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Kenna was shaken by the experience and annoyed at Ruairi for not listening to her in the first place, but she was glad he had defended her. Even though she did not link arms with him, she still remained close. Neither of them had acknowledged the kiss, and now she doubted they ever would. Ruairi treated it as a mistake, as though he had committed some great crime. Kenna wished that she could make him see otherwise, but she doubted he would believe her even if she spoke with all the truth in the world. Soon enough, they would be home anyway, and then they would part. Kenna’s heart was heavy for Ruairi’s sake. He seemed so lost out here, so miserable. Why couldn’t he see that he would be happier if he went home?

They walked to Monsieur Picard’s office. Kenna was relieved to see that he was available. She walked in and smiled at the small man with the narrow face and round glasses.

“Monsieur Picard? I am Kenna Baird,” she said. As soon as she mentioned her last name, Monsieur Picard’s face lit up, and he walked around to give her the customary kiss on each cheek.

“Madame! I am so ‘appy to see you! Your papa is a trusted friend, non, more than a friend—a business partner!” he said. His voice had a singsong quality to it, and his personality seemed larger than life. He barely acknowledged Ruairi. “What are you doing so far from ‘ome and with such…interesting company?” He arched an eyebrow in Ruairi’s direction.

“There was an accident,” Kenna said, and she was glad that Monsieur Picard was a cultured man who knew many different languages. “I was caught in a storm, and we washed up on a shore here. I am seeking passage back home, for I know my da will be beside himself with worry, but I’m afraid I dinnae hae any coin. I used what little I haed for food and shelter.”

Monsieur Picard nodded somberly. “Non matter, my dear, I will take you back home free of charge, and I’m sure your papa will be grateful for having his daughter back from the jaws of death.” A wide smile appeared on his face, and Kenna stopped herself from rolling her eyes. It seemed that everyone in this place only saw each other as part of a deal. “But as for your companion here…” He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and shook his head.

“He is nae just my companion,” Kenna said quickly, and glanced towards Ruairi. She was about to tell Monsieur Picard that a Calbraith man stood before him, but Ruairi had gone to great lengths to keep his true identity a secret, and as much as she was frustrated with him, it wasn’t her place to reveal his truth to the world. So instead, she fashioned a lie, one that wasn’t so far from the truth. “He is my husband,” she said, and smiled sweetly as she wrapped her arm around Ruairi’s. The look on Ruairi’s face was almost as surprising as the look on Monsieur Picard’s.

The trader arched an eyebrow. “I had heard that you were intended for Senor Manuel del Rio,” Monsieur Picard said.

Kenna held the sweet, innocent smile on her face. “Then ye heard wrong, Monsieur. Senor del Rio is an old man. This is his son.”

“Is this true?” Monsieur Picard asked Ruairi.

“Si,” Ruairi replied bluntly.

Monsieur Picard clapped his hands together and arched both his eyebrows. Kenna knew he had no reason to disbelieve her, and thankfully he didn’t press the matter. “I’m sure I can arrange passage for you. I ‘ave a ship ready to depart within the hour,” he said, smiling. “Make sure you say bonjour to your papa for me. I shall be expecting a letter of thanks.”

Kenna was sure that the shrewd man would be expecting more than that too. She thanked Monsieur Picard and then left his office after he wrote a letter to give to the captain of the ship that would allow them passage. Then, they headed towards the boat.

“Ye didnae hae tae lie for me. Ye could hae left me behind,” Ruairi said quietly.

Kenna looked at him as though he had lost his mind. “I couldnae leave ye here just as much as ye couldnae leave me,” she said indignantly.

“But ever since ye met me, all ye hae found is trouble. If it wasnae for me, ye wouldnae hae been caught in the storm, and ye wouldnae hae been threatened by that messenger. That’s what ye dinnae realize about me, Kenna. I’m a curse, and anyone who gets close tae me gets hurt.”

“Is that what ye truly believe?” she asked, thinking on his words. It certainly made sense. He was far too harsh on himself, and she could sense that he was weighed down by the burden of his history. But he was a fool if he thought that she would have actually left him behind. Couldn’t he feel the way her emotions boiled for him? Didn’t he realize how much the kiss had meant to her?

It shocked her that any man could be so blind.

“Ruairi, it was my choice tae sail back tae Scotland with ye. Dinnae forget that, without ye, I would hae been drowned or eaten by a wolf or lost in the French wilderness, or stabbed by some scoundrel in a dark alley! I wouldnae hae made it this far without ye. Ye hae saved me,” she gasped, putting extra emphasis on her words in an effort to make the truth as plain to see for him. “There were many times when ye could hae abandoned me, but ye didnae. The only reason I’m still alive is because of ye. If ye truly think ye are a curse, then I dinnae know what tae say tae ye because, in my eyes, ye are a blessing. Ye are my hero.”

As she said the words, she saw that he was confused and still did not believe. She knew he had the capability to be a great man, but for whatever reason, he was reluctant to take the steps to his destiny.

“Ye are meant for more than tae be a captain of some trading vessel, Ruairi. I wish ye could see that,” she added, and then turned away to continue walking with him following close behind. He did not say anything in reply, but she hoped he was thinking on her words. All he needed was to trust in himself and in other people a little more, and things would be better. He couldn’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. No man could. Kenna just wished she had the time to show him what kind of man he was, but their time together was running out. Soon enough, she would have to go through the carnival of marriage proposals again, and Ruairi would venture out to sea, pushing away the life he could have had if he just seized it. She was there, right in front of him. She had kissed him, and after that kiss, she thought everything would be different, but he was still holding back. What was it that was keeping him from loving her? What was it that was keeping him from accepting his role as Laird Calbraith?