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“J ocelyn’s a bonnie lass,” Alexander spoke once they’d all filed into Gunn’s study.

“Ye have a wife and a wee one,” Gunn stated but he was only jesting.

Alexander was the one out of all of their friends that they thought would never settle down.

None of them had realized he’d been pining for Nicholas’s sister, nor that Clarissa had been for him either.

But it was obvious once they’d seen each other.

“Ye have been busy growing your families. I am happy to see it. The ladies look happy and well loved. Nicholas, are ye trying to beat your parent’s record?” Gunn chuckled.

Nicholas had six siblings that he cared for after their father had passed.

Most could take care of themselves, but he had a set of twins on the younger side.

Gwen had a brother their age, along with two others.

Now with the addition of two wee ones and one on the way, Huntly Castle’s walls were indeed full.

“We both said we wanted children. Why wait? Speaking of, Malcolm, what are ye waiting for?”

“Hey now,” Malcolm chided. “If it happens, it happens. ’Tis no’ for lack of trying on our end, if ye ken what I mean?”

“I ken verra well,” Gunn murmured. “Did ye enjoy the ride o’er?”

Finlay barked out a laugh. “I love a good carriage ride.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Ye both are the worst. What would Lizzie and Willamina say if they heard ye speak of such things?”

“They would agree,” Finlay and Malcolm said in unison.

“Let me bring these two to their nanny. They can use naps, then we can get down to business,” Nicholas said as he stood.

“Come here, Bennie,” Alexander called and scooped the tot up in his arms. “Uncle Alex will help your papa get ye and your wee sis to bed.”

Malcolm nodded toward the door Nicholas and Alexander had just disappeared through. “Ye ready for that?” he asked Finlay.

“I canna wait. I tried to convince Willamina to stay home.” He looked at Gunn. “No’ because I didna want to come. She’s so close. What would have happened if the bairn decided to come whilst we were traveling?”

“I would have understood, but I’m glad ye came. ’Tis been too long since we’ve all been together.”

“Aye,” Finlay agreed.

“I think we could all use a drink before we get down to serious talk.” He stood and went over to the sideboard that was well-stocked with the finest whisky.

As he poured the dark amber liquid into glasses, he thought about the bairns.

Those already here and those on the way.

Including Jocelyn’s, wondering if she would have a lass that favored her mama’s looks, or a lad that favored his papa’s.

He frowned. Would he find that upsetting? There was a good chance that the bairn would look like their father. He shook the feeling away before it had time to fester. The bairn would be loved. And treated as if it were his own. The wee one would never ken any different.

“Are ye going to pass those out or just stand there like an oaf?” Malcolm asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Sorry.”

“What are ye sorry for now?” Alexander asked as he walked in, Nicholas close behind.

“Apparently, I wasna passing out the whisky soon enough.”

With drinks in hand, they all took a seat, their attention focused on Gunn. He sipped his drink, letting the liquid heat his throat.

“Ye ken the women are gossiping in the salon,” Alexander said. “’Tis time for our own. Out with it. How did ye meet Jocelyn?”

Gunn went through the story of how she entered his pub that night and how she hadn’t left since. How they were planning for their future.

“I need your help with a couple of things.”

Nicholas grew serious. “Aught. Ye name it.”

“Her husband is currently searching for her. ’Twill no’ be long before he realizes she’s escaped north instead of south as he originally thought.”

“Are ye certain?” Finlay asked.

“Aye. Malcolm did some research before I learned the facts of Jocelyn’s past. He’s a bastard. I dinna think he’ll let her go.”

“Clearly, he canna love her if he treated her so poorly,” Finlay offered.

Gunn scratched at his jaw, his stubble making his skin itch. He needed a shave. “’Tis all his ego, I believe. He sees her as property. Naught more.”

“Bastard,” Alexander spat. “’Tis good she found ye.”

Shrugging, he scraped his hand over his mouth. “We need to find a way to make him agree to a divorce. I dinna care if I have to pay the arsehole off. Whate’er needs to be done, I’ll do it.”

“Sounds serious.” It was Nicholas. His friend was usually quiet. Serious. But loyal to a fault. “Are ye sure this is what ye want?”

Was it? He thought about when he was with Jocelyn. It was as if the rest of the world fell away, and it was only them there in the moment. No worries or cares. It was just them. Drinking each other in.

He nodded. “I’m certain.”

“I dinna believe it,” Alexander said. “Ye, the last holdout from our group of friends, is finally settling down. With an English woman, no less.”

“Where she was born has naught to do with it, ye sod.”

“What’s the plan? Are we going to Rochester? Track him down? Or wait for him to show up here?”

“I havena decided. But there’s something else I need help with.”

Serious looks on his friends’ faces let him ken that whatever it was he needed, they were there for him.

The same as he’d been there for them when they needed something.

It was what friends did. Helped each other whenever one needed it.

They’d been so close growing up. Played together.

Served together. Supported each other. Now it was his turn to draw on their collective help.

He stood, refilled his whisky, and held up the bottle for whoever else needed more. All except Finlay raised their glass and Gunn kenned it was because his friend wanted to keep a clear head in case the bairn decided to enter the world.

Pacing the floor, he swallowed his pride and told his friends about the financial hardships he had been facing with the Thistle & Pig.

“When Jocelyn asked for employment, the only thing I could think of was ledger review. I had been meaning to do it but kept pushing it off. It was a task I loathed and I was too focused on trying to bring the pub and inn back to life.”

“That’s understandable given the stress ye were under. But why would ye have her assessing your books?” Alexander asked. “Ye’d just met her, and she’s a woman.”

Gunn laughed, pointed a finger at his friend. “Aye, but a smart one at that. Her father taught her accounting as a way of ensuring she would have the knowledge to care for her own finances when she married,” he scoffed. “The bastard took all of that from her.”

“So no’ only was he violent against her, he couldna stand for her to be independent thinking?”

“Exactly, Finlay. The last thing he wanted was for her to ken what he was doing with the money.” He sipped his whisky, emptying the glass so he placed it on his desk.

“Whilst she was reviewing my ledgers she uncovered some unaccounted transactions. Long story short, Theodore has been stealing from my coffers and practically bankrupting my business.”

“What the hell?” Alexander spat.

“The louse,” Finlay snapped.

“Aye. No’ only that, he was the reason that e’eryone stopped frequenting the pub and inn.

Rumors were spread that somehow managed to stay out of my ears.

Jocelyn and I went on a walk a few days ago and talked to people around town and found that to be the case.

I dinna think it was him directly, but word got out.

Jocelyn was verra convincing in getting the townsfolk to agree to return. ”

“Have they?” Nicholas asked.

Gunn nodded, sinking back into his chair.

“’Tis only been a couple of days, but today the pub was filling up and patrons were once again filling the dining room at the inn.

So much so, that I had to scramble to bring in help for Thomas and Flora.

’Twas too many people for them to handle themselves. ”

“That’s great news, aye?” Alexander asked.

Agreeing, Gunn nodded. “I had to let so many people go, ’tis nice to ken that I will be able to hire a full staff back. That I will have the funds coming in to support them.”

“How did Theodore react?” Finlay asked.

“No’ well. He’s trying to act happy about it, but I see through his facade.”

“What can we do?” Alexander asked, leaning forward with his forearms on his thighs.

“It appears the money he was pilfering was to fund his own establishment. His plan to bankrupt no’ only the Thistle & Pig, but my estate as well, was so that he could get rid of what he considered his number one competition.”

“Nay,” Alexander muttered in disbelief.

“Aye. I want all of us to go to his pub. Together as a banded front. I want to see the fear in his eyes when he realizes I am aware of what he’s done.”

“Och. ’Tis been some time since I’ve been in a fight, but I am ready.” Nicholas stated.

The four men looked at him, surprise clear on their faces.

He put his hands up in defense. “What?” He pointed to his scars. “I am great at putting the fear of God into people. Especially no-good bastards.”

Laughter erupted in the room.

“’Twill be like the old days,” Finlay said.

Gunn clapped his hands. “All right, ’tis settled. We have dinner this eve, but on the morrow, we’ll pay Theodore a visit.

Happy to have the support of his friends, he smiled, and they made a plan to leave at noon tomorrow.

“’Tis almost time for dinner. We should collect our wives and get ready,” Malcolm said.

Gunn had no complaints about that. He couldn’t wait to see Jocelyn again and see how she was faring with the other ladies. He had no doubt all went well, but she had been so nervous. He wanted to hear all about it.

*

Four sets of eyes focused on Jocelyn and the attention caused her heart to jump in her throat. Did they really just expect her to blurt out everything? About her and her past. About Gunn? It didn’t seem proper to give such details to women she’d just met.