Page 99 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
Noah looked up at him, the sincerity on his brother-in-law’s face surprising him.
“Aye well, ye’ve done well enough,” he grunted, and Jack just chuckled.
“Ye told me ye were worried ye would be possessive like our faither,” Amelia said suddenly. “Ye said that ye wouldnae be able to let her go once ye had her; is that what ye still believe?”
Noah’s chest tightened. “I’d never wish to treat a woman the way faither treated maither.”
“Alright then, there’s a way to resolve this,” Amelia said matter-of-factly. It was infuriating how calm she could be when Noah was in such turmoil. “I want you to imagine Keira fallin’ in love with another man.”
Noah straightened, his shoulders tensing at the very idea, but his sister kept going without pausing for breath.
“Imagine it. Imagine the man; she’s utterly besotted, happy, and even married.” Noah scowled. “Would ye hurt her? Would ye start wars and kill people for her?”
Noah thought about it. It was true; the idea of Keira with anyone else sent fury racing through him. He saw her as his but not as a possession. She had been treated badly, and he wished to undo it, to treasure her as she ought to be treasured. He thought of her being happy with another, in the arms of another, and despite the pain it caused him to think of that, he shook his head.
“If she wanted the other man, and he treated her well…nay. I would never do anythin’ to hurt her… or the lover, for that matter. She deserves to be the happiest woman in this world. I couldnae bear to see her cry.”
Perhaps he had finally found someone who was strong enough to accept his love, no matter what happened. Who, in spite of all they might face together, was a match for him in every way.
“Oh my…” that was Jack’s voice. “He’s finally…”
Noah’s head snapped up to look at him, narrowing his eyes at Laird Dougal.
“I’ve finally what?” he demanded, looking between them and wanting to throw something at Jack’s smug face as he smirked mysteriously at Amelia and finished his dram.
“Think about it, brother,” Amelia repeated. “Are ye sure ye wouldnae hurt anyone who she chose for her own?”
Noah scratched his chin, ignoring Jack and contemplating that idea. “Well… I might pluck out me eyes so I dinnae have to witness anyone else touchin’ her, but nae.”
Amelia was grinning now. “Ye see? Ye’re nothin’ like him, Noah! Ye understand that people follow their heart. Sometimes that means lettin’ them go. That is somethin’ our faither never understood. Ye deserve happiness.” She walked forward, clasping his hands in her own and looking at him with such earnestness he felt tears loom again. “Go and find her and make ye both happy.”
He stared at her, those familiar green eyes looking back at him with such certainty he almost believed it would be as simple as she had said.
He felt the resolve harden in his veins as he wondered whether he would be too late. It would not be long before Keira left for the boat—perhaps she already had. The thought was agony.
“If she’ll have me,” he said firmly, “I’ll move heaven and earth to make her happy.”
CHAPTER36
Keira’s cottage was bare.
She looked about her with mixed feelings as she took in the clear surfaces and her empty table. All of the herbs and spices that she had been unable to pack had been given away to members of the village.
She was ready.
It was finally time for her to move on with her life.
The last few weeks had been more painful than any she had ever experienced.
Being embraced by the village again had been blissful. She had felt like her old self again. But Noah had been on her mind a great deal.
She regretted leaving on the same evening that he had turned her away. She wished she had at least given Scott and Daisy a chance to bid him goodbye, but she had not had the strength. She had known that if she saw his handsome, chiseled face again, she would not be able to leave him.
“Ye are thinkin’ of Laird MacAllen again,” Scott said from the doorway. Daisy, who had been tying up some of the bundles for their journey, nodded in agreement.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” Keira asked.
“Yer face crumples in on itself,” Daisy said helpfully as she tied the final bundle and placed it with the others.
