She nodded, explaining how she’d sensed something strange going on between the two of them, but hadn’t put it all together until after she’d returned from Scotland and forced her sister to confess the source of her misery. With her father’s blessing, they’d quietly changed the names on the betrothal contract.
Erik’s eyes narrowed. The naughty vixen. “And you didn’t think to tell me this?”
She mimicked his unrepentant grin. “I thought you deserved a little penance for what you put me through.”
His mouth twisted. Perhaps he did.
She bit her lip, apparently considering something she hadn’t before. “I know you said you left a note, but I hope my disappearance doesn’t cause them to stop the wedding.”
“I don’t think it will. This Matty, does she by chance have big blue eyes and long, wavy blond hair?”
She nodded. “You know her?”
“We met this morning.”
It was her turn to be shocked.
“I didn’t know which window was yours.” He gave a boyish shrug. “I picked the wrong one. At first I thought she was going to scream, but then she smiled and told me it took me long enough. She asked me if I intended to marry you, and when I said I did, she pointed me in the right direction.”
Ellie laughed. “That sounds like Matty.”
She nuzzled her cheek to his chest contentedly. He could feel her fingertip tracing the mark on his arm and wasn’t surprised when she said, “It looks different. This pattern that goes all the way around your arm like a torque wasn’t here before. It looks like a …” She looked up at him and smiled. “It’s a spiderweb! Because of the story you told me?”
He dropped a kiss on her nose. “You are far too observant.”
She ran her finger over it again. “And that looks like abirlinnin the web.” Aye, that had been in his idea. “I should have realized what the markings meant before: the rampant lion is the symbol of Scotland’s kingship,” she said. “But it signifies something else, doesn’t it?” He didn’t say anything. “It’s the reason you keep your identity secret. You and that man at camp—you’re part of the band of phantom warriors I’ve heard about.”
“Ellie …” He shook his head. Secrets, it seemed, were going to be difficult around her. “You make it difficult for a man to keep his vow.”
She grinned. “You didn’t tell me anything, I guessed.” She eyed him slyly. “But if I’m going to marry you, I think I deserve to know one thing.”
He arched a brow. “What’s that?”
“My new name.”
He laughed and kissed her. “So does that mean you’ll marry me?”
“I’m still thinking.”
“Hmm. Did I mention that I own at least a dozen islands?”
Her eyes sparked with excitement. “You do?”
He nodded. “I might be persuaded to show them to you.” His expression turned serious. “Marry me, Ellie. I’ll take you wherever you want to go. I’ll show you the world. Just say you’ll be my wife.”
“Aye,” she said softly, her eyes glistening with tears. “I’ll marry you.”
He hugged her tight, half-tempted to take her to the church right now—before she could change her mind. But he knew his mother and sisters would never forgive him. He tipped her chin and kissed her tenderly. “It’s MacSorley.”
She let out a gurgle of laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Son of the summer traveler. I should have guessed. You really are a pirate.”
He laughed, took her in his arms, and showed her just how ruthless a pirate could be. Over and over.
Epilogue
July 7, 1307
Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, was sitting with the ten members of the Highland Guard in his temporary war room in the Great Hall of Carrick Castle when the messenger arrived.
