Page 64 of In Bed with a Highland Liar

“I would dae anythin’ fer Lilith, me laird,” Aaden said, taking the opportunity to try his luck with the man. “I ken that I deceived ye an’ I came tae ye under false pretenses, but I truly love yer daughter. I dae. An’ I still wish tae wed her if ye would allow it.”

Everyone seemed to hold their breath in that moment, waiting for Laird Stewart’s response. After a few moments, the man nodded and relief washed over Aaden, a relief so powerful it was almost overwhelming.

“If me daughter still wishes tae wed ye, then I will give ye me blessin’,” said Laird Stewart.

“I dae,” Lilith rushed to say, a wide smile spreading over her lips. “Ach, I dae, Faither. Thank ye.”

As Aaden’s mother walked over to Lilith, hugging her and welcoming her to the family, Aaden turned to his cousin instead—or, he supposed, his half-brother. Though he had long known of their relationship, he had always thought of Evander as his cousin, but now that the truth was out, he would have to get used to calling him what he truly was.

“I hope ye’ll decide tae be a better laird, a better man than yer faither,” he told him.

“I will be,” said Evander, with such conviction that Aaden had no choice but to believe him. “Trust me, I willnae end up like him. I swear it.”

With a pat on Evander’s back, Aaden pulled him towards the rest of the group. Evander had grown much in only a few hours, the circumstances requiring him to take control of his life, and by now, he must have felt exhausted, Aaden thought.

They would all have time to rest. Once they were back at Castle Stewart, everything would fall into place.

EPILOGUE

Afew weeks later.

The wedding ceremony had gone by in the blink of an eye for Aaden. Before he knew it, he and Lilith were married and then they were surrounded by all their friends and families, their clansmen and women, everyone they loved and held dear. The great hall of Castle Stewart had been decorated with banners and flowers, Laird Stewart sparing no expense for his daughter’s wedding, and the tables that had been set up for the guests seemed to buckle under the weight of the platters set upon them—roasted meat and pies and sweets, all of it laid out for the celebration in honor of the couple.

Laird Stewart’s band, the very same one Aaden had talked into helping him when he had serenaded Lilith, were now playing a jovial tune and some people danced in the area that had been cleared for them, a blur of color and limbs. Though Aaden had spent most of the evening with Lilith, she now stood across the room, talking with her sister excitedly about something Aaden had no hope of hearing from where he sat at the head table, next to his mother. Just seeing her, though, had a warmth spreading in his chest, as though he were standing right next to a burning flame.

She was always beautiful, but that day, she looked particularly radiant in her blue dress, her neck and wrists adorned with jewels, her hair spilling like ink down her back. Aaden could not stop watching her, his gaze drawn back to Lilith over and over again, even when he talked to someone else.

“Ye love her very much.”

It wasn’t a question. His mother could tell just by looking at him, just by seeing the way he was looking at Lilith. When he shifted his gaze to her, she smiled and reached over to stroke his hair, fussing over him just like he remembered her doing when he was a boy.

“I dae,” Aaden said, even though he didn’t need to confirm it. “I never thought I would find a lass like her.”

“I’m glad ye did,” his mother said. “Ach, I’m so proud o’ me laddies.”

Next to her, Evander smiled, leaning a little closer to her. There was still a bit of a strain to it, as though smiling pained him still, and he followed their mother around like a puppy, always fearful that something had happened to her when she was not in his line of sight, but he seemed to be getting better with every passing day.

“I’m very proud o’ ye, Evander,” their mother added. “Ye’re already doin’ so well. Ye’ll be the laird our clan needs.”

“If ye need help with anythin’ at all, all ye need tae dae is ask,” Aaden told him and he truly meant every word. Though Ruadh had prepared him for the day he would take on the mantle of the laird, Aaden didn’t know how good o a job he had done, and now Evander had few trusted men who could guide him in his first years as the Laird of Clan MacEwan. The death of his father had left everything in disarray, and along with the lack of gold and the debts, Evander had a difficult road ahead of him. But he didn’t have to go through it all alone.

“Thank ye,” Evander said, tilting his head in a gesture of gratitude. “But I must dae this alone or at least try, at first. Faither—” He stumbled over the word, but then quickly recovered, taking a deep breath. “He taught me some valuable things, but I willnae be like him and I must learn tae lead the clan on me own.”

Aaden nodded. He could respect that, this desire to carve his own way, to rise up to the circumstances without anyone’s help. Still, his offer would stand if Evander ever needed him.

“Excuse me.”

Laird Stewart’s voice cut through their conversation and the three of them turned to look at the man. He was glowing with happiness and Aaden knew it was all because when he looked at his daughter, he saw that she, too, was happy.

Aaden pushed his chair back, under the impression that the laird wanted to speak with him, but the man was only looking at his mother.

“I wanted tae ask if I could perhaps have the next dance,” he said, offering her his hand.

Aaden froze. For a moment, he could only move his eyes, glancing at Evander behind their mother’s back. He, too, was just as shocked as him, his eyes wide.

“A dance?” their mother asked, blinking in surprise. Just when Aaden thought she would never respond, she smiled and took the hand offered to her, following Laird Stewart to where everyone else was already dancing the night away.

The moment they were gone, Aaden’s and Evander’s gazes met once more and they both burst out laughing, trying to stifle the sound behind their hands. It took them a while to get back their composure, chuckles still escaping them every few moments, but when they did, Aaden slapped a hand on Evander’s shoulder and stood.