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She ran to the lord and lady’s chambers, and the solar, but everywhere she looked there was not a person to be found.

Finally, she made her way back to the hall, where Edith was calling frantically for her.

“Oh, my lady. I couldn’t find you. I forgot to tell you something.”

“Did you forget to tell me where everyone has gone, perhaps?”

Edith wrung her hands. “Of sorts,” she said. “I was supposed to tell you to go to the chapel when you were ready.”

The banns. Edith’s extra care with her dress.

She smiled, remembering something that Garrick had said the evening before.

I’ll not leave Kenshire again without you as my wife.

She had not thought him to be serious, but it seemed he was quite so. Emma hurried to the main door of the keep, threw it open, and ran to the chapel. And for the first time in as long as she could remember, no silent voice told her to walk instead.

Epilogue

A missive for you, my lady.”

Emma took the message from Mable.

“Thank you.”

The steward left her alone in the solar. She opened it, read the contents, and placed it atop the table. She heard Garrick enter but didn’t look up until he was standing over her.

“What is it?” he asked.

She lifted her head, and Garrick moved to stand directly next to her. She handed the piece of parchment to him, its seal broken and unrecognizable. Not that she’d have known the Clan Scott crest by sight. Due to the warden’s decision to imprison his uncle and subsequent tension between Linkirk and Inverglen, Garrick thought it best they wait to visit Scotland until things settled.

As his expression changed from concern to anger, Emma said, “’Tis a kind gesture, is it not?”

He tossed the missive on the table, crossed his arms, and looked at her as if she’d asked for Graeme de Sowlis to write her.

“If you scowl at me so every time Graeme—”

“There will not be an ‘every time.’”

Emma rolled her eyes, pushed back the wooden chair, which scraped against the stone floor, and imitated her husband by crossing her arms as well.

She didn’t have to wait long.

He reached for her, pulling her arms apart, and hauled her up against his chest. “I do not like it.”

Unlike his harsh tone, the kiss he placed on her lips was soft and most welcome.

“You said yourself the man is honorable. He wishes only to congratulate us and offer continued assistance with the matter of Linkirk.”

This time, he kissed her neck, and Emma turned her head to allow for better access.

“He could have written me,” he murmured, his tongue flicking across her flesh as he moved his mouth closer and closer toward her chest.

“I had to apologize for all that happened. Besides, I do believe there’s a message for you as well.” Though she nodded to the still-scrolled missive addressed to Garrick, her husband didn’t look at it. Instead, he gave his full attention to his ministrations.

Knowing what was coming next, Emma reached behind Garrick and held on. Soon, she’d be unable to stand of her own volition. “You will need every ally you can get.”

His hand whipped around and began to untie the laces at the front of her gown. “Hmm.”