The guards at the hall doors stepped aside at Lavina's command, and she paused, looking at Caiden with a warning glance.
"Do nay harm, and perhaps ye shall speak to her," she said, then opened the door wide and gestured for him to enter.
Caiden's gaze swept the interior as he stepped in, the familiar warmth of the castle contrasting sharply with the storm raging in his chest. His eyes sought Maisie immediately, and he whispered under his breath, almost to himself, "At last, I am here, and I willnae leave without ye."
Lavina lingered at the door, her presence a shield and a reminder, but she allowed him to advance. The moment was tense, electric with the promise of confrontation and confession. And as Caiden moved further into the hall, his every thought centered on the one person who mattered above all else: Maisie.
Maisie froze as she stepped into the hall, her eyes widening in disbelief. There, standing before her, was Caiden, his dark eyes fixed on her with a storm of emotion she could feel in her bones. Her heart pounded so fiercely she feared it would burst from her chest, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through her like fire.
She had resigned herself to never seeing him again, yet here he was, tangible and impossibly close, and every part of her body ached with longing.
"Caiden…" she breathed, her voice trembling, barely a whisper.
"Maisie," he said, his own voice low and urgent, cutting through the tension of the hall. "I've made a mistake. A terrible one, and I cannae bear the thought of ye being anywhere but with me."
Her stomach twisted, a mixture of hope and caution. "And ye think I should just come back with ye? After… after ye hurt me like this?"
He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, his gaze never leaving hers. "I ken what I did, and I ken how cruel I was," he admitted, his voice thick with regret. "I was a fool, Maisie, and I will do anythin' to make it right. I love ye… more than I've ever cared for anyone in me life."
Maisie's chest tightened as she studied him, searching for any hint of deceit, any sign that this was another cruel trick.
"I want to trust ye, Caiden," she said quietly, "but how can I believe ye willnae push me away again?"
He took a deep breath, his jaw set, and reached out to take her hands in his. "Ye're right to doubt me, lass. And I'll spend the rest of me days proving I'm worthy of yer trust, if that's what it takes. I will never push ye away, Maisie. I swear it by everythin' I am. Ye have made me a better man."
"I have?" she asked.
"Aye, ye showed me that I can be a better man than me faither and brother. I ken that now. I want ye at me side always."
"What are ye sayin'?"
"I'm sayin'… will ye be me wife? Will ye be the Lady of Clan McGibb?" he asked.
"Ye have a great deal to make up for, Caiden. Do ye understand that?"
"I ken, and I will," he said, his expression fierce with devotion. "Ye'll see, Maisie. I willnae fail ye again. I want to give ye the gallery in the castle to treasure. It is yers."
"I ken how much it means to ye," she said.
"Aye, and to share it with ye would be a great honor."
Her lips trembled, her resolve softening under the weight of his sincerity. "Then… I will marry ye," she said, her voice still cautious but determined.
A small smile broke across her face, a spark of joy peeking through her lingering doubts.
"The gallery in the castle?" she asked, a playful glint in her eye.
He laughed softly, relief and excitement evident in his tone. "It's yers. All of it. Paint, create, make it yer own sanctuary. I want ye to have everythin' that brings ye joy."
Maisie's heart soared at the offer, and without a moment's hesitation, she leapt into his arms. "Ye truly are impossible," she said with a laugh, though her eyes shimmered with tears of happiness.
He held her close, their foreheads touching as he whispered against her hair, "Impossible for anyone but ye, Maisie. Only ye."
Their lips met in a kiss that was both tender and fervent, a clash of longing and relief, sealing their hearts together in a promise that had been too long delayed.
Every pulse in her body sang with the intensity of the moment, a wildfire of emotion consuming them both. For Maisie, it was both terrifying and exhilarating, the culmination of desire, fear, and the certainty that she was finally where she belonged.
As they slowly pulled back, breath mingling and hearts racing, Caiden rested his forehead against hers. "I've waited for this, Maisie. I'll never let ye go again."
