Page 91 of The Forest Bride

“I see. My brother Neill is earl now, but he would have been with Bruce then. He is married to Bruce’s sister, Lady Mary. One of the captured royal women,” he added.

“I am sorry. Edward is capable of unspeakable cruelty.”

“So it seems. We have had little news about the condition of the women and Bruce has had no success resolving it. It will take time.” Duncan paused. “Henry, I am sorry I never saw the message from your father.”

“What would you have done if you had the message?”

He sat thoughtful in the saddle, watching the quiet glen; whoever had ridden there earlier had not returned. He thought of missed chances over ten years—but now he had hope again. “I would have been intrigued—and would have wondered if the lady would entertain the idea.”

“She might well now. If you want my permission as her guardian, you have it.”

Duncan huffed a little laugh of disbelief, hope, uncertainty. “It is a lot to take in.”

“It is. But my father saw the truth at the end, I think.”

“The truth?”

“Why do you think she refused every suitor?”

“Perhaps she was unwilling to be hurt again.”

“She loved you, no matter what. My father finally saw that. She was so besotted with the idea of you, sir,” Henry said, “that she refused to marry. As devoted as she was to Father, she railed at him for wanting to marry her off. But he knew she would only thrive with a man as strong-willed and stubborn as she is. A very patient man.”

“I can see the need for that,” Duncan drawled.

“He wanted a rare man for a rare lass. She has a wild side.”

“I know.” He half laughed. “I understand she was dismissed from the convent, but she never said why.”

Henry chuckled. “She tried prophesying for the nuns.”

“What?”

“It was my great-grandfather’s doing. He gave her some stones he said were enchanted, told her she could see the futurewith them. She kept trying to do that. I can tell you it did not go well with the nuns. The old prioress asked her to leave.”

“Her cloak pin,” Duncan said. “The blue stone. She told me about it.”

“Ah, you know, then. Will that make you think twice about the lass?”

“Not at all. She may do as she likes, and think as she likes. If she has something of Thomas’s gift—all the better, I say.”

Henry grinned. “You will do well with all of my sisters, sir. And as Meg’s guardian until she marries, I would never stand in the way of her happiness. My father was right. You are the match for her.”

Duncan’s heart pounded, his thoughts whirled. “It would be my life’s privilege.”

“Then I leave the rest to you.”

“I put forth the idea recently, to be honest. She is—considering it.”

“My father would be very pleased. We all would. Look, it is getting toward twilight,” Henry went on.

Duncan looked up. While they had sat watching over the glen, the sky had gone from soft gray to leaden cloud cover. “And there is more rain to come.”

Henry took up the reins. “If those were Menteith’s men that the patrol saw earlier, it does not look like they will return. Not in this weather. We could go back.”

Duncan nodded. “I will send another patrol out to be sure.”

He turned his horse and headed down the western side of the hill for Brechlinn, where the woman who now owned his heart waited. And the answer she might have for him could spin his very life around.