Page 95 of Sinful Scottish Laird
The vicar nodded and disappeared into the interior of the church.
Daisy frowned at Belinda. “Did you bring me here to pray over me? The good Lord knows I need it.”
“Go into the nave,” Belinda said and took Daisy’s cloak from her. “I’ll be along.”
Well, then.Daisy supposed at the very least she might sit in a pew and brood about her wretched situation. Maybe that’s what Belinda thought she needed. Very well, she’d oblige her and pray with all her heart for a miracle.
When she stepped into the small nave, her gaze was drawn to candles flickering at the chancel. A man was standing there, and though it took a moment for Daisy to fully recognize him, her heart seized. And then began to beat wildly.Cailean.
It was him. It was really, truly him.
She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’tunderstandit. She couldn’t seem to move, or even think, really, so hard was her heart beating—with anxiety. With love. With wonder.
He was dressed in a coat and waistcoat and breeches; his hair was combed and tied in a neat queue. He looked quite different from the last time she’d seen him, and she couldn’t grasp the circumstances by which he washere.She was afraid it was a trick, or that if she blinked, he would disappear.
He didn’t disappear. He began to walk down the center aisle toward her, his steps cautious. When he reached her, he took her hands in his, then gently drew her into his embrace.
“How?”she whispered into his coat.
“With Belinda’s help, aye? It took all my powers of persuasion, but she at last relented and agreed to help me.”
She leaned back so that she could see his face, his lovely, handsome face and blue eyes shining with love. “Why are you here? Don’t you know how dangerous it is?”
“Daisy, lass...is it no’ obvious, then?” he asked. “I’m lost without you. My world was gray and plain...and then you stepped into it and made it bright again, aye? I was a fool to have let you go.”
Her heart began to swell with love. And torment. Oh God, how this declaration would torment her all her life.
“I never expected to fall in love with you, aye? But I did, headfirst and irretrievably. I love you, Daisy. I ardentlyloveyou. And I’d sooner die than no’ have you.”
“P-pardon?” she stammered. She still didn’t understand. All the reasons they couldn’t be together still existed, and some of them had been made worse. Robert’s threats echoed in her head.
“Diah,”he muttered, his gaze moving over her. “Tell me it’s no’ too late. For God’s sake, tell me it’s no’ too late.”
Of course it was too late. How could he think otherwise? “But what of Scotland? Of Balhaire and Arrandale? Of your...occupation,” she whispered, looking furtively about. “What of Ellis? Nothing has changed, Cailean.”
“Aye, it has. I’d as soon be English than lose you—do you no’ understand? If a Highlander wants something, he bloody well reaches for it, but I’ve no’ reached for anything in a very long time. And during the darkest and longest days of my life, I realized I didna reach when I had you in my arms. Daisy,leannan,my world canna exist without you. So I have come to offer for your hand in marriage,” he said, sinking down onto one knee before her. “And if you accept my offer, the vicar will marry us now.”
Daisy’s mouth gaped open with shock. She was afraid to speak, afraid the emotions, the love and relief, would make her collapse. Her thoughts were utter chaos, because this didn’t seem possible. He would wed hernow? It was madness—but she wanted nothing more than to marry him. Ellis wanted nothing more than that, too.
She didn’t realize tears were sliding down her face until she tasted them on her lips. “Dear God,” she whispered. “Dear God.”
Cailean gripped her hands. “Do you still love me, Daisy?”
Daisy was shaking with emotion. It seemed as if every trouble she’d ever had was lifting from her, making her feel almost weightless. That was absurd, for their problems were just as present now as they ever had been. But they felt lighter. In this moment, with her heart bursting, they felt insignificant.
“For the love of God, will you speak, then?” he asked.
She suddenly smiled. “I do still love you,” she said. “More than anything, Cailean. You have answered my prayers.” She sank down onto her knees, too. “I don’t know how we will manage, I don’t know what will become of Ellis, and Robert has threatened to see you turned over to authorities—”
“Pardon?”
“But I know that my son will have a good man to raise him, and I will have a good man to love. Yes, Cailean, I will marry you.”
He sighed with relief and hung his head for a moment.“Mo maise, mo muirninn,”he muttered, and lifted his face to hers. His blue eyes were swimming in emotion. “Thank you,” he said, squeezing her hands. “Thank you for making me the happiest man.” He kissed her, then pulled her to her feet.
Daisy heard Belinda’s sob, then laughed with surprise when Belinda threw her arms around her from behind. “Thank heavens!” Belinda said. “I’ll fetch the vicar.”
And so it happened that on that horribly cold afternoon, Daisy married her one and only true love in the eyes of God. She didn’t care about the scandal that would surely follow. She didn’t care that she would be made a pariah, or that the bishop likely would censure her. She cared only that she and Ellis had found someone to love them and protect them. And when the vicar pronounced them wed, she kissed Cailean with all the joy and hope and the promise of what was to come, and then nearly fainted from happiness.
