“Aye.”
“Also, it’s not something that Cecil would want known, not when he’s claimed me as his all these years. It would be a blow to his pride, you know. And it wouldn’t have slipped out if he wasn’t quite foxed today. Then again”—she shrugged—“perhaps he planned the whole thing, wasn’t really drunk, and thought the tale would get you to not marry me.”
Lachlan snorted. “People with volatile tempers dinna usually have the patience for such deceit.”
“Well, as I said, I believed him. I didn’t at first, it was so unexpected. But it explained so much, about the way he treated both me and my mother over the years. And to be honest, Iwantit to be true. I don’t even care that this Ian MacFearson isn’t a nice man either. As long as the earl isn’t my father, I don’t really care who is.”
“Aye, I could almost agree wi’ that.”
“Almost?”
“If your real da were anyone but a fearsome legend,” he said, then, “You—ah—werena of a mind tae meet the MacFearson, were you?”
He looked so leery, she chuckled. “After what you’ve told me? No, I don’t think so.”
He sighed in relief, but quickly assured her, ’Tis no’ that I wouldna want tae take you tae meet the mon. If that is your wish, you’ll have it. But I’m thinking ’twould be best if you dinna find out if the tales are true. Some things are better left tae the unknown.”
“In this case, you’re probably right,” she agreed. “But speaking of the unknown, or at least what you likely don’t know yet—I doubt my father will attend the service in the morning, but the duke has kindly agreed to give me away.”
Lachlan raised a brow. “Did he now?” And then he laughed. “Och, well, I refused the last thing he offered me, but I’ll have no trouble accepting you, darlin’.”
45
Kimberly was floating in a cloud of happiness that she couldn’t quite explain. She was getting married, yes, and thatshouldbe a joyful experience—except she was marrying a man who didn’t love her. So she had no reason really to be so ridiculously happy.
She was standing at the altar now, her husband-to-be-in-a-few-minutes next to her, their shoulders touching. He’d looked so handsome when she’d joined him there, wearing his formal black, and his heart-stopping smile, that he’d taken her breath away.
It was almost easy to believe that he really wanted to marry her, that he wasn’t just doing as honor demanded. But she supposed if she was going to find any peace in her marriage to him, she’d have to suspend her beliefs and do a little pretending, and just accept him as the charming, sensual man he was.
She felt beautiful herself. Her cream-colored gown with its new white lace bodice and train fit her to perfection. And her new maid, Jean, must have been trained by Megan’s maid, because she had the same talent for creating soft, flattering coiffures.
Megan had picked the girl herself and sent her to Kimberly when she heard that Mary had been dismissed. She was young, had a sweet, eager-to-please disposition, and best of all, she was willing to move to the Highlands with Kimberly. “Going to a new place, with nothing familiar to you, you simply must have your own maid,” Megan had told her. “And Jean will be loyal to you, m’dear, you won’t have to worry about that.”
Kimberly was forced to pay attention to the service as answers were demanded of her. To have and to hold…from this day forward…till death do us part. Such solemn vows, so serious, so at contrast with her bubbling happiness. She was hard pressed to keep a smile off her lips.
And then Lachlan was reaching for her hand, and she glanced down to see that he had not just a wedding band to slide onto her finger, but a magnificent diamond engagement ring to go with it, quite the largest gem she’d ever seen, surrounded by perfectly round pink pearls. It was one of the MacGregor jewels. They’d been fetched and returned to him just yesterday. She was so awed by it that she almost didn’t stop him in time from removing her emerald so he could put the diamond in its place. But she did stop him.
He looked up at her, the question in his eyes, a frown about to form. She quickly whispered to him, “I like the first one you gave me, that is, I prefer to wear it—if you don’t mind.”
His smile came slowly, but soon it was blinding. And he wasn’t supposed to kiss her yet, but he did anyway. The pastor had to clear his throat, more than a few times, before Lachlan stopped so the flustered gentleman could finish the service. Then he was kissing her again.
They were married, really and truly married. Kimberly was so entranced with that thought, she barely heard the congratulations that followed. And before long, they were riding away from Sherring Cross.
Devlin had offered them one of the ducal coaches for the journey—he had several. He even supplied a coachman and outriders. And he surprised them all, his wife included, by telling Lachlan he’d be welcome to visit again. He’d actually been sincere. Of course, he’d added, albeit with a grin, “Just not too bloody often, eh.”
It had made the parting much more pleasant, when Kimberly had been near to tears, in saying good-bye to Megan. She’d made a friend in the duchess, the closest she’d ever had, actually. She was going to miss her dreadfully. But she’d promised to write. And Megan had promised to come visit them in the Highlands someday.
The plan had been to leave directly after the service. So Kimberly had gone to visit her—well, to visit the earl, one last time early that morning. He’d been sober, and barely awake, and his usual surly self. And she hadn’t wasted any time hoping for a kind word in parting. In retrospect, it was amazing that that visit hadn’t spoiled the rest of the day for her. Quite the opposite. Probably knowing that she’d never see the earl again had added to her happiness.
“I don’t expect you to come to my wedding,” she’d told him. “It would be hypocritical of you to do so, and you’re not that.”
He’d snorted. “No, I’m not, nor do I suffer fools lightly, and you’re that if you still marry—”
“Let’s not get into that, if you please. I will marry him, and it’s nothing to you, so do keep your opin—I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to argue with you.”
“Ungrateful chit,” he’d mumbled.
“No, I’m not ungrateful. Actually, I want to thank you for sharing your house with me all these years, for feeding me and putting clothes on my back. It would have been nice if you had also shared something of yourself with me, after agreeing to raise me, but despising me as you do, it’s understandable why you couldn’t.”
