Page 33 of Kilgannon #1

W HEN I WOKE AGAIN IT WAS MIDDAY, RAINY, AND I was alone. I found Alex downstairs before the fire, reading, looking so content that I smiled to myself, enjoying the scene.

“How are ye, lass?” he said, and looked up with a smile.

“Very well rested,” I said, laughing. “And hungry.”

He laughed too. “Strange effect marriage has on ye.” I made a face at him and led the way into the kitchen, where we sat at the table in the kitchen eating a cold meal.

“Alex?” I said. We had been quiet for a few minutes and I’D watched him as he ate, his expression thoughtful. “Alex, I want to discuss something.”

“Och, here it comes. One day married and it’s starting.”

“You’re making this difficult.”

“Aye.” He nodded, laughing. Look at how beautiful he is , I thought. My husband. I have the right to touch him, to talk with him, to be alone with him. Any time I wish to, day or night. And no one can lecture me or make me feel common because I cannot stop looking at him. My husband .

“Alex….” I said, lifting my chin.

“Yer a verra persistent woman, Mary MacGannon.”

“Yes.” I glared at him. “Very. So listen to me.”

“I willna say another word.”

“Good. Now, listen. I’ve been thinking.”

“Mmmm,” he said, his mouth twitching.

“Alex!” He grinned at me again. “I want you to buy a boat with my dowry. One to replace the one that went down.”

He blinked. His arms fell from his chest and he placed his hands on the table. I leaned against the back of my chair, enjoying his amazement. He looked at me for a long moment, then at the floor before meeting my eyes again.

“I dinna ken what to say. That’s a verra generous offer.”

I smiled smugly. “Speechless. I’m enjoying it very much.”

He ignored my remark and continued, speaking softly and slowly. “It’s verra generous, lass, but I dinna think I could accept yer offer. That’s to be yer money.”

“You must accept it, Alex. You cannot say no to this!”

His eyes grew merry. “Aye? Must I?”

“Yes,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I see,” he said, imitating me perfectly. “And why is that?”

I leaned toward him. “Alex, when you proposed, you asked me to share what you had and I pledged to share what I have. Now we are married, and I want you to use the dowry money. Rebuild your fleet.” He looked at me, considering. “I will have my way in this, my love.”

“Will ye, lass?” He shook his head, grinning. “I think not, but ye can amuse yourself.” I stood abruptly and my chair fell. He did not move, but his expression sobered.

“Then you can amuse yourself as well, sir.” I was dangerously close to tears as I moved to the door.

He was there before me and blocked my way.

When I reached my hands up to push him aside, he clenched my wrists and turned us around so that my back was to the wall.

I looked up into his eyes as he held my wrists above me.

“I love ye, Mary MacGannon, and I accept yer offer. Graciously.” He kissed my forehead and then my cheek. I turned my head and he chuckled. “Dinna be angry, lass. Ye won,” he whispered in my ear, and released my wrists as he gathered me to him. “Ye won. With one condition. ”

I turned to face him and he kissed my mouth. “Which is?”

“That the ship will always stay in yer name, not mine. It will always be yer property. Ye may do with it as ye wish. Ye have only to speak.”

“No. It will be yours.”

“Mary, it will be yer property and only yers, or I willna accept it. And I willna argue the point.” He kissed me again.

“Alex,” I said eventually. His attention was on what his hands were doing to my laces. “You will buy the boat?”

His hands stopped and he laughed ruefully.

“Ship, lass, and aye, I’ll buy it. Ye ken yer power, Mary.

It’s as I’ve told ye from the first—it will be as ye wish.

I feel uneasy using yer money this way, but if it is truly what ye wish, I will do it, and thank ye for it.

” I slipped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

“Our money, Alex. Our money. And it is truly what I wish.”

“Then ye’ll have yer way. With my condition.” He kissed my forehead again, his hands very busy.

“So you will order it built? From London?”

“No. Yer money will be spent in Scotland,” he said, leaning down to undo a stubborn fastening.

“And you’ll do that as soon as we get there?”

“After the wedding, aye, lass, HI spend every penny of yer dowry if it’s what ye say.” His hands stopped and he looked up. “Mary, tell me, lass. Has no one ever denied ye anything?”

“Yes.” I stroked his cheek. “I had to wait months for you.”

The five days flew by all too quickly and it was time to leave.

We had been left alone but had been well cared for.

We had enjoyed the privacy and thoughtfulness and wrote to the Duke and Duchess with our thanks the night before we left.

Alex was quiet as we piled our luggage in the foyer that evening, in preparation for the morning, and I asked him what he was thinking.

“I’m thinking that Kilgannon will be a shock to ye, lass.

This was the quiet before the storm. We’ve had time together, the two of us, and that will be rare from here on.

We’ll be surrounded by the clan, and while it never bothered me, I’m thinking it’s a life verra different than ye’ve known. Have ye any misgivings?”

His expression was troubled, and I put my arms around him and kissed him. “We will be fine. If we were to live at Mountgarden it would be the same. I grew up with staff around me.”

“They’re not yer relatives.”

“We’ll be fine, Alex. But there is one thing …”

“Aye?”

“Ellen. Could I possibly bring Ellen?”

“Ellen?”

“She’s one of Louisa’s housemaids. I’ve grown very fond of her. She would be a companion for me.”

He shrugged. “Oh, aye, anything. But do ye think the girl would want to go live in such a far place?”

“She says she does.” And she had, just before our wedding. In the excitement I had forgotten her request.

“Then it’s done. If she hates it, I’ll ship her home.”

“How do I tell her? We’re to meet everyone tomorrow. I should have thought of it before this.”

“We’ll have time,” he said, moving one of my trunks. “One of the lads can leave straightaway. We don’t sail until tomorrow night.” He frowned at the luggage. “How much more are ye bringing with ye, lass? Perhaps we’ll need two ships.”

My family met us without incident and we left: with the tide into a clear and cold twilight.

Wee Donald had volunteered to go to London to get Ellen, and she was delighted to have been remembered.

She stood next to me as we waved to my family, bouncing with excitement.

I watched her fondly, wondering if her enthusiasm would fade as we traveled north into the unknown.

My farewells had been far more difficult than I had imagined.

I had never been without Louisa or Will for any length of time, and I was filled with remorse for not treasuring our last few weeks.

Randolph was gruff on the surface but teary-eyed as I embraced him.

I was in tears myself, and he wiped them away with an unexpectedly tender gesture.

“Take good care of my girl, Kilgannon,” Randolph growled.

Alex grinned at him. “I will, sir. And ye will come to visit us in the northern wilds, no?”

He turned abruptly away and Louisa patted his arm before embracing me.

We both promised to write. I knew she would return to her busy schedule in London, but I knew as well that she would miss me, as I would her.

I’D never been the one to leave. I tried to thank her again for all her kindness, but she waved my words away.

“Mary, if you need us, we’ll be here for you always.” She cupped my face in her hands and tried a weak smile. “Always, my dear.” I could not speak but nodded and embraced her again.

Will did not try to hide his emotions as he held me to him, talking quietly. “Take care, little Mary. Be happy. And if he is not what you think, come home and I’ll cut his heart out.”

“Oh, Will.…” I said, fighting my tears and losing.

He smiled. “Be happy, Mary.” I nodded and hugged him again. Even Betty was caught up in the moment and clung to me, wishing us well. One last embrace from all and I was ushered on board, to wave at them as we sailed into the evening.

Our trip was uneventful and I was grateful I had once again proved to be a good sailor.

When we reached Scotland the seas were huge and threatening, but no rain hampered us.

The last day we sailed through islands, and the waves calmed somewhat.

Alex pointed out sights and named what we were passing and whose lands they were, and I heard for the first time many of the names that were to become so meaningful later.

We were standing on deck together when Gannon’s Lady turned its back on the sea at last and sailed into a loch.

Alex wore his best today and had asked me to wear the cloak he’D given me.

It swirled around me like a sail as we changed course and the wind came from our back.

“Loch Gannon,” Alex said, smiling broadly while he nodded at my expression and brushed the hair back from my face.

“Aye, the man put his name on everything. When Agnus and I were boys, we called everathing ‘Gannon.’tree Gannon, rock Gannon, boat Gannon. We thought we were verra clever. Of course, so did Gannon.” He smiled again. “Almost home.”

The sides of the loch were rocky cliffs, towering gray and lifeless over us.

I stared around me, wondering what kind of land I had come to.

Could anyone really think this beautiful?

How could this support many people? Who could live in such a desolate place?

We turned around a bend, and here the cliffs tapered off slowly into barren hills on one side, but still no houses, no people, and I felt my heart sink.

This was no better. How could he have said it was so splendid?

And his sketches. Where had he been drawing?