Athena nodded as Cash said, “Of course we do, lad.”
When Matthew turned to her, Athena smiled. “Aye, Matthew. Yer father has shown me that Idolove ye, as much as I love Callan.”
“And…” Matthew glanced at Callan, then back to her. “And him? You love Father, don’t you?”
Athena’s grin grew, and she squeezed the lad’s hands. “Aye, Matthew. I love yer father. And he loves me.”
Callan’s whoop startled them all, and when he threw up his spoon in excitement, he knocked against the shelves, causing the portrait of the regal lady in blue to wobble. “Itoldye it would work! They just had to talk! Can we eat now?”
Before she could answer, her son dug his spoon into the bowl of trifle, emerging with a helping far bigger than his mouth. Still, that didn’t stop him from trying to eat it, and she lunged for him—“Callan!”—and missed.
Now she was lying on her stomach on the pillows, and as her son stuck the spoon in his mouth and most of his serving landed on his cheeks and shirt, she began to laugh.
Behind her, Cash chuckled as well, and she dragged herself upright to sit beside Callan and the small table with the large, ruined trifle.
“I cannae believe ye carried an entire trifle to Dumpkins,” she admitted with a shake of her head.
Callan swallowed and beamed proudly, covered in crème and pudding. “I had to, because it’s yer favorite.” Itwasher favorite, and the fact he’d stolen it for her was exasperatingly sweet. “It was also my idea to use the things from home that couldnae go in the fort as clues for ye!”
That was a convoluted sentence, but Athena squinted thoughtfully. “Ye mean the things ye couldnae use to decorate this place? Like Aunt Olive’s spectacles?”
Callan was already digging into the trifle again as he nodded enthusiastically. “Uh-huh.”
With a sigh, Athena pinched the bridge of her nose. She was going to have a serious talk with Callan about his stealing—even if, in his mind, it was for a good cause—but perhaps not now, when she was sitting on the stolen pillows, watching him eat stolen trifle.
The trifledidlook rather tasty, despite being a bit travel-worn.
Only a few feet from her, Cash had pinned his heir with a serious stare. “I can’t condone the theft, son, but Athena is right. I’m pleased you and Callan have made a place for yourselves.”
Matthew ducked his head and smiled shyly. “It was my idea to find a way to get you together.”
“Yes, and while I appreciate the outcome, the method…” Cash blew out a breath as he shook his head. “Son, I pray you’ll never know the level of fear I experienced when I couldn’t find you. I was so afraid something terrible had happened.”
He was using vague terms, but Matthew responded to the sadness he heard in his father’s voice by leaning forwardand planting his hands on his knees, as if the intensity would help. “Father, I didn’t mean to make you afraid. I’m sorry! I just thought that if you and—and—” He glanced at Athena, obviously not sure what to call her. “If you andMa’amhad to work together to look for us, you’d realize how sad you’ve each been, and…”
He trailed off, dropping his chin and sitting back on his haunches once more. “I’m sorry,” he repeated in a whisper.
Athena exchanged a glance with Cash and could tell he was wavering as much as she was.
“Matthew,” she said softly, reaching for the lad’s hand, “what ye did…it scared yer father and me. It was done with the best of intentions, and it worked, for we have had our discussion and realized what we want for the future, but it was scary no’ to ken where our children were.”
The lad squeezed her hand, his big blue eyes full of sorrow. “I’m sorry for hurting you, ma’am.”
There’d been a moment when he’d called herMama. She offered him a kind smile. “I am willing to forgive ye, but please ken that yer father and I are relying on ye to temper Callan’s impulsive tendencies.” With her other hand, she ruffled her son’s hair, trying to keep her sleeve out of the crème smeared on his face as he licked his spoon. “In the future, I am certain we will allow the pair of ye freedom to roam, but we will be relying onyeto ensure yer brother’s safety, and we have to ken we can trust ye.”
Matthew sucked in a breath, his eyes widening further. “Brother?” he whispered, his gaze darting between her and his father.
Cash’s lips quirked upward. “Does that mean you’ll marry me, Athena?”
Taking a deep breath, she offered him her future. “Aye. I will.” Because now she knew he loved her, and that was all it would take for her to be happy for the rest of her years. “But I will no’ give ye the name.”
“I’ll ask you again on our first anniversary.”
She smirked. “Ye are welcome to ask.”
To her surprise, Cash chuckled. “I suspect that being married to you will be an adventure, love.”
An adventure?
