Page 83 of In Search of a Husband
“Oh, listen to the poor woman and put her down already, Gabe.” Elsie laughed, glancing behind her as the girls counted each stair as they descended. “Ye’re no’ even trying to hide it now?”
Gabriel blew out a frustrated sigh and placed Kate down on her feet. She reached out and knocked his chest with her hand. And if his family…
The hell with it.
He reached for her skirts, pulled her close, and kissed her, well and truly, marking her as his.
The girls squealed and clapped as Oscar raced ahead of the group. Kate licked her lips once he was finished kissing her.
“You can’t just kiss a woman and demand her hand in marriage.” Kate brushed back her hair, flustered. But he saw the curve of her lips, and the smile that barely hid there. “Now go on. Time for you to show me how Scottish men toss logs in skirts.”
“It’s a kilt,” he corrected.
The girls giggled, and Elsie threw her arm around Kate, pulling her in for a hug.
“It shows off yer lovely knees,” Elsie teased.
“Strong knees,” Lorna piped in.
He heard them chitter behind him as he strode out of the castle and opened the door to the carriage.
“Look at us, arriving in such style. Who do ye wish to impress, Brother?”
“I need to toss a log so I can marry her,” he said, pointing at Kate who winked at him before settling into the carriage.
“I still haven’t heard you ask.”
“I didna ken I needed to.”
“You dinna ken love, Uncle. Ye have to ask a woman and get on yer lovely knees like. Make it romantical.”
“Romantical?”
Lorna rolled her eyes. “Uncle will never marry an Englishwoman.”
Kate averted her gaze, suddenly interested in surveying the falling leaves of the oak tree.
“You haven’t won yet,” she said softly.
But he would. And the sooner the better.
CHAPTER 22
The late fallsun beat down over the large expanse of glen. Normally, it stretched green and wild forever, and now it was dotted with tents and far too many faces Gabriel hadn’t seen in years.
“What’s McQuarrie doing there?” Gabriel asked over the bagpipes.
“Who?”
Archie shoved an elbow into Finn, pointing to the man talking with a few of the neighboring clans at their tents.
“Bugger willna take nae for an answer.”
Finn turned his attention back to Elsie, who clapped as Lorna and Maisie bounced around in a circle, and Kate tucked a piece of heather into the brooch his sister had lent her.
“Ye best be leavin’ her alone, Finn.”
“Who?”
