Page 65 of Taming the Scot
“Ye are more than forgiven.”
“Do ye still wish to marry me?” she asked.
“Och, lass, if ye would have me, after knowing my cousin was behind this. My own blood.” He hung his head in shame. “I still can no’ believe it.”
“Ye are no’ him. Clearly.” She laughed softly. “And ye are no’ responsible for his vile actions.”
“He will pay for his crimes.” Conviction dripped from every word.
Bronwen knew well what would happen to such a man if he were from Tanner’s Close, but she didn’t know if the same fate would be meted out to a man of noble blood, and she didn’t want to ask. They needed to work on their healing and not think about the hangman’s noose.
“Let us forget those men and their crimes for now and celebrate that we are both alive,” she said, touching her lips to his.
Euan enfolded her in his embrace, kissing her back as fervently as she kissed him. She might have had the knife at her neck, but Euan seemed more shaken than she was. All she wanted to do was soothe away that fear and pain and panic. She shoved her hands through his hair, clinging tight to him. To what they had. To life. To love.
“I love ye,” she said against his mouth, her eyes opening to lock on his.
She could have drowned in the deep blue pools of his gaze. Wrapped herself up in the warmth of his love. Pure happiness filled her. Elation, relief, hope. All things she’d only dared to feel before felt more within her grasp now than ever before.
“And I love ye so verra much, Bronwen.”
Euan pressed her down to the carpet, and she wrapped her arms around him, prepared to go to heaven and back.
Epilogue
Bronwen stood beside Euan’s desk as they awaited the solicitor’s visit regarding the new will his grandfather had left behind. It’d been a few weeks since the whole debacle with Hector and his brutes, and they were both happy to finally put the entire mess behind them.
They’d been married two weeks now and living blissfully within the city, going from one event to another and collapsing into bed when they weren’t dancing the night away. Married, and their love well-expressed all over Edinburgh. When the man who held the future in his hands arrived today, there would be no contest as to whether or not Euan was given his birthright, not after what happened with Hector. With his cousin taking up his new quarters in prison, there was also little prospect that he’d be able to follow through on his chance at the ultimate prize. No solicitor could argue with that.
Her husband was seated there casually as if they weren’t about to be evaluated by a stuffy man with judging eyes. That was, of course, the extent of her knowledge regarding solicitors, and she dared any one of them to change her mind. Well and truly, she would like to know a solicitor who had the best interests of others at heart. As she’d learned in Tanner’s Close, it was about more nefarious things than that.
“Sit down, my love,” Euan murmured, reaching for her hand and giving a little tug.
Bronwen grasped it, flashing him a smile. “I do no’ think I can.”
“All will be well.” He pulled her closer until she tumbled into his lap and then touched his forehead to hers. “Do ye remember the last time we were in this position?”
“Aye, your sister—”
There was a knock on the study door.
“Ah, aye, she interrupted us, just as whoever is beyond that door is doing now.” Euan sighed and lifted her back up to her feet beside his chair.
Bronwen smoothed her skirts as he called for the door to be opened.
Martin entered, announcing the solicitor.
As the older gentleman ambled in with a slight limp in his gait, all six of the Irvine sisters followed behind, each of them as nervous about the outcome of this ordeal, and presumably not wanting to be left to eavesdrop at the door.
“Captain Irvine,” the solicitor said. “A pleasure to see ye again, sir.”
Euan sat forward and indicated for the man to take the chair opposite him. “Let’s no’ dwell on pleasantries. I’d like ye to meet my wife, Mrs. Irvine.”
Bronwen nodded to the man, the way they’d practiced. She’d been so anxious, and it was hard to remember that she was no longer going to be bobbing curtsies to nearly everyone.
And she was a lady. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to that.
“An honor to meet ye, madam,” the solicitor said, then he glanced back at Euan. “And ye think that ye’ve followed the rules of the will?”
