Page 77 of The Lady of Her Highland Clan

Smiling, Bruce stood back.

"It's all there," said Bruce, nodding.

Beside Fiona, Grace gasped, astonished.

"I dinnae believe it!" she cried. And judging by the faces of the elders behind them, some had been stricken by the palsy. Turning to Fiona, Grace looked incredulous.

"I didnae ken it was real!" she said. "Is it all there?"

Fiona grinned. "Nae quite," she said, under the watchful gaze of the elders. "We have split it, but um, looking here, I think Laird Anderson has been most bountiful...an', there's this..."

Reaching from out of her pocket, Fiona added the final touch: the large ruby found in Fraser's possession.

McTavish looked at her, open-mouthed. "The Duncan ruby!" he announced. A shocked look fell over the room. Then, spontaneous applause broke out, accompanied by cheering.

Grinning, Grace nudged her. "Ye did it, lass!"

But Fiona shushed her down. Despite the excitement, there was still much to be decided. Mainly about the lairdship.

Anxiously, Fiona pointed her eyes toward McTavish. For his part, the aged counselor was staring agog at the ruby, as if he could not believe his own eyes.

"Well, Miss Duncan..." His words trailed away. There was an aside, as he conferred with his advisors. Then, with a nod of his bony head, he assented.

"We are quite decided, ye have surpassed our expectations!" the head elder said. Behind him, an enthusiastic murmuring broke out. "An' we are united, that ye should be our lady!"

A cheer broke out from the small chamber, as well as from the hall behind them. Struggling to regain control of the chamber, McTavish tapped on his table.

"We want ye tae be our lady; however, there is one condition..."

McTavish's voice disintegrated into coughing, and he was overwhelmed by the cheer that went up. Helplessly, he turned to his second-in-command.

The blind counselor that Fiona recognized from earlier nodded sagely.

"Mistress Fiona," said the old man, struggling to find where she was. Seeing the confusion in the counselor's face, Fiona shushed down the chamber to be quiet.

"We, the elders, propose that ye, Fiona, should be married afore ye can be officially our lady."

Fiona's eyes widened. Laughing, she looked at Grace. Behind her, her sisters—and brother, who had appeared finally—applauded.

Frantically, Fiona felt her emotions overcoming her. She was excited but also now unsure. What exactly was she going to do?

Before Fiona could find the words to say anything, Clyde stood up.

"Fiona," he said solemnly. A slight pinkening crept into his cheek. He pressed his hands forward.

"I think I can solve yer problems," he twinkled. "An' mine, if...ye would agree tae be my wife!"

Clyde looked at her pensively. He was not the only one. The weight of the room's eyes were upon her. Fiona felt herself heat up under their gaze. Crazily, her heart sped up.

Across the room, Lissie's eyes connected with hers. She was overwhelmed and in tears. With a rush, Fiona realized this was a big day for everyone in the clan, not just her.

But Clyde's surprising proposal was the cherry on top of it all. Unable to take it in, Fiona merely gasped.

A painful silence opened as Fiona felt Clyde's gaze. The old counselors stopped and stared as she felt herself heat up. It took a minute or two for sense to come to her head.

"Clyde, o' course I'll be yer wife..."

She kissed him slowly on the cheek. The counselors were watching, but she didn't care. Then, without warning, Clyde lifted her into the air. With a gust of passion, he swirled her around.

"Ye'll nae regret it, Lady Duncan!"