Page 44 of Madly Deeply

"More a curse than a gift, my love." His voice turned ragged. "No one in their right mind would wish it on a child, especially their own. But none has ever had a choice in the matter."

"And you're saying we do?"

"Aye. Aye, but it will take a great sacrifice on our part. Grand favors always require a grand sacrifice, aye?"

A shiver ran up her spine and shook her. "I'm not going to like it, am I?"

Spreag shook his head ever so slowly. "Ye're not. Else it wouldnae be much of a sacrifice."

For a long minute, the only noise in the house was the flickering candle burning on the coffee table. Then she pried the words out of her heart. "You're telling me I have to let you go."

He nodded. "I am."

She wrapped her arms around herself to keep from shattering into a million pieces. "You're going to leave me. For good."

"If I do, then our Huntly will be free. But ye must choose."

"How can you possibly expect...?" Her voice broke on the last word.

"Alexandra, my love," Spreag said gently, "ye've known this wouldn't last. Ye've kenned it from the start. But if you let me go, now, willingly--"

"And if I don't?" If the choice was hers to make, it didn't mean she had to be noble about it. "If I keep you until June, or as long as I can? What's the worst that will happen?"

"Then Huntly will have the sort of life I lived," Spreag said softly. "Some will call her a witch. Some will blame her for the things she sees. And some will bless her. But the decision is yers. It has always been yers. It's time to click yer heels together three times and send me home."

A sob tore from Alexandra's throat. "I can't do it. I can't!"

Callum was suddenly beside her. He opened his arms and she buried her face against his chest. His arms came around her, steady and warm. "Ye can do it," he murmured. "Ye can do this. Because ye love that wee lassie. And because ye willnae be alone."

Spreag watched them, his expression tight with barely controlled emotion. He waited patiently for Alexandra's sobs to quiet, then offered her a sad smile. "Ye ken I love ye madly."

She stepped out of Callum's arms. "I love you madly," she whispered back, her hands pressed against her stomach. "And I love her already."

"Enough to free her?"

Alexandra drew a shuddering breath. "Enough to..." Another sob escaped her. "Enough to free you both." Unable to stay away, she moved as close to Spreag as possible. "You're going now?"

"Aye. Now."

She managed a watery smile. "At least Callum won't think I'm crazy anymore."

"Aye, right." Spreag's eyes narrowed at Fraser again. "Ye'll treat her well, or seventy-eight Jacobite warriors will rip ye to pieces and force-feed ye to yer sheep."

Callum's eyebrows rose. "Seventy-eight? That many?"

"It's a long story," Lorraine interjected. "One we'd better tell you before they all show up at the wedding."

Spreag's frown deepened. "That's a proposal, Blairgowrie."

The big man nodded. "Well, then, I accept."

Alexandra opened her mouth to protest, but Spreag shook his head. "I must go now. Time for me to turn to the light."

"Spreag!"

He reached out. Their fingers touched, and for one precious moment, she felt him, truly felt him! But the green mist swirling around them kept them apart.

"Thank you for coming back," she whispered. "For saving me."

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