Page 83 of A Rogue in Twilight
“Tomorrow,” he said.
“It is not for the riches of the thing, and I do not care if you are a wealthy man or not,” she said. “Please trust me. The treasure must be found for all our sakes.”
“What if we married and took time to search these hills for treasure?”
“Because I do not know how long we will have together,” she blurted. “A lifetime or a few days. If the treasure is not found soon, the bargain Grandda made years ago with the Fey could cause terrible grief. You are part of that now.”
He drew her into his arms, regardless of his siblings standing near. “Even if we have only days, I would marry you. If we have a lifetime, I will marry you. Trust that.”
“I do,” she whispered. “And I believe we will find it now. I think my father left the clues in his painting.”
“Then we will try.” He kissed her brow lightly. Elspeth heard Fiona catch her breath again. A warmth like sunlight went through her—happiness, passion, hope. She tilted her head to kiss him, and stood in his embrace for a moment. She wanted to be with him forever, felt so grateful to have found him.
Yet she could not lose the sense of danger gathering all around.
Then Fiona hugged her and Patrick kissed her cheek, both welcoming her into their family. Smiling, she tried to ignore the feeling that she had just thrown down a gauntlet to fate and the Fey.
Yet this was the only choice where she could be true to herself. Quick as this had all come about, James already seemed part of her soul. Any differences between them only enriched their match, one changeable and airy, one solid and earthlike, each helping the other to grow. It felt right, despite the risks.
“James, please,” she murmured. “Help me find it tomorrow. We must.”
“We will try. When my aunt and the others go off to tour the Highlands, we will stay here, you and I, and search in the glen. Do you know where to look?”
“My grandfather has searched throughout the glen for years. But my father’s picture shows something that may help, though we have to puzzle it out.”
“The little cave in the landscape?” he asked.
“Grandmother called the painting a pretty picture of Ben Venue,” Fiona said. “She told me that once. Might that be a clue?”
“A’ Bheinn Mheanbh!” Elspeth gasped, nodded. “That is the Gaelic. It is a small mountain near Loch Katrine. Your aunt’s party may go past it tomorrow on their tour.”
“Then we must all go with them, and you too, Miss MacArthur,” Patrick said.
“Elspeth,” she told him, smiling, as he and Fiona did too.
“Then we will scale Ben Venue if we must,” James said. “Ask your grandfather to come as well, to help us search. We will all slip away and look for treasure, aye?”
“Charlotte will not like that very much,” Elspeth said.
“Charlotte is not my concern,” James said. “You are.” He set an arm around her shoulders. She sighed, relaxing against him.
“I know this seems impossible,” she said. “But I am grateful.”
“If I can meet my grandmother’s preposterous conditions, Miss MacArthur, and find myself a fairy bride, I think anything is possible.”
Tears stung her eyes, though she smiled. If Grandda was right, it was dangerous indeed. If they failed, she might never see James again.
A rapping sounded on the door, and Patrick opened it. “Mrs. MacKimmie!”
“Begging pardon, sir. Mr. MacArthur is here and asking for Miss Elspeth.”
Elspeth nodded, squeezed James’s hand, and murmured farewell. She could not find adequate words, filled with gratitude, excitement, love—and a hint of dread.
Late that night,James held the blue agate up to the glow of the lamplight. He had found the key to the case and removed thestone, wanting to give it to Elspeth. Her promise to marry him at last had given him hope, and the condition she had requested did not seem insurmountable. If stones like this existed nearby, then he might find crystals and even a bit of fool’s gold—iron pyrite—to satisfy the quest for a horde of treasure.
Had Elspeth set a Herculean task to see how sincere he was about fairy legends? His sincerity toward her was without question, but he understood her need to challenge. He wanted her to know that his proposal was because he loved her, wanted her, and not because of the inheritance. That it could satisfy Lady Struan’s will was simply a benefit now. He wanted to be her husband regardless.
He looked forward to the outing in the morning, as Elspeth and Donal would join the group for their Highland tour, acting as guides. While Donal might not be as well-versed in Sir Walter Scott’s poetry as the others, who wanted to see sites they had read about, he knew Donal would make the day an entertaining adventure.
