Page 104 of Highland Renegade
“They are part of the early distilling process,” Ian answered. “Different boiling points are used to extract the alcohol and part of the first stage—the foreshot—is verra strong and has almost no odor.” He turned back to Broderick. “And the hemlock?”
Again, he looked mulish and Devon’s hand went to his neck. “Answer us while ye can still talk.”
“I stole it from Old Gwendolyn’s cottage,” he choked out. “She never locks it.”
Devon released his hold and stood up. “What are we going to do with him?”
“He should be turned over to the magistrate in the morning,” Carr said.
“He will hang,” Donovan said quietly.
“He should have thought of that before he tried to kill Emily,” Ian said.
“But he did kill Isobel,” Rory answered.
“Which I, for one, could overlook, considering her treacherous behavior and the fact that her father killed ours,” Ian replied. “But I canna—and willna—allow Broderick to be a danger to Emily. Ye should also ken,” he continued, “that we are going to marry.”
“She is a Sassenach!” Broderick shouted.
Ian raised a fist, only Emily caught it. “Please. No more violence tonight.”
He lowered it slowly. “What ye doona ken is that Emily offered—before my proposal—to return the deed to our lands if our name is cleared. All she asked was to stay in the castle and to share the profits.” He looked at Donovan. “The land is going to be ours.And hers.”
Donovan glanced down at his brother, then back at Ian. “If I give ye my oath—as aMacGregor—nae a Murray—that I will escort my brother to Glasgow and see that he is on the next ship that sails to the Colonies and…” He glanced down once more. “If Broderick swears he will nae return, would ye agree to banishing him?”
“I canna—”
“Yes, you can,” Emily said. “I do not want to see a man hang, even if he hates me.”
“Ye are more honorable than we are,” Devon muttered.
“Not honorable especially,” Emily answered. “I just do not want to start life as aMacGregor”—she turned to smile at Ian—“with MacGregor blood on my hands.”
He studied her for a moment, then sighed and nodded to Donovan. “’Tis done then. Take him away.”
As his uncle helped Broderick up and out the door, Ian looked at his brothers. “And I will have ye gone as well.” He put his arm around Emily’s shoulders and drew her close. “I would like to spend some time getting to better know my intended.” He smiled at Emily. “Much better.”
“We doona need to be told twice,” Rory said and pushed his brothers out into the hall. “We’ll send food up in a few days if we doona see ye.”
Emily shook her head as she went to the door and bolted it after them, then turned to Ian.
“How much better do you intend to get to know me?”
He grinned and held out his arms. “Come here and I will show ye.”
Epilogue
Strae Castle, December 1774
Emily looked around the Great Hall, glad to see so many of the neighboring clans had come to celebrate the reinstatement of Clan MacGregor—together with its name and tartan—by Parliament. Even the Duke of Argyll was present.
Of course, she had herownreason for celebrating. She was now officially a MacGregor as well.Mrs. Ian MacGregoras of four o’clock this afternoon when they’d gotten married.
“Happy, wife?” Ian asked, coming up beside her near the dais and handing her a glass of wine.
“Very much, husband.” She looked over the packed hall once more. “It seems everyone is having a good time.”
“They should be. We have our name back—and our lands, thanks to ye.”
