Malcolm returned with the deed, ink and quill. “Sign it o’er,” he demanded, pointing to where Theodore needed to sign.
After scrawling his signature across the page, Nicholas and Alexander added theirs to make it official.
“Pleasure doing business with ye,” Gunn snapped sarcastically, ignoring the glare Theodore threw his way. “Now, get the fuck out of my pub.”
Malcolm and Nicholas hauled Theodore to his feet, dragging him to the door, where they roughly tossed him out on his arse.
Finlay nodded, looking around. “That went smoothly. Nice job.” He popped the top off the whisky, and Alexander grabbed glasses from the bar, balancing them as he carried them tothe table. “Ye ken, ’tis no’ too bad of place. Ye can make it profitable.”
“Now that I ken why e’erything was going to shite before and I’ve eliminated the problem, I’ve nay doubt.”
They all picked up a glass, holding them in the air and clinking them together.
“Slaintè!”
“Ye ken,” Gunn said after they each emptied their glass, “that was fun. Reminded me of the old days.”
Finlay scoffed. “Ye watch your mouth. Our wives will have our arses if we make this type of thing a habit.”
Our wives.
Gunn thought about Joss. It can’t happen now for obvious reasons, but he couldn’t wait to make her his wife.
*
After a fungame of bridge and an early dinner since the men hadn’t arrived back home yet, all the ladies decided to go their separate ways and get ready for the evening with their families.
Jocelyn climbed the stairs up to her and Gunn’s rooms. They were the only ones on this floor. Louise was waiting for her when she walked into her room.
“I can help ye dress for the night, my lady,” she offered, and Jocelyn accepted it.
She enjoyed the help. Appreciated it even. The small talk they would share whilst Louise brushed her hair to a shine was nice.
Once she’d bid her good night and left the room, Jocelyn retrieved her mother’s diary from the top drawer of her dresser and sat on the red-cushioned window seat. The huge, bowed window overlooked the garden that led out to the sea. She could see the white caps of the waves crashing onto shore. If she listened closely she could hear them as well.
Opening the diary, she ran her fingers over the pages her mother had written. It was her comfort, this book. A reminder of how life could be.
Should be.
She was getting a glimpse of that now. Seeing what her mother had experienced with her father. The happiness that two people who truly cared and loved each other could experience.
Looking out the window, she wondered when Gunn would return. How things went. If they went as planned or if things went awry and that was why he was late. She hoped all was well.
She couldn’t imagine any scenario where the five men didn’t come out victorious, but there was always a chance.
Bringing her thumb to her mouth, she nibbled at her cuticles nervously. She didn’t want to sleep in here tonight. Alone.
Setting the diary aside, she sat up, an idea forming in her head. But was she daring enough to see it through?
Aye, as Gunn would say, she was.
Cinching the belt of her robe tighter around her waist, she slipped her feet into her slippers and crept over to the door. Pulling it open, she stuck her head out into the hall, looking both ways to see if anyone was about.
The corridor was empty. Not surprising seeing how it was only she and Gunn housed on this floor. And after Louise finished helping her get ready for bed, she would return to the servants’ quarters below stairs.
Quietly, she snuck from her room and crept over to Gunn’s door. She rested her ear upon it to see if she could hear any noise inside to make her aware that he’d returned. There wasn’t any.
Not surprising. She was almost positive that he would have inquired after her upon his return.
