Page 44 of Sighs of the Highland Wind

“It is good to be appreciated, Master Forbes, thank you,” she said politely.

Why so formal?he thought, frowning. He thought that if they could not be lovers, they could at least be friends. Suddenly he felt Kenna begin to slide her hand out of his and he grasped it tightly to stop her. She glanced up at him, her eyes questioning.

“Maxwell,” the laird said, reaching out a hand to clasp his. “Let the rift between our families be healed.”

“Thank you, M’Laird,” Maxwell said thankfully. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”

“And thank you, Kenna,” the laird said, smiling at her. “Now go and put your poor mother out of her misery.”

Kenna curtsied, and Maxwell opened the door for her to leave, but as she did so, she heard a scream and saw her mother come running toward her, arms outstretched. In a split second she was enveloped in a hug so tight she could barely breathe.

“Where have ye been, ye daft lassie? I have been worried out o’ my mind!”

Flora was sobbing, and Kenna felt a stab of guilt as she realized that she was the cause.

“I am sorry, Mammy,” she said soothingly. “I will tell you the whole story later, but I promise you, it was not my fault. Now I must say goodbye to Master Forbes and Lady Gilchrist.”

Flora’s gaze flicked up to Maxwell’s, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.This has got somethin’ tae dae wi’ ye,it said.

Eventually, she let Kenna go, then looked at her face carefully.

“Come tae the kitchen when ye are ready,” she said, but there was a warning in her eyes.

Kenna turned, and her gaze met Maxwell’s. Then, as if drawn by an invisible cord, she moved toward him. There was no noise and nothing around her. No one else existed but she and Maxwell.

Maxwell felt as though he was pulling Kenna toward him. She was moving so slowly but inevitably, and when she was no more than a foot away, he reached out and gripped her arms gently.

“Kenna,” he murmured.

He shook his head in disbelief that he could be in the grips of a love so strong that he thought it might overwhelm him.

Not only did he wish he could carry her away and make her one with him, but he wanted to be part of her life, wake up every day next to her, and have children with her. He wanted all of her forever.

“I love you.”

At this, Kenna laughed out loud and shook her head.

“No, Master Forbes. Please don’t mistake love for gratitude. Just say thank you.”

His heart plummeted, but he would not give up. What he had seen in her face was love, pure and simple.

“Thank you, Kenna, from the bottom of my heart for everything, but I do know the difference. I love you with everything that I am. Marry me.”

For a moment, Kenna was so astonished that she could do nothing but stand and stare at him.

“But I am a servant,” she protested. “I would ruin your life. You would be snubbed by all the people of your own class.”

“I don’t care about them or anyone else as long as I have you,” he replied, smiling into her apple-green eyes. “I have never been one to bother about other people’s opinions, Kenna. Say yes, please?”

At that moment Kenna wanted to do nothing more than let him take her away to a soft, comfortable place where they could lie together and let Maxwell teach her about the mystery of love. But she was still afraid. What if he regretted his decision? What if, after a few months, he decided that all they had was no more than a deep physical attraction to each other? What if he tired of her?

Yet her whole body ached for him, and Kenna could not help herself from taking a step forward so that no more distance separated them. As she pressed her hands against his broad, muscled chest, feeling its hardness and strength under her palms, something wonderful happened.

She felt the floodgates of her heart open, and as her love gushed out and engulfed both of them, she was not afraid anymore. She laid her head on his chest, feeling the strong thud of his heartbeat against her ear, and whispered, “Yes, Maxwell, I will be your wife.”

His sigh of relief was so deep that Kenna felt it blow over her hair as she slipped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him. Then, as he wrapped his arms around her, she felt as though she was in a cocoon of warmth and security, and exactly where she was meant to be.

“Thank God,” Maxwell breathed, then he tilted her face up to smile at her a moment longer before he lowered his mouth to hers.