* * *
Torcall hoped Ceana wouldn’t be awake. He banked on the fact that she would be too tired from their night together. The memory brought a wide smile to his face, but he pushed it away. It wasn’t time for that. He had an important thing to do.
The door was thrown open at his knock, and he came face to face with Regina. The two of them said nothing, looking at each other. During their journey home, Ceana had told him of how hard it had been maintaining his innocence at home. She had told him of her mother’s stance. Now that he had been proven innocent, he wondered about her feelings towards him.
Graciously, Regina spoke. “It appears that I owe ye an apology, young man, and I am heartily sorry. I would ne’er have been able to deal with the guilt if I had found out about yer innocence after yer death.”
Torcall nodded. “Ye do nae owe me an apology for trying to protect Ceana. I am glad that in me absence, her family tried to do it. I cannae claim to be happy about ye plannin’ to marry her off to such a lowlife, however.”
Regina nodded, and a smile appeared on her face. “Ye are a good man. ‘Tis why me daughter loves ye.”
“I love her even more,” Torcall said.
“Ye have me blessings. I am afraid she is still asleep. However, ye cannae see her yet.”
“I am here to see Alina,” Torcall told her. “I am a man who pays my debts, and I owe Alina heavily.”
Respect showed on Regina’s features. “I really do like ye.”
When Alina came to meet him, there was surprise on her face. Torcall realized that they had ne’er actually spoken beyond pleasantries.
“Ye wish to see me?” she asked, rather shyly.
“Aye,” Torcall nodded. “I am in yer debt, Alina,” he said, getting straight to the point. “I would be dead now but for ye, and I do nae take it lightly. I owe ye me life, and I am not blind to this, and so, I am here to acknowledge me debts. I owe ye. If I can ever be of service—should ye need a man ready to put his life on the line for ye, ye have one.” Torcall bowed respectfully, and Alina smiled.
“Take care of me sister. That is payment enough.”
“Nay,” Torcall shook his. “I owe that to her and to meself. I owe ye me happiness.”
Alina nodded in understanding. “I understand.”
Happy, Torcall nodded before leaving.
* * *
Ceana came to the loch herself that evening to get the message that Torcall had left her. Though her mother had relayed her conversation with Torcall to her, she had known that Torcall had wanted to see her.
Seeing Torcall was always a joy, but today was different for Ceana. She feared that he had made up his mind to leave the clan and had asked her here to tell her. Throughout her ride to the loch, she had made up her mind not to guilt-trip him to stay. She had made up her mind to try her best not to weep in his presence—there would be plenty of time for that later.
He was there waiting for her when she got there. He was happy, and she wondered what news she thought of leaving her offered him no sorrow. She was lifted into his arms and embraced as soon as she came close to him.
“What makes ye so happy?” she asked him as he had spun her around before putting her down. She tried her very best to keep her voice steady.
“I am nae leaving anymore. I wish to stay here,” he told her.
At first, Ceana was certain that she hadn’t heard him.
“Ye are stayin’?” she asked him.
“Aye,” he nodded, a huge grin appearing on his face.
Ceana’s heart wept with joy, and she blinked quickly to keep the tears away from her eyes.
“What,” she swallowed the break in her voice, “what made ye change yer mind?”
“I wanted to leave because I was sad because I couldnae find anything that made me happy in these lands, but,” he took her hands and pulled her to him, “I found ye, and ye make me happy, happier even than the wealthiest man in all of the Highlands,” he told her.
Ceana blushed, bowing her head to hide the blush on her face. As though seeking her face still, he got down on one knee and looked up at her.
