“And yet, yegavethem.”
His gaze met hers. “I merely recognized what was already his.”
She was proud of him at that moment, at the laird that he was.
“Ye are nae always as unyielding as ye would have others believe,” she said.
Domhnall’s expression did not alter greatly, though she saw the faint shift at the corner of his mouth.
“Just dinnae make the mistake of telling anyone that,” he replied.
“I shall keep it as me greatest secret,” she said lightly.
His hold tightened. “I would expect naething less. There is another thing I would like tae discuss with ye, Margaret. Yer faither’s lands. Ye ken his property automatically goes tae the husband of his oldest daughter.”
“Aye,” she nodded.
“So, I will become laird of those lands and intend tae maintain yer birthright as best I can. But… I was thinking that perhaps ye would like tae ask Eleonor and her husband if they would like tae move there and administer them?”
“Oh, Domhnall, would ye really dae that? Thank ye, it would mean the world tae me!” she exclaimed, as she flung herself into his arms.
He hugged her tightly and felt a joy he thought he never would again.
The ease between them lingered for a moment. Domhnall did not release her. Instead, he turned her more fully toward him, with his hands steady at her waist. His eyes held hers with a focus that quieted even the smallest movement of thought.
“Margaret,” he said.
He spoke her name in a way that stilled her entirely.
“Aye?”
For a man who rarely hesitated, the pause was notable.
“I have given thought,” he spoke slowly, carefully choosing each word that he laid before her, “tae what comes next.”
Margaret felt her breath catch, though she did not know why.
“And what did ye find?” she asked, her voice softer now.
“That what we have built,” he said, “shouldnae end with us.”
She searched his expression, uncertain of his meaning, until she saw it.
She understood it. Shefeltit.
“I… would… like tae have a child with ye.”
The words were simple, and yet, she had never heard a more beautiful combination of them in her entire life. She could feel the sudden, overwhelming clarity of it, and it left her speechless. To say that she had not expected it would be a dire understatement, and yet, when the meaning settled within her, she found that it did not surprise her as much as it might have done.
It felt righter than anything else.
“Ye would?” she wondered playfully.
Domhnall’s gaze did not waver. “Aye. I love ye.”
There was no elaboration. It was perfectly in line with his character. Margaret felt joy so sudden and unguarded that she could not, and did not wish to, conceal it.
“I should like that very much,” she said, beaming at the very thought.
