Callum gasped like a disapproving aunt, and Gillian cast a look at him. “If ye insist on staying, then hold your tongue. I’ve things to say to John, and I won’t go until I said them.”
John looked around. They were drawing the interest of everyone in earshot. In fact, some of the patrons were drawing closer to hear better.
“Callum, get her out of here,” he said through gritted teeth.
But she stood before him, her arms crossed over her chest, her face flushed with anger. She looked as fierce as her father as she pulled away from her clansman.
“Gilly,” Callum pleaded. “He means you’re drawing a crowd. Perhaps ye could go back to your sister’s house and write it down in a letter? Your da would tan my hide and make a new scabbard for his claymore out of it if he knew ye were in a place like this.”
“This won’t take long,” she replied. “I just wanted to ask John where he was going when he left, what he planned to do?”
“I’m going back where I belong,” he said.
She colored at that. “Without a thought for me? For the fact that I love you?”
Callum gave a horrified grunt.
“It’s the right choice, Gillian,” he said. “You may not know it now, but you’ll understand someday.”
Her green eyes caught fire, blazed, and she came forward with her finger pointed like a dirk. She stabbed it into his chest. “What I understand, John Erly, is that you have no right to make my choice for me.”
Her finger was sharp, and it hurt. He grabbed her hand, held it. “Touché, Mistress MacLeod. Yet isn’t that what you’re doing? What of my choice? Why do you think I told you about my past? You’re a clever lass, Gilly. Weren’t you listening? Do you think I’d let you throw your life away like Daniel did, give up everything for me, for nothing?”
She clasped his hand, and the anger in her eyes softened. “For nothing?” she whispered. “Is that what you think? You said Daniel was happy. Hechoseto go with you. And he found true love. He told you that. Did you not believe him either?”
She brought his hand to her heart, held it there. “You’re a fool, John Erly. I’d go to the ends of the earth for you, not to look for true love, but because I’ve already found it.” She shut her eyes. “ Perhaps you haven’t.” She looked at him with such longing his breath caught in his throat. “You have to decide if you want me. My father will say no—at least at first—”
“He’ll kill him, Gilly,” Callum muttered.
“He might try,” she admitted. “But he won’t.”
“He’d never let ye marry a—” Callum continued.
“A Sassenach, an outsider,” John finished for him. “Daniel left home because he hated my father, wanted an adventure, not to find love. That was an accident.”
Gillian tilted her head. “I want adventures, too, with you. A lifetime of them. And if finding love is an accident, it’s a happy one. At least for me.”
He didn’t move, didn’t speak.
She sighed and let go of his hand. “If I’ve been selfish, unfair, I’m sorry. I can choose you, but I cannot choose for you.”
She stepped back. “I’m going home to Glen Iolair. It’s for you to decide if you want me, if loving me is worth the risks.”
She turned to Callum. “Now I’m ready to go,” she said and walked away.
