Page 56 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
“Thank ye for keepin’ everythin’ together, Rhea,” Ian said, and his sister walked over to the bed, sat and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“It is over,” she said, then pulled back and smiled. “Now, I would like to leave Galloway for a while. I have never been away from this land and once ye are feelin’ better, I would like to set out on a trip.”
“Where will ye go?” Ian asked, and Rhea shrugged.
“I dinnae yet, but I think I will travel East. Many say the Lairds there are most welcomin’.”
They all laughed, and she stood up and placed her hand on Hope’s shoulder. “Take care of him.”
“I will,” Hope replied, then rose from where she sat and wrapped her arms around Rhea. She had grown to love her like the sister she never had, and Rhea was dear to her heart.
“Ye will come visit?” Hope asked.
“Of course, as soon as ye bear bairns, I will be here,” she replied with a wide smile.
When she left, Ian looked at Hope, and spread out his arms so she could come lie close to him. She inhaled his scent, and closed her eyes. Hope’s mind floated in bliss as they remained in that position for a long time.
“My faither is leavin on the morrow,” she said and Ian gently placed his hand on her back and stroked it. “I wish our relationship turned out better than this.”
“Have ye seen him since the feast?”
“Nay,” she replied.
“Then ye should before he leaves,” he advised.
Hope agreed with him, but never had she faced her father without fear of his words or how he would react. “This is yer home now, Hope, and in this Castle ye are Lady and ye have more power than yer faither.”
“I will speak to him before he leaves,” she agreed. She hoped her father would for the first time accept her newfound family.
The next day, Hope found her father before he left the Castle. They stood in front of the Castle and she stared at him, hoping that for the first time in her life she would feel a connection to him, one she had never felt.
“Ye shouldnae be here,” he said in a grim voice.
“I love the man I am wed to, Faither, and I am loyal to his Clan now. I hope that ye will be happy for me one day,” she replied. “He loves me too,” she added.
“Yer maither misses ye,” he said and then cleared his throat.
“I would love it if Maither came here to visit me. Leaving Drummond once in a while will do her a lot of good.”
Hope waited for his expression to soften, or for him to say anything to her, but he simply walked past her and headed out of the Castle. She released the breath she had been holding, and closed her eyes for a second.
It was finally over, and now she could live the life she wanted with Ian by her side for many more years to come. When Hope returned to the chamber, Ian was standing by the window, staring out into the sunset, and she wrapped her arms around him from behind and placed her head on his back.
“I love ye, Ian Cowan,” she whispered. He sighed, and touched her hand.
“I love ye too.”
Epilogue
Spring was the time when flowers blossomed, and animals in the wild flourished, and even in Galloway, there was a new era and the land flourished.
Ian got the news of his uncle’s demise on the day of the feast for his coronation as the new Laird. After hiding in the mountains for days, he had tried to flee Galloway when the mob caught up with him.
News of his crimes had spread throughout the Highlands. They thought they could get enough gold from the rich Laird who ruled Galloway and they had killed him when they could find nothing.
Ian sent his men to bring back his uncle’s body so they could give him a proper funeral, and put his body to rest after the coronation feast. He had waited for this day for years and now that it was finally here, he could affect the change he needed to make his Clan stronger and better.
Hope was at his side during feast, and watching her enjoy the music and dance performance made the feast enjoyable for him. His sister danced on her seat to the music, and Orlaith seemed busy with a new friend she had made among the guests.
