Page 109 of In Search of a Husband
“My lord,” Gabriel said, “can ye help the girls into the carriage while I speak with Kate?”
She shook her head, retreating quickly until the carriage pushed against her back, stalling her escape.
“Certainly. Though I don’t believe Miss Bancroft wishes to speak with you.”
“She will,” Gabriel insisted.
The growl in his voice nearly made her knees weak.
“Please help the girls in and then fetch the surgeon.”
The marquess bowed, ever so courtly—and ever so slightly redeemed in her eyes—and did as told. London’s most notorious rake proved to be a hero to her after all.
For one day, at least.
Kate skirted around the carriage and walked backward as Gabriel stalked forward in the dark. She was certain she was still devastated by him, certain she was curious. Certain she was still dismissed, and she would be leaving with her parents to return to London.
“Stop running away, Kate,” he said in a raspy voice.
“I’m not running,” she corrected. But she was. Kate had been for some time.
“Come here,mo leannan.”
“We need to return to Dunsmuir and fetch the surgeon for Finn and Elsie.”
“Aye.”
Still, he pursued, so finally she stopped, holding space for herself on the narrow country lane.
“There will always be things to do, love, but I need to hold ye. I need to ken ye’re well.”
Kate shivered, shaking her head. “I am well enough.”
He approached with his arms open, and she watched, knowing full well when he touched her, she would fall apart.
“You don’t wish to need me, Gabe. I know it. You think everyone wishes something of you. And try as I might, I don’t think I can lie to you and tell you otherwise.”
He reached his fist out and bumped the underside of her chin, so her focus fell solely on him. “I need ya, lass. And I always will.”
Her eyes burned, and she melted into her body’s urge to turn and run but ignored it, instead throwing her arms around his neck and resting her head against his shoulder, heard his heart beat wildly against his chest.
Home.
She stood on her tiptoes and braced her hands against his cheeks, drawing his forehead down to hers. Kate only wished to feel him, to know he wasn’t injured, and that he was well. She closed her eyes, feeling the split in her heart deepen.
“I love you, Gabriel MacInnes. And I nearly died today thinking that you didn’t, and I hated every second of it.”
His arms wrapped around her bottom and lifted her. A surprised chuckle escaped her, and she gazed down upon him and those intense blue eyes of his, feeling her anger and fear melt away.
“I love ye, Kate. Come home with me. Come home tonight with yer family, where ye belong, here at Dunsmuir Castle. Stay with me,mo leannan.”
Then he slowly released her to the ground. She was about to catch her breath before he leaned down and kissed her under the stars, as he always promised, well and good.
“I need ye, Kate. I will always need ye. And if I’m lucky, one day I might even deserve ye. But until then, kiss me and tell me ye’ll be my wife, and I swear I will prove it to ye every day of my life. Be my wife, please. I want for nothing else but to call ye mine.”
He pinched a black curl between his fingers, gazing upon her, waiting for her answer.
She hadn’t journeyed to Scotland in search of a husband. If she were honest, she had been searching for herself.
