Page 104 of Love with a Scottish Outlaw
One corner of her mouth tilted up. “Well, he’s not an outlaw anymore, is he?”
“Catriona.”
He only called her by her full name when he was playing the part of the clan chief, her lord. She wasn’t having it. “Owen, my life had more meaning when I was with them. They’re a poor clan, and I can bring much to them.”
“Especially your dowry. Did Carlyle demand it of ye?”
She tamped down her anger, knowing he was simply worried. “He doesn’t know anything about my dowry.”
“But he’s not stupid—he can guess, can he not? ’Tis rumored to be the largest dowry in all of Scotland—maybe even England.”
“I doubt that. But who better to make use of it than the Carlyles, for perhaps they contributed to it most unwillingly.”
And there was nothing he could refute about that. Then all the breath left him and he seemed to sag. “He didn’t ask if he could marry ye.”
“Nay, but why would he have thought he could?”
“Did ye talk about marriage?”
“Never.”
“Then how do ye know?”
“I have faith.”
Cat and Maggie shared a gaze, and she thought her sister-in-law’s eyes grew misty.
Owen saw where she was looking. “It’s that dream again,” he said, but without anger.
“I love him, Owen. Regardless of what he did to me, I saw the man he was to his people. I know he regrets his mistakes. And I think he loves me. He offered to sacrifice himself to save me.”
“That could be guilt.”
“Maybe. But I have to find out. Finn and I will leave together tomorrow. Somehow I have to find a way to convince Duncan that love is more important than the mistakes we’ve made.”
Finn cheered, then subsided when Owen glared at her.
“I’m worried for ye, Cat,” Owen said gruffly. “Now his whole clan knows who ye are. They might blame ye because of our father. ’Tis hard to forget such pain.”
“I know. But maybe Duncan and I can be the bridge to heal the pain between Duff and Carlyle, just like the two of you were a bridge to peace between Duff and McCallum. Let me go, Owen.”
He sighed. “Aye, go with my blessing. But if it isn’t what ye think, know that ye can come home anytime.”
She leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “Thank ye.” But this wasn’t her home anymore—it was Maggie and Owen’s. She wanted to make her own home. With Duncan.
Duncan had spent a long day, touring outlying farms, feeling free to be seen in broad daylight with his people. He should have been rejoicing.
But he was miserable. And when he was miserable, he went to the castle, working in silence, knowing it was better than inflicting his misery on anyone else. He’d cleared the rubble from the great hall, and soon he’d need equipment and oxen to move the larger stones. It would take perhaps his lifetime and more to make the castle habitable and defendable again, but he wanted to try, for his sisters’ children. Maybe for his own someday, if he could find a way to do his duty to his clan and marry to produce an heir. He couldn’t think about that.
“Laird Carlyle!”
At the sound of Finn’s voice, he straightened and wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm. Damn that girl. Maeve had sent word that Finn had gone to visit Cat, without waiting for his permission. Walking toward the doorway, Duncan knew he’d have to explain that they had to leave Cat alone, now that she was Lady Catriona, not Mistress Catherine—
Words died in his throat. Lady Catriona, robed in silk, rode toward him on her horse—sidesaddle, like the elegant, stunning lady she was. He couldn’t seem to find his breath, thought his heart had shattered, filling him with regret and the ache of love lost. Finn rode beside her, grinning. Cat was as regal as a queen, her garments hugging her waist, embroidery spilling down her underskirt, and up her bodice. No fichu blocked his gaze from the upper slopes of her breasts and her delicate collarbones.
She was smiling at him. “So will ye help a lady dismount?”
He went to her, not sure how it felt to be so blinded as if by the sun. When he would have reached for her hand, she simply fell toward him, and he was forced to grab her waist and steady her as she touched her feet to the ground. She looked up at him from beneath the brim of her hat, that smile softening.
