I kissed the top of his head. “There is no sense in thinking that way. No one can know just where their decisions will take them. All we can do now is make the best of our future.”
“Is this decision pleasing to ye as well, lass? I wish to please ye and, if ye wish to stay, I shall.”
I shook me head, unable to repress the shiver that traveled through me at the thought. He squeezed me tightly in understanding. “Nay, I doona wish to stay. I wish to return to Conall Castle to live in the happy chaos with yer brother, Mary, Bri, and Adelle. And then, when it is time that me father can no longer serve as laird, ye can replace him. But for now, let us live more simply, with no the responsibilities and troubles that come with a lairdship.”
Arran stood, sealing his letter and slipping it away to give to Gara. She would be sure to share it with the clan, who in time would find a laird from within their own group of men.
The people wouldna be surprised to learn of our decision to leave. Few would approach us still, their guilt of their accusations toward us making them hesitant to speak.
“Ach, lass, ye are a mindreader I’m sure, for there is nothing that I wish to do more than all that ye have just said. Come, let us leave this place.”
*
Arran was no deserving of the blessings given to him, of nothing he’d ever been more certain. Many men better than he were more deserving of Blaire and her love, but he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying to make himself worthy of her.
She’d healed him from a broken spirit, forgiven him of his wrongs again and again, and shown him the value that comes with finding someone with whom to share all of life’s struggles.
He leaned forward to smell her hair as she rode before him, and he shifted uncomfortably atop the horse at the feeling she immediately evoked in him. ’Twas stunning to him how even looking at her could make him hard and ready to take her. He couldn’t wait to fill her with his children. As soon as they returned to Conall Castle, he planned to immediately begin work on that task.
Or mayhap, even better, he would begin tonight as they stopped at the McMillans to rest on their journey home.
*
We took the long route back to Conall Castle and, much to me dismay, Arran had insisted that we stop at the McMillans on our way home. Baodan was Arran’s favorite cousin, and he’d no had the chance to make peace with him the night Baodan had found us together in the garden.
’Twas no Baodan I worried about seeing, but I knew that his mother wouldna want to welcome me with open arms. ’Twas a happy coincidence to find that she was away when we arrived. It allowed us to spend a happy evening with Baodan and his brothers, all of whom I was certain would become dear friends.
The next morning we set off early, determined to make it back to Conall Castle within two more nights. I’d settled comfortably in me seat in front of Arran, nearly falling asleep as I leaned back against his shoulder, when an odd flash of red caught me attention out of the corner of me eye.
I sat up so quickly, my heels unintentionally went hard into the side of the horse, and Arran had to pull hard at the reins to get him back under control. “What is it, lass? Ye nearly scared the poor beast to death.”
“Did ye no see that woman, Arran? In the pond?”
Arran pulled back so that the horse came to a stop, and he twisted to look back on the pond that sat just at the edge of McMillan Castle. “Nay, lass, I doona see anyone. Ye saw a woman, ye say? Perhaps, someone is only taking a dip. Twould be a nice morning for it, would ye no agree?”
I shook me head, the notion was mad. “Never mind. I must have dozed for a moment and dreamed something strange.”
Arran slowly nudged the horse forward once more. “Nay, lass. Ye werena asleep, I can always tell by yer breathing when ye are. Tell me. Who did ye think ye saw?”
“’Tisna possible, but the woman looked just like a lass I met in the twenty-first century. A dear friend of Bri’s.”
“Aye? Well I will tell ye, that does sound mighty strange, but tis no so impossible either.”
He was kind enough nay to call me mad, but I wasna eager to discuss it with him further. “Aye, ’tis strange. Doona mind me, I am only over-tired.” I nudged him playfully in the ribs. “I canna ever sleep, the way ye keep me up at night.”
He laughed into me ear, and I smiled, the imaginary figure quickly disappearing from me mind. “Ach, lass. I willna apologize for keeping ye awake, and ye may as well get used to it for I plan to fill yer nights with things other than sleep for all of our nights together.”
“Oh, I truly hope so, love.”
He kissed the back of me head and tightened his grip around me as we rode toward Conall Castle—to our home, where we would finally be able to build a future together.
Epilogue
The Roadside Inn
Present Day