Page 24 of Highland Yule
“Aye, he called ye friend and,” brows furrowed, Colmac stood next to her and read the letter again, “it sounded as if...”
When he trailed off, she nodded and carefully rolled the letter, finishing Colmac’s thought for him. “He knew we loved each other.”
Colmac’s expression was hard to read. “I dinnae know if I should be upset with him or not.”
“I think the time to be upset is long past.” Her eyes went to his. “Now is the time to forgive and move on. Like ye, I willnae think poorly of him. He was a good and kind man. ‘Tis best to understand that young love is capable of anything.”
“Aye,” he agreed.
Yet, like her, he clearly struggled with it
“What did he say to ye the night he proposed?” he asked. “What did he hope to get from ye?”
She touched her lips absently, recalling how Bróccín had stuttered he had been so nervous to ask. “A kiss.”
Colmac arched a brow. “And did it happen?”
“Aye.” She looked to the stairs. “In the hallway upstairs.”
“All the way up there, then?” Colmac looked at her curiously. “Are ye sure ‘twas just a kiss?”
“Of course, and a quick respectable kiss at that!” She rounded her eyes. “What sort of lassie do ye take me for?” She shook her head. “Yer brother was verra much a gentleman. He kissed me but one other time, saying all else would wait until we married.”
Surprise lit his gaze. “Aye? In all the time he romanced ye?”
“Aye!” She narrowed her eyes. “Again, what sort of lassie do ye take me for?”
“One who would have been kissed well and true many times over by now had ye walked the same path with me.” He pulled her after him. “Let us head that way and see what we can find.”
Dancing a merry jig with Aaron, Aunt Brighid grinned and winked at her in passing.
As she and Colmac headed upstairs, his attitude seemed to change. There was a new set to his jaw. A bolder look in his eyes. If she did not know better, she would say while he still intended to honor her mourning period, his intentions, in general, had changed.
“Where did he kiss ye,” he ground out at the top of the stairs.
“What is it, Colmac?” She frowned. “Ye seem upset.”
“Nay.” He shook his head, determination in his gaze. “Just impatient to find yer next message.” He cocked his head. “So where was yer kiss?”
“In the alcove just around the corner.”
He nodded and pulled her after him into said alcove. “Here, then?”
“Aye, ‘twas here.”
“Aye,” he agreed. “Where ye had yer first chasterespectablekiss. Now ye’ll get the sort of kiss yeshouldhave got then.”
He pulled her against him, wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and for the first time in her life, gave her the type of kiss she had long dreamed of.
