Page 59 of A Laird and a Gentleman

He smiled. “I never truly believed in magic before, but I do now. Every bit as much as I believe in you and your goodness. You did it, Mariam. You saved us all.” He kissed the damp trail of tears on her cheeks, tasting the saltiness on his lips, his tongue. He kissed her eyelids and the downy softness of the hair at her temple.

“Where does this leave us? Will things go back to the way they were before we came here?”

“Tomorrow the sun will rise and we will be together. I will not risk losing you to anyone who fails to understand that your magic is not something to fear. That you are not anyone to fear. They will never know what you have done for them all, because we cannot tell them. But I know. And now it is up to me to keep you safe for whatever time we have left in this strange and wonderful world.”

“Is there anywhere safe?” Mariam asked. “I used to think I was safe at Ravenscraig Castle, but there will always be darkness and people who fear me. There will always be illness and fires, storms, and so many other things we cannot control.”

“You are right. There is much we cannot control.” The words had barely left Cameron’s lips when shapes appeared out of the darkness. The men they had left on the ship came closer, swords drawn.

Cameron helped Mariam to her feet, keeping his arm around her, supporting her until she regained her full strength. Beside him, Mariam’s mother raised her hands, ready to summon the water. “Hold,” Cameron demanded of the woman.

“You’re alive!” Alexander exclaimed as he sheathed his sword and hurried to Cameron’s side. The other warriors did the same. “Are you unharmed?” His gaze passed over Mariam, then Cameron, and finally the woman who he had known as Nessie. His eyes widened with surprise at the change in the old woman.

Orrin approached. “We feared the worst when that storm came out of nowhere and seemed to unleash itself right where you had gone.” He scanned the area. “But there is no evidence of any storm other than these stones strewn about.”

The others gathered around him and Mariam and Moira, their faces filled with concern more than fear. For that Cameron was grateful. His men were beyond brave. They had proven so many times in battle. “Men, what you have seen here is nothing short of a miracle. Though we may not understand the hows or the whys of it, Mariam and her mother, Moira, have gifts that have greatly benefitted us all by clearing the land of ash and ridding the air of sickness.”

Alexander’s gaze shifted between Mariam and Moira. “The wind . . . The waves that crested over the isle . . . My first response is to reject such an idea as nonsense and impossible. But then, after what we have just seen and experienced, it is hard to deny the truth.” He drew a ragged breath. “You did those things?”

Hesitantly, both women nodded.

“Magic,” Alexander said with wonder. “And you really are witches, aren’t you?”

In Cameron’s arms, Mariam tensed.

Seeing her anxiety, Alexander dropped to one knee before her. Orrin and the others followed his lead. “You have nothing to fear from us. We are honored to be your protectors. Your magic is a gift, not a curse. You have saved us all from many years of suffering by clearing the ash. We are grateful.”

“Thank you, Alexander, and all of you, for your loyalty,” Mariam said, her tension easing. “My mother and I are white witches. Our powers are to be used for good, not evil.” Mariam stepped out of Cameron’s arms and approached the men. “Please stand. We are all members of the same family who reside at Ravenscraig.” As each man rose, she placed her hand upon their shoulder. “What do you feel when I touch you?”

At first, they hesitated to answer but as she continued to touch each of them, they smiled and replied as a group, “Peace. Love. Hope. Life.”

Orrin’s eyes widened when she placed her palm on his shoulder. “I have never experienced anything like it. It’s as if I know you will make certain there is a positive outcome for my life.”

Mariam nodded. “As you protect me, I will protect you.”

“Does that mean you will return home with us?” Orrin asked.

Mariam looked back to Cameron. “If you will all have me.” The men cheered, their voices rising into the night.

Cameron moved to her side once more and took her in his arms. “Marry me?”

“But you are my guardian. Is such a thing possible?”

“About that, my heart.” He brushed his lips against her temple, pulling her closer still. “When I went to Falkland Palace, I asked the king to release me from that obligation and to grant me something more.”

“What was that?”

“You, as my bride.”

Her eyes widened. “Truly?”

He chuckled. “Why are you so surprised? You know I would do just about anything to keep you at my side. I wish to see you every morning when I get up and watch the waves curl against the shore with you each night before we go to bed. I want nothing more than to have you with me all the remaining days of my life.” As he said the words, the moon broke free from the clouds overhead, casting a silver light that encompassed them both.

“And I only want to spend the rest of my days with you.” Her smile was radiant. “Aye. I want nothing more than to marry you.”

Another cheer rose up from his men, and Moira’s face lit with pleasure.

Filled with joy, Cameron lifted Mariam off her feet and twirled her around until they were both breathless and laughing. As their laughter faded, Cameron’s hold loosened and he slid her down the length of his body to the ground. His gaze moved over her face, memorizing each curve, each nuance.