but Sullivan will ensure everything goes according to plan.”
“We have much to thank him for,” said Adam quietly, looking at all that was in front of him – the papers and, much more importantly, the woman.
“He’s a good man,” she said quietly. “I know it seems strange that he continues to remain in business with my father. As odd as it seems, however, they complement one another well. Perhaps this has been the final straw for him. We shall see.”
Adam laced his fingers through hers. He had an inkling that Andrews had a lot to do with the kind, caring person this beautiful woman had become as well. He smiled at her, looking forward to the remainder of the journey, not only to his home, but through the rest of their lives.
26
Never in her life had Rachel been witness to so much love as that which welcomed them at Galbury Castle. She had expected it from Peggy and Jane, who she had grown rather close with during her time there, but she was entirely taken by surprise when even the typically gruff Finlay embraced her in a warm hug.
“Yer making my brother very happy, lass,” he said. “We weren’t sure if this day would ever come, so bent over his inventions he always is. We canna thank ye enough.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for,” she said with a shake of her head. “He’s an easy man to love.”
Roderick laughed at that but they all seemed to agree with her, and soon the table was full with a feast to celebrate.
“Now for the best part,” said Peggy as they sat down to eat. “It’s time to plan the wedding!”
The men groaned, but Rachel felt excitement course through her at the thought. She had been thrilled to simply
