Highland Scoundrel (Campbell Trilogy #3)(119)

“Do you think he'd told Colin?” Lizzie asked.

Duncan thought for a minute. “He might have—after I went to him about marrying Jeannie. I sensed that he and Colin had argued about something.”

“Colin had to have found out something,” Jeannie said. “He went to Dunyvaig not long after Glenlivet and started asking questions.”

Duncan looked at her, suspicion in his gaze. “Kathrine?”

“I don't know, but Mary MacDonald thought so. The church where your parents were married burned down a week before Kathrine disappeared—only days after Colin supposedly left the island. Were it not for the page Mary had ripped out of the registry to prevent your MacDonald grandfather from finding the truth years before, we might never have known.”

“Why didn't Lady MacDonald tell us that first day?”

“She was scared. Colin didn't know that anyone other than the nurse knew. Given what had happened, I can't blame her.”

Duncan looked to his cousin. “And even without Colin's confession, you are satisfied that I did not take the map and sell it to Grant?”

Argyll winced a little. “I'm satisfied that you were not the only one with motive.”

Duncan cocked his brow, holding his cousin's gaze. It was Argyll who eventually conceded. “Very well. I wasn't exactly in the most generous frame of mind at the time, but I shouldn't have been so quick to find you guilty.”

“Careful, Archie,” Jamie teased. “That almost sounded like an apology.”

Argyll shot him a black frown, murmuring something about insolent henchmen.

“What will happen to Colin?” Lizzie asked.

Jeannie winced. Duncan and Argyll exchanged a look.

Argyll looked at his cousin, and Jeannie was surprised to see how much fondness was in his gaze. “Come, Lizzie, I've something to tell you, but I think your brother would like some time alone with Lady Gordon.” He glanced at Duncan. “If I were him, I'd be thinking of ways to thank her.”

Lizzie nodded solemnly, perhaps sensing what her cousin was going to say, and followed him out of the room with the others.

“It's not like Archie to be so perceptive,” Duncan said wryly. “He's gone soft in his old age.”

Jeannie snorted. There was nothing soft about Duncan's powerful cousin. It was Lizzie who had the soft heart. She bit her lip. “Do you think she'll be all right?”

“Aye. Lizzie's strong. But it won't be easy. It's hard to believe the brother we knew as a child could have changed so much.”

“I'm sorry,” she said, realizing how difficult it must be for him as well.

“It's a lot to take in.” He shook his head. “Married. God, I can't believe it.” He gave her a wry smile. “I guess you were right to believe in faerie tales.”

Jeannie smiled. “I'd like to take credit, but I could never have imagined such a story.” She paused. “I feel sorry for them.”

His face hardened for an instant. She knew his feelings for his father must be horribly conflicted. But then some of the tension seemed to dissipate. “Aye. They must have loved each other greatly to risk so much.”

“He loved you, too, Duncan. What he did was wrong, but he was trying to make it right.”

He nodded, then sat down on the chair and pulled her onto his lap, cuddling her in his arms. She laid her cheek on his chest, savoring the warm strength of him.

She couldn't quite believe it was all over.

“It's strange how my father's life mirrored mine.” His eyes met hers. “Except for one thing.”

“What's that?” Jeannie asked softly.

“I have the chance to make amends that my father did not.” He took her hand and brought it to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss on her fingers. “Ten years ago I asked you to marry me. I don't deserve a second chance, but say you'll marry me again and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.”

Jeannie tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat made it impossible. Her heart swelled with love for him, with long overdue happiness, and with disbelief that all her dreams were finally coming true.

She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Yes, I'll marry you.”

He grinned, and brought her mouth to his. This time when he kissed her, he didn't stop.

Epilogue

Beltane, 1609, Dunoon Castle

Jeannie paused at the entrance to the great hall, surveying the festive scene of celebration before her, momentarily overcome by emotion. It was almost too perfect. Maybe she should pinch herself to make sure it was real.

She'd waited over ten years for this wedding. It seemed fitting that it be on Beltane, the ancient festival of fertility and spring—a day for new beginnings—and the true day of Dougall's birth.

The back of her neck prickled and her senses seemed to come alive. Her heart skipped a beat, then shot forward with anticipation. She felt the warm, hard strength of his body behind her as he slid his hands around her waist, clasping them over her stomach and nuzzling his face in her neck and hair.

The soft warmth of his breath near her ear sent a shiver of desire rippling down her spine. “Is it everything you hoped for, wife?”

Wife. She didn't think she would ever get tired of hearing it. Unwilling to wait while everything was worked out, they'd been married secretly over four months ago, but today they'd done so publicly with all their family gathered together to witness their celebration.