Thunder rumbled in the distance as she, Teagan, and her parents finally settled in front of a fire with a drink. This time she opted for ale, if for no other reason than to keep her head clear.
“Are you sure that’s the only reason?” Margery would have said with a twinkle in her eyes. “Or could it be you wish to finally consummate your marriage?”
She bit back a smile, glad to hear Margery again but, at the same time, not alarmed she hadn’t heard from her more today. That she seemed to be stepping back and nudging Greer to take the lead. To face things on her own.
“So you see, Cecille,” her father said in conclusion, having explained his whereabouts. “I did what I thought best to keep you and our daughters safe until the time was right.” His pained gaze turned Greer’s way. “I cannot tell you how hard it was leaving you behind, daughter. Worse yet, not saying goodbye.” He shook his head. “But ’twas far too risky. Your husband would have sent word I was there, and Randolph would have pursued straight away when I did not return.”
“Had that happened, you would never have made it to Scotland,” Mother surmised. “And never had the coin to start over nor the leverage we needed to get Greer back.”
Though Greer would have snuck away with him, she knew better than to voice it. Joining him would have brought her husband and Randolph’s wrath down on him even quicker, and that was the last thing she would have wanted. Not for her father, mother, or sister, for it would have affected them all.
“I must say, Ena was very convincing,” her mother mused, referring to the old woman she’d met in the Scottish village who claimed Father had died. She shook her head at Phillip. “Was that really so necessary?” Her eyes welled, but she blinked it away. “It broke my heart.”
“’Twas not my decision, love, but Ena and her good husband’s,” he said on a sigh. “As I told you, ’twas not easy for her to keep the whole truth from you, but she did it with good reason. She would not risk me being discovered until I did what needed to be done.”
“Which was going back for our Greer,” her mother murmured. “A worthy cause, indeed.”
“Yes, once the jewels were secure and I knew you and Julianna had what you needed, I headed back.” He shook his head. “I could not linger in the Scottish village knowing Greer was all alone back in England, and Ena knew that. She also knew if someone caught wind of me being alive, it could very easily lead back to the gems and her people.”
Mother nodded, understanding what he didn’t say as well.
“’Twas also for the best I not get my hopes up but remain realistic,” Mother deduced. “After all, you were putting your life on the line every step you took in both Scotland and England.”
“Yes,” her father said softly. “Seen clearly enough.”
Greer blinked back tears, not only because he’d come back for her but because of the trouble he had run into before he got out of Scotland. At the hands of Scottish pirates no less.
Teagan shook his head. “’Tis a wonder ye survived.”
“No doubt.” Mother squeezed her father’s hand. “You were always very clever, though.”
“’Twas just a matter of thinking like them and proving myself useful.” Father shook his head. “And what’s more useful than a Sassenach who could fight well and help them get closer to my countrymen? Steal from them more readily?” His eyes grew haunted. “’Twas not easy betraying my own, but if it meant getting Greer away from tyrants and back to her kin, I was willing to do anything.”
“And ye’ve my eternal thanks.” Teagan rested his hand over Greer’s. “That couldnae have been easy.”
According to her father, once he was finally able to escape the pirates, Greer’s husband had died, and she was back at Randolph’s. So he reevaluated how he wanted to go about things.
First, he returned to the village only to discover Cecille and Julianna had come and gone and were with the MacLauchlins. From there, he tracked everyone, waiting for the opportunity to strike. He knew Randolph would see him dead for taking the jewels, so he’d had a missive sent saying he had already died. That way, the lout would never see him coming when he struck.
“’Twas not easy deciding who to follow when they split off,” Father said, referring to their pursuers. “Bartholomew or Randolph.” He looked at Teagan. “In the end, I knew Cecille and Greer were safe with you and your warriors, so I continued after Randolph lest he reach Julianna before anyone else.”
“’Twas a wise decision,” Teagan replied. “I would have done the same.” Amusement lit his eyes. “I give ye a great deal of credit, though. ’Tis no average man who can evade my brother Malcolm when he’s tracking. For surely yer paths nearly crossed.”
“Yes.” The corner of her father’s mouth shot up. “Let’s just say your brother is very good, but I have a few years on him.” He winked. “Plus, time spent with pirates teaches one a thing or two.”
That it did, and her father spun many a tale about it as the night wore on.
“I see where ye get yer gift of storytelling,” Teagan murmured in her ear at one point, dropping a chaste kiss on her cheek. She knew he wanted to do more, to kiss her lips and neck, to hold her close, but would see her respected in front of her parents.
Her parents, however, did no such thing. They kissed and held hands, barely taking their eyes off one another.
“How did I not see how affectionate they were?” she said later on when she and Teagan sat in their room, enjoying a last cup of ale. “How good a friendship they had? How in love they were?”
“Mayhap ye were too young to recognize it?” He shook his head. “Or mayhap, having known yer uncle, ’twas not something encouraged in ‘proper’ company.”
“That would make sense.” For none were less affectionate.
“I don't want that for us,” she said softly, meaning it, keeping with the truth. “I want a life where we might be affectionate in the open as my parents were tonight.” She shook her head. “I want our children to never wonder how we feel about one another. I want them to see…love as it should be.”
She swallowed hard, fairly shocked she’d said love. But she meant it.
“I want the same, lass.” He took her hand. “I want…love as it should be.”
He felt it, too, didn’t he? What had grown so quickly betwixt them? What would grow stronger still if they laid their hearts bare? If they unburdened their truths?
“’Tis time to talk, aye?” he said softly.
“Yes,” she said just as softly. “’Tis time to talk.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Teagan waited patiently as Greer gathered her thoughts. When she began to speak but stopped several times, then wrung her hands, he realized just how hard this was for her.
“’Tis all right, lass.” He crouched in front of her and covered her trembling hands with his own. “Ye dinnae need to do this now. Ye’ve all the time in the world.”
“No, I do need to do this now.” She closed her eyes for a moment before she looked at him again. “’Tis just so hard to go back there…to see it all again.”