Page 86 of His Secret Highland Bride

“I plan to tell him,” she added quickly.

“There’s something you should know.”

She frowned. Had Shane sent his brother to sway her?

He raised a hand. “Please, hear me out.”

Reluctantly, she nodded and waited.

“I know what you heard. When he said he’d annul your marriage. But what you don’t know is that he couldn’t go through with it.”

“Because he found out he was already married to the laird’s daughter.”

“No. Before he knew who you were, he’d returned to the castle with another plan. He was going to keep you as his wife and offer to work off the debt at Riccarton. Alec thought it was an absurd idea, but Shane told us you’d go with him because you’d loved him when you thought him just a soldier.”

Tears pricked at her eyes. “I had.”

“But do you still? Because he chose you, Lindsay. When it came down to it, you think he chose the clan, his duty, but he chose you.”

She blinked back tears, but more came in their place.

“I was with him in France when he lost Maria. I thought he’d never forgive himself enough to find love again. But he loves you. And I don’t think he’ll be the same if you don’t come back.”

“I love him. I just…” She just what?

They had both lied to each other. But was it possible that they were both willing to give up everything to stay together?

“I don’t know if you realize this, but it seems clear to me that fate brought you together. Mayhap it did so before it should have, before you knew the truth, but you met and fell in love just as you would have if you’d met on that field as planned. I’ve always heard that a person can’t escape their destiny.” Ronan shrugged. “Shane is your destiny.”

With that, he took the bags of money and went back to the door. He offered a roguish wink and left.

That night, she lay in her bed, thinking about what might have happened if she’d gone to the castle to meet him when she was supposed to. If she’d met him and gotten to know him as the new laird of the MacPhersons rather than Shane, one of the laird’s warriors. If he’d known she was the woman he was to marry. She realized with a start it wouldn’t have mattered. He was still the Shane she knew and loved under the title of laird.

She threw off her blankets, and after pulling on a robe, she hurried for the door. She knew what room he was put in. Meaghan had shared the information that evening. She went to his door and tested the latch. It opened, but as she held out the lantern she’d brought with her, she saw him thrashing on the bed, calling her name.

She went to him, and while sitting on the edge of the bed she stroked his cheek. “I’m here,” she said encouragingly. “I am safe, and so are ye.”

His eyes fluttered open, and he blinked a few times before whispering her name. He reached for her hand. When she didn’t pull away, he must’ve been heartened, for he tugged her closer to rest her palm on his chest and placed his hand at her hip. He looked up into her eyes, and she couldn’t look away.

“Is it true you were willing to be a servant for my father so we could stay together?” she asked him.

He blinked and then looked away before answering with a short nod. “At the time, thinking you were a maid, I believed it would be the best way for us to stay together. It seems ridiculous now, knowing who you are. To think you would have agreed to such a thing.” He shook his head.

“I would have agreed,” she said without even having to take a moment to consider it. “Of course, it wouldn’t have come to that, but if my only choice was to return to Riccarton as a servant’s wife or lose you, I would have picked whatever life allowed us to be together.”

“And now? What life will you choose? The one that allows us to go home and be laird and lady together for the rest of our days—or do you prefer to stay here? You should know, if you choose to stay, I might very well ask to be hired on as a servant so I can stay close to you.”

She smiled at his determination.

“I love you, Lindsay. It doesn’t matter what I have to be. So long as I get to be with you. I choose you.”

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

“I choose you, too.”

They’d both misled the other and made a mess of things. But in the end, the only thing that mattered was their love for each other.

“No more lies. No more secrets. Just us. Forever,” he promised.