Page 90 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

Dorie blinked at the clever woman.

“But what if he rejects me?”

“He would have to be a fool to reject you. What with your raven-wing hair and eyes the color of—”

“Bluebells in the sky surrounded by sapphires.” Dorie rolled her eyes.

“Yes, quite.”

They laughed together and went to find the viscount so they could leave. Dorie was never going to find the man she loved here. For he was back in Scotland, and she was going back to spend her life with him.

An hour later they left for home. Dorie wished for silence as she thought over her options. She’d wait until morning to ask her father to take her back to Dunardry.

Her wish for silence went unfulfilled because her father asked about the men Dorie had met and if any were a candidate for a potential new husband.

“I’m afraid not, Papa.”

He frowned. “I thought as much. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right. In truth, they might have been lovely. I truly think it’s me.” Her plans for waiting until morning fell away. “I don’t think I belong here.”

“Of course you do. It’s only been a few months. We’ll cast a larger net. I know—”

“Dorien,” Harriet said with the authority of a noblewoman. “Listen to your daughter. She’s telling you what she wants.”

“She is?” He looked at her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. What did you say? I must have missed it.”

“I want to go home.” The words came out in a gush.

“I’m sure I would have noticed if you’d said that.” He frowned and shook his head.

Dorie patted his hand. “I’m sorry. I know you had plans for me. But in truth, I want the life I had. I was happy there.”

“He told you he couldn’t love you as you deserved,” her father reminded her.

Not that she had forgotten.

“But he did love me in the way that he could. He might not ever say the words, but I know there’s something there in his heart. And I let it go because I thought love must be some big glorious thing. But sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it’s simple, yet just as wonderful.”

Tears started down her cheeks. All these months she’d cried because she hadn’t been wanted. This time it was for the loss of something she’d willingly given up.

“You’re exhausted from talking to all those ninnies. We’ll speak in the morning and decide what to do. Rest tonight.”

She nodded, not just to appease him, but because it was good advice and she was tired.

It was nearly midnight when they arrived home. Her father helped her down as a shadow moved closer to the carriage. In the light from the lantern she saw a large man approach and gasped in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” her father asked.

Bryce bowed in front of them and stood there, towering over all of them. “I’ve come to ask ye for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Chapter Thirty

Bryce knew it was much too late in the evening for such discussions. He’d planned to stay in the stables until the morning. But when the carriage had returned home, he couldn’t dismiss his need to see Dorie.

Rather than spend the rest of the night tossing and turning in a mound of hay, he’d given in to his urge. They’d spent too much time apart already. Time he’d never get back.

It wasn’t until Dorien had asked why he was there that he knew the answer.