He put my hand in the crook of his arm and we slipped out to the garden. His gasp of delight was payment enough for my efforts with the candles. Tom waited at the end of the aisle, Kit at his side.
Kit, whose gaze found mine in the dim glow of the candles. Down the entirety of the aisle, he didn’t so much as blink. Hewatched me with the same expression he wore during our night together. It was love, pure and unmistakable. This time, though, there was a sad downturn to the corners of his eyes and on his lips.
When we reached the other bridegroom, Xander released me in favor of his soon-to-be husband. I was dimly aware of Sorcha at my side, bouncing the baby on her hip. On one of the listing posts of the sheepfold in my periphery, a little bird landed, black and white with a shock of yellow. I knew Alfie was somewhere nearby. Vaguely, I heard Rory acting as self-appointed officiant.
But it was all muted by the rushing in my ears. My gaze had narrowed to the point that I could see nothing but Kit. Kit, who refused to let my nonsense stand without comment but helped me anyway. Kit, who defended me from almost the very first. Kit, who lied to his own family for the sake of my reputation. Kit, who worshiped me with every inch of his body and soul. Kit, who asked for only one thing, the one thing I couldn’t bring myself to give him.
“Aye,” Kit said, his voice gruff with disuse and sentiment. The word snapped me back to the ceremony.
“And, Davina, do ye bear witness to this marriage?” Rory asked.
“Yes.” I hardly recognized my own voice, thick and rusted.
“I declare ye forged in marriage,” she said. And it was done. My brother was married to his love.
Happy tears streamed down my face, mixed with a few that were longing for Kit. When I turned back to him, I caught only a glimpse of his back as he slipped inside the house.
The celebration was moved into the house where all but Kit made quick work of a bottle of champagne, at which point the newlyweds clearly wished for their privacy.
Sorcha sat beside me on a worn chaise and took a swig directly from the bottle.
“Tell me you’ve done that in front of Xander.”
“What do ye take me for? A simpleton? Of course I’ve done that in front of yer brother. He makes a ridiculous squawking sound when I do.”
“Those are my favorites. He looks like a disgruntled chipmunk when you…”
I stayed awake a few hours longer, certain sleep wouldn’t come were I to try anyway. I used the time to interrogate Sorcha and learn about Gabriel’s daughter. She shared his sharp wit, nonchalant attitude, and dark eyes. Eventually, she pleaded a need for rest and I was forced to retire.
Against all odds, I fell asleep after only an hour or so of tossing and turning.
I wassurprised and not at all surprised to find the breakfast table empty when I arrived. Xander and Tom would sleep late. Sorcha, too, I expected would be a late riser. And Kit was almost certainly avoiding me and had likely broken his fast in his room.
I munched quietly on a slice of toast between sips of tea, contemplating the sawed gash on the table with bemusement.
Earlier than I expected, Tom and Xander entered, hand in hand. Both were dressed only in shirtsleeves and breeches, their hair sleep-tousled.
“I didn’t expect to see you two for some time.”
“We needed sustenance,” Tom said, filling two plates with the various offerings on the sideboard while Xander fixed two cups of tea. The easy domesticity of it made me smile.
“Have you seen Kit? Is he still abed?”
“Dav… he left at first light,” Tom said with an unreadable expression.
“What?” My shrill tone, combined with the crack of my knife falling onto the plate below, startled my companions.
“Kit left at first light. I thought you knew,” Xander repeated, taking the seat across from me. He was loose-limbed and unconcerned, entirely unaware of the way my heart clenched and refused to release. Even as I struggled to comprehend the words, my body reacted with instinctive agony.
“But what about our plan?” I whispered.
“The plan will go ahead. He isn’t needed here for it. In fact, the sooner the documents he’s creating end up where they need to be, the better. Besides, he’s been away from his work, his life, for a week. He’s eager to be home.”
“But…”
“In fact, you abducted the man for no reason at all but to serve as companion and protector. All of this could have been managed by letter.”
“But he— We...” Even through my head’s numbness and my heart’s crushing, I could hear the broken, tinny quality to my voice.
