Page 15 of Her Magnificent Mistake (Surprised Heirs #1)

CHAPTER 14

M ost of the household was still in shock, but Hawk rallied them to do what was necessary. Until that moment, Marcia hadn’t realized how much she appreciated being able to lean on someone else; a partner.

She and Bull had always worked well together, and she was determined to be his equal. Her name might not be above the door, but it was her investigative company, just the same. But with Hawk, she was grateful to let him take the lead now, as she clung to his hand and tried not to hyperventilate when she thought about how close they’d all come to death.

Losing Rupert. Losing Hawk. Losing Allie.

At some point in the future, she assumed he would lean on her, the way a partnership worked.

Assuming they still had a future.

“Gabby says Rupert’s injury will be simple to stitch,” Hawk announced, his attention on the buttons of Marcia’s blouse. They were in his rooms, although her mind was too muddled to understand what that meant. “I sent McMackinacker for the doctor, but she insisted she’d be able to handle it.” He finished unbuttoning and slid the material down her shoulders. “He’s complaining and fussing, but Allie had just poured him a double dram of whisky and kissed the lout’s forehead, so hopefully he willnae mind.”

Marcia was distracted by his sure fingers on her waist buttons. “Yes, if she strokes his brow and tells him how brave he is as she feeds him the whiskey, he will be right as rain. Which never made sense to me, because rain is not exactly right. It is not exactly wrong either. What are you doing?”

He paused and lifted his head. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“It looks like you are removing my clothing.”

“Aye.” Hawk’s grin was lopsided. “Because ye’re filthy from rolling around on the ground. I am as well. I thought ye might like a bath.”

“I would,” she began cautiously, her gaze flicking to the bed, remembering what they’d shared only this morning. Goodness, had it really only been a few hours ago? “But I was not certain…”

He straightened, his jacket already gone. “Certain? About what?”

She took a deep breath, her breasts pressing against her corset, and met his eyes. She could say this. “This morning, you…” She swallowed. “I was not certain you wanted… me . Not anymore.”

His expression cleared, then crumpled, and he hummed lightly as he pulled her against him. “I’m sorry, lass,” he murmured into her hair. “I’m sorry for my anger.”

Frowning now, Marcia planted her palms on his chest and pushed. “Your anger was justified. I kept a secret from you.”

“Aye.” He shrugged, and his grin turned a little crooked. “But ye did so because ye thought I was keeping a secret from ye . I had nae right to expect?—”

“You had every right,” she said firmly, glaring up at him. How dare he be so—so calm in accepting her apology! “I lied, and yes, I manipulated you. I was told you were a murderer, and I used our past relationship to get close to you.”

“But I didnae fall for it,” he reminded her with a teasing grin. His hands went to her shoulders. “Marcia, when ye showed up here pretending to be someone ye werenae, I thought ye’d changed as much as ye must’ve thought I’d changed, if I could harm someone I loved.”

Guilt caused Marcia’s stomach to roil. “When I realized that was not who you wanted me to be, I went back to being myself, even though…even though I did not understand why you had not wanted me then.”

“And I’m sorry I never told ye, love.” He dropped a kiss to her forehead, gathering her close again. This time she let him. “I was stupid and short-sighted. Back then, I was terrified of betraying my friendship with Bull. And when I heard ye excited to wed another… I thought what we shared was a mistake.”

Hawk’s heartbeat was strong and steady against her ear, and she curled her fingers around his arm as if she could keep him there forever. “It was magnificent .”

“I always felt so guilty.”

“And I am guilty now,” she admitted against his chest. “I am sorry I ever believed you a murderer. I am sorry I manipulated you as part of the investigation. I should never?—”

He interrupted her with a kiss.

It started soft, but soon the memory of how close she’d come to losing him crept in, and Marcia twisted her fingers through his lapel and crushed herself to him as if she could keep him safe here with her forever.

Forever .

They were panting when they pulled apart. Hawk dropped his forehead to hers. “Marry me, Marcia. Give me the chance to set things right with ye. Let me spend the rest of my days proving how much I love ye.”

“Only…” Her lips tugged upward. “Only if you allow me to spend the rest of my days proving just how much I love you.”

When he exhaled, it sounded as if he’d been holding his breath. Slowly, he straightened, smiling gently. “I should have been braver all those years ago. I should have been honest.”

Her attention on the buttons of his own shirt, Marcia shrugged. “That is in the past, and cannot be changed. If you had been brave enough to confess to my brother, we would have taken this step.”

“A forever?” Hawk murmured. His hands closed around hers as they reached the end of his now untethered buttons. “And now, love? Are ye ready for a forever now ?”

“With you?” She stretched up on her toes to brush a kiss on his lips. “I am. I love you.”

“I love ye too, lass,” he growled suddenly, pulling off his shirt.

Her heart sped to see him disrobing. Or maybe it was in excitement for their future. Whichever it was, she knew what she wanted next.

Marcia began to fumble with her corset.

“Ready for that bath now?” There was a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“A chance to see you naked?” She laughed. “ Always .”

“Forever.”

M uch later, after a good scrubbing and wetting—and then a bath—the pair of them stood outside the door of the blue suite, arms locked. While the proper thing to do would be to send McMackinacker, or one of the other footmen, to ask his guests to meet in the parlor, it had seemed too…formal.

Hawk had guessed they would be in Bull’s quarters, where the council of war had been.

He glanced down at the woman by his side. The woman who’d proven today—and every day—that she was his perfect match. “Are ye ready, love?”

Marcia took a deep breath and her hand rose to her throat. It wasn’t until her fingers scrambled a few times that he realized what she was doing. In her time at Tostinham, he’d often seen her fiddling with the strange blue pendant as a sort of nervous gesture.

Only an hour ago, as they held one another—thoroughly satiated—in the bath, she’d told him the full story of the pendant. How it had been a gift—an inheritance —from Lady Mistree, and how it had never made any sense to her.

“Perhaps,” he’d said, “it didn’t need to make sense to you. Perhaps ye werenae the one who needed to believe that it was a home to a sprite.”

She’d hummed thoughtfully, then nodded. “When the moment came, Artrip had believed. I saw it glow when he grabbed it. As if…as if it was happy . As if it knew it was finally going to be free?”

“Whether it was a spirit, or just some glowing lapis glitter, it was exactly what we needed.” Hawk had tightened his arms around her in the soapy water, trying not to think of how disastrous the day could have been. “It distracted Artrip exactly the way we needed, when we needed. He willingly gave up his murderous efforts to hurt Allie to get the pendant, which allowed me the time to get him away from both of ye.”

Marcia had turned in his arms then and given him a mock glare. “And I have not even begun to scold you for how foolish and dangerous and brave that move was, you magnificent man.”

Since she’d kissed him straight after that statement, however, he hadn’t minded her “scolding” one bit.

Now she looked a little lost, standing outside her brother’s room without her pendant.

“I’ll get ye a new one,” he whispered, raising his hand to close around her empty one. “No’ a mystical home of a sprite, but something big and blue and worthy of ye.”

Her smile was a little crooked. “I had not realized how much I was used to it…until it was gone.”

She’d sacrificed her inheritance from Lady Mistree to save them all, and it had worked. And who knew? Perhaps Pook had resided in her pendant, and was now back home, living wild in his Glen.

Hawk wondered if the burn would feel differently the next time they visited.

“I love ye,” he whispered to her, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

Marcia sighed and leaned into his touch for just a moment, then took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Let us face the masses.”

“And tell yer brothers our good news?”

Her lips twitched. “And listen to Rupert put himself in the same category as all his favorite classical heroes. I can just hear him now: I was shot protecting you, Allison! I require a kiss !”

“Lord above!” Hawk burst into laughter. “Hercules, Odysseus, and Rupert, eh?”

“Exactly,” she laughed, then raised her fist to knock on the door.

At Bull’s “Come in,” they pushed into the suite, and Hawk breathed a little sigh of relief that he’d guessed correctly where everyone would be.

There was Bull, looking dapper as always, his lips tugged into a frown as he sorted through piles of correspondence, a decanter—which had been full yesterday—at his elbow.

Rupert was stretched out on the settee, a heavy bandage around his upper arm, with Allie squeezed up next to him stroking his forehead, just as Marcia had guessed. Studiously ignoring them was Gabby, scribbling furiously in a journal.

On their entrance, she looked up and snapped the book closed, her expression one of professional intent. “Rupert’s injury is perfectly clean. I have treated it with saline and iodine to prevent infection.”

“Is that no’ for coos?” Rupert called from the settee.

“Just do not allow anyone to milk you,” she shot right back.

Allie flushed pink, but didn’t bother to hide her smirk.

Bull grinned as he shook his head and pushed back from the desk, but there was still tension around his eyes. “Thank ye, Hawk, for keeping my brother and sister safe,” he announced as he crossed the room.

Opening his arms, he embraced Hawk, who gladly accepted the hug. “I am honored to be trusted.”

“Aye.” Bull held him at arm’s length, studying him. “Aye, I do trust ye. And more importantly…” His gray gaze flicked to his sister. “So does Marsh.”

“I love him,” she announced softly, sliding her arm back through Hawk’s.

Bull nodded slowly, and Hawk felt as if he needed to defend himself. “I’ve asked Marcia to become my wife, and she’s agreed.”

Bull’s expression slowly cleared to a soft smile. “Then I am happy for ye both. I’m glad ye finally found what ye needed to be happy together. Whatever mistakes of the past ye shared?—”

“There’ve been plenty of mistakes,” Hawk said wryly, tugging her up against him.

Marcia grinned. “Wonderful mistakes. Magnificent mistakes!”

Hawk tried not to think of those delicious mistakes. Not in company. Not if he didn’t want to have to hide his cockstand behind a book.

Gabby came bounding up and swept Marcia into a hug, her squeal of excitement muffled somewhat, thankfully. “Marriage! How exciting! Can I be your maid of honor?”

Bull nudged her. “Only if I get to be Hawk’s best man.”

From across the room, Rupert had struggled into an upright position, helped by an eager Allie. “Dinnae be daft, it makes far more sense for Allie and me to take those roles. That way I can escort her down the aisle.”

Did the lad not see how Allie’s eyes widened at the suggestion? Or had that been the point?

Would Hawk’s niece end up as the next Duchess of Peasgoode?

Someday, perhaps. Rupert’s got a long campaign ahead of him to convince her!

“I’m his best friend,” growled Bull, as Gabby grabbed Marcia’s hand and swung it back and forth as she declared, “And I have known you since we were children!”

Laughing, Hawk threw his arm around Marcia’s shoulders. “Regretting agreeing to this, love?”

“Never.” When Rupert and Allie joined their little group, she winked at Hawk. “However, I am thinking that an elopement sounds lovely.”

“Ye wouldnae dare,” gasped Rupert, leaning perhaps a little unnecessarily on Allie’s shoulders. “And deprive Flick the chance to plan yer wedding? Da would never forgive ye if he didnae get to glare fiercely at Hawk—I mean, walk ye down the aisle.”

This time it was Marcia’s cheeks that pinked, but with pleasure.

Hawk threw his other arm around Allie, who was already connected to Rupert. Bull closed their circle by linking arms with Gabby and cheerfully wrapping his younger brother in a headlock.

As Rupert struggled, Hawk began to laugh, and Marcia joined in.

Soon, they were all laughing, and that was when he knew the truth.

With Allie here at Tostinham and Marcia as his wife, and Bull and his friends at his side, he’d finally found a family and done what he’d never thought was possible.

He’d found a home.