“‘Tis anI’ll do me best.”
He studied her face, understanding for once the calm there. “That’ll do. Tomorrow, we’ll tell them all.”
“Fine by me.”
“So that’s it? Ye’re agreeing to marry me?” Jack asked, his voice this time tinged with disbelief.
“Well, it looks like ye didnae even need the five nights ye asked for, after all,” she quipped, her cheeks still flushed.
He grinned, the look on his face saying,I’ve always kent I’d need much less than that.
“Aye, but they sounded impressive.”
The teasing softened the last edge of what still stood between them. The tension that had settled over the room for days now felt lighter than air itself.
For the first time since she had arrived at MacLeod Castle, there was now real peace between them. They sat close enough that he could feel the rhythm of her breathing, slow and even, as the fire burned low near them.
Outside the castle, it was as quiet as ever. Nothing could be heard except for the sound of the cold evening air rustling the trees and the occasional bird’s twittering in the stables.
He reached for the fallen blanket and draped it around her shoulders. She did not pull away.
For the first time, neither of them tried to be defensive or erect a wall. This was as vulnerable as they were going to get. Jack traced his thumb over the back of her hand as he must have realized the same thing.
“Tomorrow,” he repeated, quieter this time, as if saying it twice would make it real. As if it would quash any notions she had about running away.
“Aye,” she agreed, her eyes half-lidded. “Tomorrow.”
The word hung between them, warm as the room.
When she urged him to leave before dawn found him there, he nodded and stood up. The small book now lay on the floor beside the hearth, open to the page she had marked with a thread. He picked it up and brushed the ash from its edge.
“Keep it,” he said, placing it in her hands. “Seems to bring the finest mischief.”
She laughed softly, pressing it to her chest. “Then it has already served its purpose.”
He smiled at that, her laughter soft enough to still the rest of the night. He leaned closer, their foreheads touching. For a minute, they stayed that way, not speaking and not moving.
“Ye should go now. Ye ken, before dawn catches ye here.”
He looked at her, an intrigued smile on his face. “Ye daenae want that, do ye?”
“I want to announce the wedding on our own terms, nae because Lara caught ye in me bed.”
He nodded, as if she didn’t need to say anything more. He didn’t even need to look at her to know that she was watching.
He always knew when she was watching.
“Sleep, Emma,” he murmured, tucking the hem of his shirt beneath his waistband. “Tomorrow begins something new.”
She nodded, her eyes closing briefly. “Then go before I change me mind.”
He hesitated, then stepped back. The light caught her face one last time before the door closed between them. When he left her, she was still smiling in the candlelight.
The corridor outside was still as quiet as he had left it. He made to turn and go to his chambers. He could still sleep a few more hours before he had to wake up and tackle the day. However, the dim glow from the Great Hall drew his attention.
Who is there?
He walked there slowly and stopped by the door. The scent of smoke and wood hit him before he could enter, a sharp contrast to the scent of lavender in Emma’s chambers.
