Laura blushed as Erskine drew the horse forward.
“Can I say, Laura, I’m quite relieved to see ye are actually a lass,” Aiden said as he drew the horse beside her. “It would be fair to say ye were confusin’ more than just Erskine.”
“Oh? You are not annoyed I deceived you then?” she asked with hope. The fact her friends from her journey up to Scotland had all come to her aid was something particularly heartwarming to her.
“Nae in the slightest, why would we be?” Aiden frowned, just before Laura pointed at Erskine.
“He was annoyed.”
“Well, it looks like he has forgiven ye now,” Tam said as he adjusted in his seat, sitting a little taller now they had staunched the flow of blood with a makeshift bandage of cloth.
“Very true,” Erskine murmured as he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
“Aye, I think we are all very glad ye turned out to be a lass, Laura,” Camden said from the horse on the other side of her.
“Why?” she frowned.
“Well, put it this way,” Camden smirked. “For a while, we were all worried Erskine might fall in love with one of us.”
At this tease, Aiden and Tam guffawed, and Laura chuckled too, but it earned a sharp glare from Erskine.
“If I dinnae have Laura in me arms, ye’d be gettin’ a thump for that one,” yet Erskine was smiling too through his glare.
“Aye, I ken I would,” Camden agreed with a laugh.
Laura happily listened to their teasing that continued back and forth through the journey as she rested her head on Erskine’s chest and listened to his heartbeat. His strong arms came up around her, holding her in place, and every now and then, he dropped small whispers in her ear, telling her he loved her and how relieved he was to have her safe in his arms again.
As they reached the last path that led toward Fort Contin, Laura lifted her head and smiled as she saw the town. It was lit by the sun so strong that it glistened like a bright jewel.
“So, what do ye think?” Erskine said quietly to her. “Will it do for yer new home?”
“Home,” she smiled, thinking how much it already was as much, but that was thanks to a person more than the place. “You were right, you know.”
“About what?” Erskine asked.
“As much as it pains me to say it,” she lifted her eyes to his, “it is more beautiful than England,” she said, reminding him of their old running jest. He smiled in response and connected their lips together again.
Wherever Erskine is, that place will be my home now.
Epilogue
Laura rolled over in the bed, waking with the sounds of the birds beyond the windows and the coming of the dawn. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, seeing the room bathed in golden sunlight around her. She smiled when she saw the chamber. It was a fine space indeed and had been gifted to her by her soon-to-be father-in-law. He claimed it was one of the finest in the castle, and the next Lady of the MacCallum clan deserved as much. She was dearly touched by his kindness and had to agree, it was a fine room indeed.
High in the rafters of the castle, it had one of the most spectacular views, looking out across the beach and the ocean below. In the chamber itself, the white stone was decorated with deep mahogany wood and pale cream furnishings. The result was a space that felt warm, especially due to the grand fireplace that was opposite her four-poster bed. The fire crackled orange within the hearth, warming the chamber, in front of which there was a long rug, crafted out of wool.
It was to be her chamber alone, though Erskine had already promised her that once they were married, she would never have to be alone very long in it.
She sat up in bed sharply at the thought.
Today is the day!
She looked to the window, smiling again, almost in disbelief that the day had come around, for it had felt like it might not happen at times.
Today I am to become Erskine’s wife.
She tried to calm her nerves and laid back on the bed again, reasoning she had some time before she had to get up, but she was restless and quite certain that those nerves would not dissipate all day.
Her father was coming to the wedding. Needless to say, the fallout from her broken-off betrothal with Lord Moore had been quite disastrous. Her father had written angry letters indeed at the news, addressed to both her, Laird MacCallum, and Erskine, claiming that she had dishonored the family by her actions.
