“At last,” she breathed and seemed only delighted by what she felt as she tightened around him.
Her possession stole his breath. He filled his hands with her breasts, stroking her skin where the bandage did not cover it. “My beautiful Caitrin,” he murmured. “I love every part of ye.” Then he slid his hands down her ribs to her hips and helped her lift and lower herself until they found a rhythm that brought them both satisfaction. Caitrin’s cries broke Jamie’s control as rapture took her, sending him to the bliss she’d promised.
When they came back to themselves, Caitrin stretched out on his chest, cupped his face with one hand and grinned. “I told ye I could do it.”
He smiled and smoothed her hair away from her face. “I’ll never doubt ye again.”
“The healer said I’m free to travel.”
“Ye rode quite well today.” His smile widened into a mischievous grin.
She smacked his shoulder and giggled. “Aye, and I’ll get better at it the more I get to…ride.” Her lips quirked, then her expression turned quizzical. “But where shall we go?”
“I want to take ye back to Lathan, but if ye want to see yer da and arrange things at Fletcher first, I willna object.”
She nodded. “Shall we marry there or at Lathan?”
“I’m ready now,” he told her, and then wrapped his arms around her, telling her without words that he would never let her go, “but that will be yer choice.”
“Perhaps both.”
Jamie grinned. “I like the sound of that.” In truth, he did. He’d marry her over and over again, every day, if it would keep her by his side.
“Then it’s settled.”
“And it could no’ be better. But before we leave here, I must speak with the new MacGregor. I understand the clan elected him just last night.”
****
The speed at which the MacGregor keep changed amazed Jamie. While he recovered his wits and Caitrin healed, the clan had been doing the same. They stood in the Laird’s solar, yet Jamie had no concerns Caitrin would be haunted by memories of Alasdair’s assaults here. Except for the position of the windows, the chamber looked completely different. The furniture had been removed and replaced, the doubled tapestries were gone, and draperies in a rich, deep red now covered the window wall. A large Persian carpet graced the floor, and a fire danced merrily in the hearth.
But the biggest change, by far, was the person this chamber now belonged to. The new MacGregor, a young man just barely in his majority, came out from behind his desk as they entered hand in hand, and took their free hands in his. He spoke with authority beyond his years. “Ye have done this clan a great service, whether ye realize it or no’.”
Jamie couldn’t fathom why the clan had tolerated Alasdair for so long when it had this young man waiting to be laird. “I’m pleased to hear ye say that, but I dinna ken exactly what ye mean.”
Caitrin stood at his side, ready to squeeze his fingers if she detected any falsehood.
Her father may not have trusted her talent, but given the events leading up to this day, Jamie was prepared to accept any advantage he could find in this meeting. Too much bad blood had spilled already, and it would be too easy for things to get out of hand, resulting in more misery and more deaths. But the new MacGregor’s initial words made him seem indisposed to stir up more trouble.
“My cousin Alasdair’s demise, of course.”
Jamie raised an eyebrow, unsure of how he was meant to respond to that. But the new MacGregor didn’t give him time to compose something suitably noncommittal.
“I am sorry, both personally and as the MacGregor,” he said, flashing a quick smile before resuming his appropriately serious countenance, “for the difficulty ye encountered here. For milady Fletcher’s injuries. And for the crimes committed in the past which harmed many outside of our clan. What ye may no’ be aware of is Alasdair’s uncle, his sire and his older sons—all lost at Flodden, thank God—they and Alasdair exercised…proclivities upon their own people, most of whom were too afraid to speak out. Those who did…disappeared. I am only now hearing stories, like yers, that grieve me greatly. They had much to answer for, but they are long out of our reach. And ye have saved us more years of horror, and the potential for division in the clan, in bringing the son to justice.” He paused and shrugged, suddenly looking even younger until he spoke. “We are better off, now the bastard is dead.”
Jamie nodded to acknowledge the unfortunate truth of that. The lad showed unexpected wisdom for one so young to such weighty responsibility.
“I…weowe ye both a debt, and to Fletcher,” he said with a nod to Caitrin, “and to Lathan. We will be years in making recompense. But there is one thing I can do today to begin to repay ye, if ye will allow it.”
“Aye?”
Jamie felt Caitrin stiffen beside him, but he had a good feeling about this lad and reserved judgment until he heard all the new laird had to say.
“I understand ye never favored this betrothal to the MacGregor, Lady Fletcher. Fortunately, it is no longer an issue, since I already have a young wife of my own, one I am happy to keep.” He gave them a bashful grin then adopted a serious expression again. “I also understand ye both wish to wed…one another, that is. Am I correct?”
“Ye are,” Jamie answered. Caitrin’s silence suggested she wasn’t sure what the young MacGregor had in mind.
“There is a priest standing by. I hereby waive the banns. If ye wish, ye can be married now. Today. MacGregor will, of course, provide a dowry suitable to the occasion. I regret yer father is no’ at hand, but we can proceed without him. I have a letter from the former dowager Lady MacGregor, now Lady Fletcher, I believe, that gives their blessing to the union between ye two.”
