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S tella’s face was the first thing Keira saw when they returned to the castle. She came out running across the courtyard as Keira and Evander rode past the fence, their hands steady on the reins.

A bright smile spread across Stella’s face as Keira jumped down from her horse.

“M’Lady?!” she squealed and threw her arms around Keira. “I thought he would never be able to convince ye.”

Keira laughed and turned to Evander, who had yet to climb off his horse. “Turns out Mr. Kincaid is way more convincing than we have given him credit for.”

Evander rolled his eyes and gently nudged the horse forward, riding toward the stables.

Keira and Stella, on the other hand, walked together toward the castle doors.

“Ye left only for half the day, and the castle hasnae been the same. The Laird gave all the servants a good talking to, and they all agreed to apologize to ye when ye return.”

Keira gripped her maid’s hand. “Are they all waiting for me inside now?”

“Aye, M’Lady.”

She shook her head slowly and sighed. “I dinnae ken if I’m in the mood for that. At least nae yet. Is there any way we can avoid it? Ye willnae believe the day I’ve had.”

“Let us take the other door then,” Stella suggested, steering her away from the main doors and toward the other side of the castle. “I’ve had a bath drawn for ye, just in case. I didnae ken whether to draw it in the Laird’s quarters or yer old room, so I just?—”

“Stella, dinnae tell me ye drew two baths.”

“Nay, just one. In the Laird’s quarters. If ye want me to change it, I can?—”

“Dinnae bother. It’s fine just where it is,” Keira assured, flashing her a grateful smile as they walked past the livestock.

Keira’s eyes skimmed over her garden and Thistle’s shelter, and several thoughts crept into her head. She was happy to have returned—and this time to the love of her life.

Not only was she back in her castle with all the things and people she had grown to know and love, but she was also back with her husband.

Husband.

The word felt incredibly strange to throw around, and yet she loved how it sounded in her heart. She mouthed it and felt a wave of contentment rush through her.

She truly had a husband now. One who loved her with everything he had. One who would kill and possibly even die for her. She wasn’t cursed, at the end of the day. She just needed to be patient.

Stella led her into the castle and toward the Laird’s quarters, where fewer eyes waited for them.

“Dinnae worry. Tell the maids I accept their apologies,” Keira muttered. “They were only doing what they thought was right.”

Stella nodded as the door drew closer. They walked further in silence, Keira enjoying the feel of the earth under her feet when a voice—unmistakably Lesley’s—rang out behind them. “Keira…”

Keira and Stella froze. Silence ensued, punctuated by approaching footsteps.

“Ye can leave. I can take care of meself from here,” Keira whispered to Stella, who nodded and retreated the same way Lesley had come.

“When he said ye were back, I couldnae believe it until I saw it for meself,” Lesley called, her voice soft.

Keira turned to her slowly. “Good day to ye, Lesley.”

There was no malice in her voice. No repressed anger. Just plain softness.

“Ye have to ken that I always wanted to tell ye. When he made me poison the former Laird, I wanted to tell ye, but I didnae think—” Lesley’s voice broke.

“He made me swear to never tell ye, or else he would have killed me with his bare hands. But it was different anyway. I knew I was protecting ye from Fletcher. Ye and everyone here. We all knew what the previous Laird had done to his first wife. But when my braither asked me to poison Laird Kincaid’s drink at the wedding, I…

I couldnae go through with letting him die.

Nae when I saw the look on yer face in me apothecary that night.

I kenned at that moment that ye loved him, and I couldnae… I couldnae let the man ye love die.”

Another tense silence fell over them.

A heavier set of footsteps sounded down the hall, and Keira looked up, seeing Evander approach them from behind, a lingering smile on his face.

“Ye’re me best friend, even though ye have nay reason to believe that. But if ye want me to leave, I shall grab me things and be on me way. I have an uncle on the other side of town. I shall stay with him till the day breaks and then travel to?—”

“Ye’re nae going anywhere, Lesley.” Keira’s voice was sharp. “Nothing ye did was yer fault, and I willnae punish ye for it.”

A wet laugh escaped Lesley’s lips, and tears fell down her cheeks.

“Plus, ye cannae leave me to deal with all of this on me own. I’ll need me best friend.”

Lesley nodded, wiping the tears off her face. “All right,” she whispered. “I am so sorry, Keira. I missed ye. I thought that…Thank God ye’re back. And thank ye. Thank ye so much.”

Keira nodded.

Evander eventually caught up to them and stopped beside her, pulling her close to him.

“He is dead, by the way,” Keira eventually revealed as Lesley turned to take her leave. “I figured ye should ken.”

Lesley swallowed and nodded. “’Tis what he deserves. I’m glad to see ye are both well. Now if ye’ll excuse me, my Laird, my Lady.”

With those words, she turned around and went back the way she had come, leaving them alone, their hands clasped.

“Yer big heart might be the best thing about ye,” Evander murmured. “Arthur might be right after all.”

Keira’s brow furrowed. “Right about what?”

“Ach. Just the fact that yer the right woman for me. He left before I came to meet ye at the inn.”

“Hm. I suppose I could forgive him after all,” Keira responded.

“If he kens any better, he would nae step foot in here again.”

Keira smiled and turned to him. “I suppose it suffices if one of us has a big heart.”

“Oh, mine may nae be as big,” Evander said, leading her to their quarters. “But I have something else that’s bigger.”

Keira rolled her eyes. “Ye are just a charming man, are ye nae?”

“Let me show ye.” Evander laughed, opening the door.

The creak reverberated through the air.