“Yes, but—”
“Oh, I know, you would never do anything as purposefully underhanded as you believe I am. But perhaps now you might better understand some of my actions.”
“I’m not sure,” she said slowly. “What you tried to do to Adam with the patents, and to me and Sullivan in your secret deal with Vincent’s family, it was utterly shameful and—”
“True,” he said, though he did not look overly contrite at his actions. She guessed he was mostly regretful that he had been found out more than anything. “But one must do all he can to get ahead, must he not?”
Rachel realized then that she and her father would never understand each other. They held different values, saw the world in a different light. And yet, if they could make some sort of peace with one another today, then that would be enough.
“Tonight, after the ceremony,” she said firmly, “apologize to Adam.”
“Apologize?” he repeated, his heavy eyebrows rising. “Why, it seems the man is getting compensated enough, according to the patent letters I received. I’ll have to discuss business with him in the coming days, but we can leave that to later. I don’t suppose you know anything about the patent now including him, do you, daughter?”
“No,” she said, hoping her face didn’t betray her, though if it did, did it really matter? “It sounds as if all is as it should be,” she said with confidence. “Now we must go. I do not want to be late for my own wedding.”
Sullivan actually seemed rather pleased to see that her father had arrived. He had always steered away from conflict, so she supposed he was rather happy to see that he wouldn’t be stepping into his old partner’s shoes.
As she stood at the back of the church, looking down the aisle at her tall, handsome, and oh-so-serious husband-to-be staring back at her, she felt a sense of peace settle in her very soul, and finally realized what it meant to be complete.
When Adam saw Hardwick Trenton at the back of the church, he was both relieved as well as slightly anxious. When Rachel hadn’t heard back from her father, he had contacted Hardwick himself. While he couldn’t stand the man and wanted nothing to do with him ever again, he knew how much the estrangement was eating away at Rachel’s gentle soul. He nodded at Trenton before fixing his eyes on the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She took his breath away every time he saw her, and he still could hardly believe he was to be married to her.
When she reached him at the front of the church, he took her hands, kissed them both, and stared deeply into her eyes. Never before had his heart been so full. Never before had he known what it could mean to love someone with all of one’s soul, all of one’s being.
The vows seemed to be said by another voice, another person, and yet he could feel his lips moving. The handfasting complete, he was proud to see the McDougall tartan colors around her. The ceremony was finished in what felt like mere minutes and soon they had returned to Galbury, where a roaring reception awaited them.
This time, his wife was not sitting and watching the dancers in front of her, but rather was in the center of the celebrations, the huge smile not leaving her face, and it warmed his heart to hear her laughter, whether she was dancing with him or another of his family. Any reservations the people of the McDougall clan may have had about an Englishwoman in their midst had been chased away by his lovely wife and her kindness, and she was soon accepted as one of them.
Adam was smiling as he watched her dance next to his sister when he felt a presence at his shoulder and turned to find Trenton beside him. The man was about a head shorter than he and yet a good deal wider though in a much rounder fashion. Today, however, he had a different air about him, one that included some hesitancy. Trenton cleared his throat.
“Ah, McDougall,” he said slowly. “Thank you for having me.”
“Of course,” Adam said with a nod. “’Tis yer daughter’s wedding, after all.”
“Yes. Well. You know you weren’t what I wanted for her. Not you, not Scotland,” he said with a bit of vehemence that had Adam righting himself and turning to face the man with indignation. He might be his wife’s father, but that was no reason for him to come here and insult him and his country. “Hold on now,” Trenton continued. “I must say that it seems she is happy here, and as long as you promise to take care of her, that’s what matters, does it not?”
“It does,” Adam said cautiously, somewhat surprised.
“She, ah, asked me to apologize to you regarding the wind machine,” he said, not meeting Adam’s eyes. “So consider this my apology. Perhaps there was some miscommunication. But, ah, I do have some news to discuss with you. We can delve further into it tomorrow, but the patent’s been approved, and we will start production shortly. You will receive your fair due.”
“That’s… wonderful,” he said, somewhat in shock that the design that had been just a prototype in his workshop weeks prior was now going to be put into production.
“You will be sure to bring it here, to the Highlands?” he asked, eyebrow arching as he looked at Trenton.
“I suppose we could look at it,” Trenton said, not promising anything.
“We will have to draw up some sort of contract,” Adam said, crossing his arms, not allowing the man any room to escape the conversation.
“Very well,” said Trenton with a bit of a sigh of defeat, as he noted Sullivan Andrews standing nearby, listening to the conversation. Apparently, he
