Page 108 of Desire of a Highlander

He extended his hand. Ronan stared at it. Then slowly, hesitantly, reached out and clasped it. Just two brothers who had finally grown tired of carrying old wounds. Bryce squeezed his hand once before letting go.

“I’ll have the charter witnessed before sunset.”

Ronan nodded. “So will I.”

Bryce turned to leave. After a few paces, he stopped. Without looking back he said quietly, “Father would’ve been proud of what ye’ve built.”

The words struck Ronan hard and he felt his throat tighten.

“And Mother?” Bryce added. “She would have liked Elodie.”

Then he strode off towards his men, bellowing orders to mount up and chase after the Murdochs. Ronan stood watching him for a moment then looked down at the charter in his hands. He realized he was trembling. The past had not disappeared. The scars remained and he suspected that some always would. But for the first time in years they no longer felt like chains.

He turned, looking for Elodie. She was standing maybe fifty paces away, watching him carefully. Her expression was full of hope and relief and a thousand things besides. His heart swelled at the sight of her. He gave a carefree laugh and took off running towards her. She did the same and as they met in the middle, he caught her by the waist, picked her up, and swung her around, giving a joyous cry.

Tears glistened in her eyes as she gazed up at him. “Is...is it over?” she asked tremulously.

He held her close and breathed in the scent of her. Everything seemed right with the world when she was in his arms. “Aye,” he breathed. “It’s over. Bryce’s men will hunt the Murdochs down. They willnae be getting their hands on the Steading any time soon.”

“Thank God,” she breathed. “I was terrified. If anything should happen to you—”

“But it didnae. And it willnae. I’m afraid ye will have to put up with me a while longer yet.” He smiled. “For our whole lives if I have my way.”

Her breath caught. “Our whole lives?”

He ran his thumb across her cheek. Lord, how he loved her. “I canna live without ye, Elodie MacNeil,” he said softly. “I want ye to stay. I want to spend my life by yer side. Will ye marry me?”

For a second, she looked stunned. A second later, she yanked the front of his plaid hard enough to make him stumble and kissed him thoroughly enough to send heat spiraling right down to his groin.

When she finally stepped back they were both a little breathless.

He blinked. “Is that an aye?”

“Aye, it’s an aye!” she cried. “It’s a thousand times aye!”

Then she kissed him again and this time she didn’t let go.

Chapter 24

The soft tug on her hair made Elodie wince.

“Oh, stop wriggling,” Faye said. “I’ve half a mind to tie ye to the chair.”

“I think that’s generally frowned upon before a wedding,” Elodie replied with a sardonic smile.

Behind her, Sarah snorted. “I dinna know. It’s a novel way to make sure the groom turns up.”

A ripple of laughter went around the room. Even Morag giggled from where she was carefully threading tiny white flowers into another length of greenery.

Elodie caught sight of herself in the polished pewter plate propped against the wall and had to blink a few times. She barely recognized the woman looking back. Her hair, longer than when she’d first stepped through the archway, had been braided around her head and Faye was busy weaving it with wildflowers gathered that morning. Her dress was simple cream linen, beautifully clean despite having been worn by three brides before her. Faye had somehow managed to alter it until it fitted as though it had been made especially for her.

It was nothing like the wedding dress she’d once imagined wearing. There was no designer label, no satin or silk. No carefully coordinated color scheme. Yet somehow it was perfect.

Faye stood back, hands on hips, studying her critically. “Hmm.”

“What does ‘hmm’ mean?”

“Stand up and turn around.”