Page 70 of Claimed By a Savage Scot
John slid the first parchment toward him and handed him the feathered quill. It scratched loudly as he signed his name in bold, practiced strokes at the bottom of the treaty. Kenneth followed suit upon the second copy, one for Forbes, one for Gordon. Then they swapped and signed again.
John sanded the signatures carefully before inviting Ewan and Rory to sign as witnesses. Finally, John added his signature as Clan Secretary, rolled the copies carefully, and sealed them with red wax, which was duly stamped with the insignia of both clans. He handed a copy to Kenneth.
Malcolm exhaled slowly, some long-held tension easing from his shoulders.
“Let’s drink a toast tae seal the deal. A dram all round,” he said. A waiting servant moved quickly to fill the waiting cups with amber liquid.
Kenneth lifted his dram first. “Tae prosperity between our clans.”
“And tae strength in difficult times,” Malcolm added quietly as their cups clinked together.
The whisky burned warmly down Malcolm’s throat. God willing, the agreement would prove worth every sleepless night he had spent negotiating it.
Kenneth set aside his empty cup with a satisfied nod. “Well then, I should see tae preparations for departure before me sister begins threatenin’ mutiny. Ye’ve been very hospitable, but she’s set on leavin’ before the bad weather sets in.”
“Very wise,” Malcolm replied, not at all sorry to see his new ally depart. For politeness’ sake he added as they clasped forearms. “Ye’re both welcome tae comeback and visit whenever ye like. Safe travels.”
“Thank ye. And good fortune tae ye, Gordon,” Kenneth answered, bidding Ewan and the Council goodbye beforequitting the chamber. The room itself seemed to exhale in relief when the door shut behind him.
Ewan leaned back against the table with a long breath. “At last,” he muttered. “Christ, I was beginnin’ tae think those parchments would never be signed.”
“Aye, same here,” Malcolm admitted. “But all those weeks of uncertainty have finally paid off.”
And the Forbes’ will be safely away from me keep if Sinclair chooses tae move against me openly.
“Fetch Laird Grant,” Malcolm ordered one of the guards near the door. “Tell him we’re reconvening.”
The man bowed and departed immediately.
While the others talked in low voices amongst themselves, Ewan studied Malcolm sidelong once the door closed. “Ye seem lighter,” he murmured to his brother.
“I’ll feel lighter once the Forbes are across the border.”
“Aye,” Ewan admitted. “Though I suspect there’s another matter weighin’ heavier on yer mind.”
Malcolm shot him a warning look. True to form, Ewan only grinned.
A few moments later the chamber door opened again and Duncan Grant strode inside.
“Am I too late fer the celebratory whisky?” he asked smiling.
“Never too late fer whisky,” Ewan informed him, signaling the servant to do the honors.
Duncan clasped Malcolm’s forearm firmly. “Congratulations, man. Ye managed tae pull it off despite all this chaos with Sinclair,” he said, taking the offered dram and tossing it down his throat before handing the glass back to the servant with thanks.
Malcolm gave a short humorless laugh. “It was a close run thing at times, I’ll admit.” He moved back toward the table where a large map of Gordon lands remained spread open. “Tae keep matters calm during the negotiations with Kenneth, I passed the recent troop movements off as a joint trainin’ exercise with Clan Grant.”
Duncan laughed. “Sneaky. I’m proud of ye.”
“Did Forbes believe it?” Rory asked.
Malcolm shrugged. “He’s too intelligent nae tae suspect more. But I didnae want him thinking we meant tae drag Clan Forbes intae conflict with Sinclair before the treaty was signed.”
“A wise decision,” Duncan agreed. “Now though ye can demand his help legally.”
Laughter rippled around the chamber as Malcolm nodded absently. Now the treaty was signed, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. Toward Catriona.
The upcoming conversation with Duncan loomed over him like an executioner’s blade. In truth, being in the thick of a bloody battle frightened him less than asking his best friend for his sister’s hand.
