“Not yet… I… we—”
“Och, child, let’s leave them alone,” broke in Leith, glancing at Jeanne, who stood near the house with a broad smile on her face as she wiped her floured hands in her apron. “I’m sure they’ve much tae talk about without us troubling them—”
“Oh, but Papa!”
Sorcha kept up her protests all the way to the house, where Jeanne gave her a big hug and then shepherded the girl inside, followed by Leith.
Only then did Cameron once again pull Aislinn into his arms, his gaze filled with teasing as he stared into her eyes.
“Hmm… did I hear the lass say that mayhap you loved me?”
“Mayhap?” Aislinn teased him back, though she shivered at the way he looked at her… Cameron sobering now as his blue eyes darkened. “I think she sounded fairly certain of it.”
“Och, woman, I’ll not know for certain until I hear you say the words—but mayhap you want tae hear them first from me, since it’s you that cured me.”
“Cured you?” she whispered, not only shivering as he nodded, but her heartbeat thundering.
“Aye, Aislinn. You’ve made me whole—och, as whole as can be until you’re fully my wife. I love you andno onewill keep us apart, I swear it! They’ll have tae slay me—”
“No, no, don’t say such a thing!” she cried out, pressing her fingers to his lips. “I would die then, too, for I wouldn’t want to go on without you! I love you, Cameron…”
She fell silent, her heart aching with such love for him that her throat had grown tight, tears again springing to her eyes.
One trickled down her cheek and he bent his head to kiss it away, and then lifted her chin and pressed his mouth to hers—Aislinn tasting the salt upon his lips.
A tremor from deep within rocking her that they yet faced such uncertainty no matter what they wanted so fiercely… ah, God, let her not think of that harsh reality right now!
She felt Cameron grow tense, too, as if struck by the same thought that their path ahead was a precarious one. Yet why couldn’t they pretend even for a short while that nothing stood in the way of their happiness—nothing!
A low nickering carried to Aislinn as Cameron, with great reluctance, released her and turned to where his stallion walked toward them.
The reins dragging upon the ground, the massive animal appeared as exhausted as Cameron, whose face was lined with weariness in the sunlight that broke through the heavy clouds.
“Och, I didna tether him. I saw you and jumped down, not thinking…”
His voice tinged with the same weariness, Aislinn felt a rush of concern. “Did you ride through the night?”
“Aye, except for a few stops tae rest him—but dinna worry, love.” Cameron drew her into his arms again and kissed her cheek. “Seeing you again and knowing you’re safe is all I needed tae revive myself—”
“Yet you’re exhausted, I can see it,” Aislinn cut in gently, though his nuzzling at her ear thrilled her as much as hearing him call herlove. “You must get some sleep—if only for a few hours. The day is young, Cameron, surely there is time for you to lie down for a while…”
She grew silent at his expression darkening, his embrace around her tightening, too.
“Do you know how I learned you ran away from the convent? A message from King Robert, and he’s given me three days tae return you tae Dumbarton or he’ll send some of his men with Lord Butler tae come after you.”
“So they thought I’d gone to Campbell Castle just as I feared,” Aislinn murmured. “That’s why I came here, and I prayed and hoped that you’d know where to find me… if you wanted to find me. I wasn’t certain after I didn’t tell you about the betrothal—”
“All of that’s behind us now,” Cameron said with such finality that she couldn’t help but feel reassured. “I realized that you didna reveal the truth because you never accepted your father’s plans for you—and you’d hoped so fervently tae sway him and make your own choice.”
“Aye, Cameron,you! You’re my choice—ah, God, I still can’t believe you’re here and we’re together! Who could have known that stowing aboard my father’s ship would bring me to you? If only I could have moved his heart—”
“You moved mine, Aislinn”—Cameron pressed his lips briefly to hers—“and mayhap one other. It didna strike me until I was on my way here that the messenger said something about regret by King Robert.”
“Regret?” Aislinn echoed as Cameron nodded, staring into her eyes.
“He knows I love you. Wanted tae wed you—aye,willwed you… which is why I believe the king didna allow Lord Butler tae ride north the same day you ran away from the convent. How that must have enraged him! He’s proven himself tae King Robert as not only a harsh man, but a brutal one—and you’re his wife’s cousin! I’m certain that weighed upon his mind—and his heart—when he sent a messenger tae tell me you’d fled and gave me three days tae bring you back tae Dumbarton. Three precious days.”
Now Cameron kissed her so fervently that Aislinn sighed against his lips, but still her mind raced with confusion.
