Page 37 of Beware A Wallflower's Wrath
“High praise coming from a fellow Englishman. Although Aileen would remind us you have Scottish blood running through yer veins,” saying the last in a terrible brogue.
“I knew when you survived a brawl with my husband and Colin that it was meant to be.” She snorted. “For some reason, smashing a fist into another man’s face is some kind of Scottish bonding ritual.”
“I was thankful nothing was broken.” He nodded toward Colin and Rose and the young boy hanging from Colin’s arm. “It seems Mungo is happy with his new family too.” The dark-haired boy grabbed Colin’s upper arm, used it as momentum, and jumped up to steal the giant man’s cap.
“They’ll be married next month. Rose wanted my sister, Evie, to attend the ceremony. She’s living in Wales with her husband, the Earl of Brecken.” She narrowed her eyes as she studied him. “Will you take her on a honeymoon?”
Robert groaned. “We’ll spend a few weeks at Birkwood Manor, so she and Finlay become familiar with the place. It will be his someday. But the only place she wishes to go is Dunderave. It seems they’re planning a huge ceilidh. Will you and Lachlan go?”
“If he can get away. He and Colin prefer to have at least one of them at the mill.”
“A coin toss or something?”
“Or something,” Lachlan said from behind Fenella.
The men all wore their dress kilts in the MacNaughton or Craigg tartan, with linen shirts, waistcoats, and dress sporrans draped on their hips. Dress hose stretched to their knees with a colored fringe, or flash, attached at the top. The ghillie brogues, or kilt shoes, had been rubbed to a high sheen. They had tried to convince Robert to wear the traditional attire, but he preferred to keep his knees covered.
Annis appeared at his side, clutching his hand as she reached up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “This is the second happiest day of my life.”
“The first being the birth of our son, I hope?”
“Of course. And the next will be when our first grandchild is born.” She held up a glass of champagne as Colin called for a toast and raised his own glass.
“Cousin, it’s been a long road for ye and Fin, but we’ve found a happy ending for all three of ye.” He raised his glass above his head. “May the road rise to meet ye, may the wind be always at yer back. May the sun shine warm upon yer face, the rains fall soft upon yer fields, and until we meet again, may God hold ye in the palm of His hand.”
His father-in-law called out next. He was a handsome man, with dark hair and a sense of humor. Robert had liked him immediately.
“Daughter, I told ye that love always finds ye when ye’re ready. It’s something ye never have to look for. Son”—he made eye contact with Robert—“if ye break her heart this time, I’ll have to kill ye. Which will no’ put me in my grandson’s good graces.”
Everyone laughed, but Robert thought the man might be serious.
Jamie Craigg raised his glass above his head. “May you be healthy all your days. May you be blessed with long life and peace, and may you grow old with goodness and riches. If ye love each other half as much as I loved Annis’s mother, it will be a braw marriage.”
Robert saw his father-in-law’s eyes glisten before he closed his lids and threw back his whisky. To his surprise, Finlay called for a toast.
His son no longer seemed a boy in his dress kilt, and pride rumbled through Robert. Would his toast be emotional? Would he soon be blinking back tears as Annis’s father had just done?
“In honor of my newfound father, and to celebrate the many ways we seem to mirror each other, I ask ye a question.” His expression was solemn as he continued, “What do ye call two young married spiders?” He peered around the room of shaking heads. “Newlywebs!”
Finlay laughed so hard that he doubled over and spilled his drink. Robert guffawed and raised his own glass. “To my son! A chip off the old block.”
EPILOGUE
September 1820
Birkwood Manor, Scotland
Robert paced the parlor, hands behind his back, mumbling to himself.
“Rabbie, love, ye’re leaving a path in the rug. Sit down before ye work up a sweat,” chided Annis. She saw the worry in his face, the anxiety caused by the arrival of Anthony. “It will all work out for the best. If he wasna ready to accept us, he wouldna be visiting.”
“I know, I know. It’s just…” He stopped and ran a hand through his blond hair. “I haven’t seen him since the argument.”
Fin leaned against the hearth, comfortable and at home in the new house. Birkwood Manor was a lovely place. The parlor was bright with tall windows along two of the paneled walls and Axminster rugs of maroon and forest green. The mantel was intricately carved marble with miniatures and an inlaid tinder box adorning the mantel. A small fire took the chill from the room.
The sound of wheels and hooves crunching gravel sent three heads swiveling to the windows. “He’s here,” cried Robert and Fin at the same time. Mac let out a howl, his black tail thumping the carpet.
As Robert moved toward the door, Annis laid a hand on her son’s arm. “Give them a few minutes alone, Fin. We’ll meet him soon enough.” Her heart thudded with worry for her husband.
