Page 91 of Duke of Storme
Then, Finn surprised her, uttering a phrase in Scots Gaelic that made her heart clench despite not knowing its meaning, “Tha gaol agam ort, Diana.”
Diana blinked at him. “What does that mean?”
“Och, ‘tis Gaelic for… I love ye.”
When Diana spoke, her voice was barely audible.
“You truly love me?”
“With everythin’ I have,” Finn said without hesitation. “With everythin’ I am. I love yer strength, yer kindness, the way ye see beauty in things others overlook. I love how ye’ve made my cold castle feel like home, how ye stand up to me when I’m bein’ an ass, how ye’ve never once asked me to be anything other than what I am. And if ye’ll allow me, I’ll spend every minute of my life from here on out provin’ it to ye.”
“But how do I know you won’t change your mind again?” Diana asked, her voice breaking slightly. “How do I know that tomorrow, or next week, or next month, you won’t decide that loving me is too hard and retreat behind your walls again?”
The question was like a knife to his heart, because it was so perfectly reasonable. He had given her every reason to doubt his constancy, every reason to protect herself from further hurt.
Tears began to slide down Diana’s cheeks, and Finn reached up instinctively to brush them away with his thumb.
“I love the way ye sketch everythin’ ye find beautiful,” he continued, his own voice thick with emotion. “The way ye’ve won over every person in the Highlands without even tryin’. The way ye look at me like I’m worth somethin’ more than duty and obligation.”
“I looked at you that way,” Diana corrected quietly, “because I thought love was something to be earned. That if I was good enough, patient enough, perfect enough, you might eventually care for me in return.”
“Diana–”
“But I understand now,” she continued, her voice growing stronger with each word. “Love isn’t earned, Finn. It’s freely given. And I gave mine to you completely, without reservation, without conditions. You didn’t want it then. Why should I believe you want it now?”
Shewas right – she had loved him without conditions, without demands, without expecting anything in return. And he had thrown that precious gift back in her face because he was too afraid to accept it.
“Oh, Finn…” Diana breathed, her good hand coming up to cover his where it still cupped her cheek.
“I know I’ve no right to ask,” he said, pressing his forehead gently against hers. “I know I’ve hurt ye badly, pushed ye away when I should have pulled ye closer. But if there’s any part of ye that still cares, any chance ye might forgive a fool who was too scared to see what was right in front of him–”
“I never stopped caring,” Diana whispered, her voice breaking. “Even when you were cruel, even when you pushed me away, even when you made me feel like my love was a burden you didn’t want to bear. I never stopped loving you, and that’s what terrifies me most of all.”
“Why does it terrify ye?”
“Because loving someone who doesn’t love you back is the loneliest feeling in the world,” she said simply. “And I can’t live that way anymore. I won’t.”
Finn nodded solemnly, waiting for her to continue.
“I love you too, you stubborn Scotsman,” Diana whispered. “Despite everything, despite the walls and the coldness and the way you tried to convince me I was imagining what I felt. I love you, Finn Hurriton. And I’m tired of pretending I don’t.”
Relief crashed over him with the force of a Highland storm. Finn closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair, feeling the warmth of her skin under his palm. She was here. She was alive. And somehow, impossibly, she still loved him.
“But loving each other isn’t enough,” Diana continued, her voice steady despite the tears still flowing. “Not if you’re going to keep running every time things get too real, too frightening. I need to know that you’re willing to fight for us, Finn. Really fight. Not just in moments of crisis, but every day. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.”
The challenge in her voice, the strength behind her vulnerability, reminded him of why he’d fallen in love with her in the first place. Even wounded, even heartbroken, Diana Brandon Hurriton was still the bravest person he’d ever known.
“We’re goin’ to do this right,” he said fiercely, pulling back to meet her eyes. “No more walls, no more fear. I’m goin’ to love ye openly, treasure ye daily, and spend the rest of my live provin’ to ye that what we have was worth every moment it took us to find it.”
“And when the fear comes back?” Diana asked quietly. “Because it will, Finn. Fear doesn’t just disappear because we want it to. What happens when you’re scared of losing me again?”
“Then I’ll remember this moment,” Finn said with quiet intensity. “I’ll remember how close I came to losin’ ye forever because I was too much of a coward to fight for what mattered most. I’ll remember that the pain of possibly losin’ ye someday is nothin’ compared to the agony of pushin’ ye away with my own hands.”
Diana’s smile was radiant despite the tears still glistening on her cheeks. “Is that a promise, Your Grace?”
“‘Tis more than that, ‘tis a vow I make to ye today,” Finn replied, his voice steady with newfound certainty. “From a man who finally understands that the greatest risk isn’t lovin’ someone – it’s not lovin’ them at all.”
For a long moment, they simply looked at each other, both of them finally seeing clearly for the first time in months. Then, slowly, deliberately, Diana extended her uninjured hand toward him.
