The Heart Queen (50 page)

Neil did not understand why his eyes were blurred as Janet stood in front of him, her eyes full of love. Her touch had shattered what little
resistance he had remaining.

She was right. He would have taken her if the risk were reversed. How could he do less, even if... even if...

His soul soared with hope, the hope that she had given him with the love that was unconditional, with the tenderness he’d never known that he’d so wanted.

“Forever,” he said, knowing it was true, that love was so much stronger than fear. He had been a slow student. “I love you,” he said, his voice breaking. “I have always loved you.” He paused. “You are already my heart queen. Will you be my wife?”

“Aye,” she said as his lips came hard down on hers, and the kiss was fire and storm, then gentled to a promise.

They heard a giggle behind them. Then another. Reluctantly, they parted to see four sets of eyes looking up at them, all of them shining with approval.

“You will have a large family,” she whispered.

“Aye,” he said, emotion clogging his throat, knowing he had reached the heaven he had never thought could be his.

The letter came on the day Janet was to wed Neil.

The timing, she thought, was like a blessing.

A messenger brought it at daybreak. It came from Paris via the French smuggler. A scribbled message three months earlier had assured her that Alex and his children had reached the coast of Scotland safely.

Now she knew that the French ship had also successfully run the English blockade. Alex was safe in Paris.

She read it again as Lucy wound her freshly washed and scented hair in back of her head. One curl fell down across her shoulder.

My dearest friend,

We are safe in Paris. I hope soon to find families for the children. My own plans are indefinite. A new friend has heard of some opportunities in the diamond trade, and we are considering a partnership
—
his money and my wit. He believes anyone who eluded the English for more than a year can elude anyone
.

I did not thank our friend properly I hope you will do that for me, and I expect that some day we will meet again and I can make some repayment.

I wish you Godspeed in all that you do.

There was no signature, but she recognized Alex’s bold writing, if not his newfound caution.

Diamonds. She should have known he would not settle for some ordinary trade. She suddenly smiled at a momentary whimsy. The Black Knave. Neil called her his heart queen. Mayhap Alexander would be the diamond king.

She looked back in the mirror. Lucy had laced the hair with a string of pearls Neil had given Janet as a wedding gift.

It was five months since her husband’s death but neither she nor Neil had been willing to wait, particularly after they had learned the truth about Neil’s family. The solicitor had confirmed that Neil’s maternal grandmother had died quite sanely of a cancer. There was no trace of madness in his family.

She had been willing, in any event, to marry Neil. Nay, not willing, but eager. Together they could conquer anything. She loved him to the very height her soul could reach and never more than when she’d discovered the lengths he had gone to protect her. But because of her husband’s recent death, they had decided to wait. And despite her pledge, he’d also wanted to wait until the solicitor she had contacted had discovered the truth of his heritage. He’d lived with it far too long to be able to discard his fears easily.

And then there had been much to do. Reginald was, at Neil’s request, transported to America as a bond servant for fourteen years. Janet had not wanted his blood on her hands and both she and Neil knew that transportation—virtual slavery—could be an even worse punishment than a quick death.

Neil had established a small annuity for Marjorie and Louisa, mostly because of Louisa’s child. The one condition was that they never return to Lochaene.

Jock had agreed to stay at Lochaene as a steward. Janet and the children had moved back for a while, only to find it a very lonely place. The lasses wanted to be with Neil. She wanted Neil also. Independence was not all she believed it would be, not when her heart lay over the mountains.

And Jock, she had discovered, had established a rapport with the tenants and was a fine manager. Lochaene, at last, was becoming a happy estate. It did not need her.

Then one day at Lochaene—when she was working in the gardens, trying to rebuild them—she looked up and saw Neil riding toward her.

She had started running toward him.

It had been all the answer he needed.

He had taken her in his arms and kissed her for what seemed an eternity. Then he looked down at her. “I cannot live without my heart queen one day longer,” he said. “I ha‘ tried and cannot.”

And now today they would wed. It was to be a small wedding. Only the tenants and a few neighbors had been invited. Neil had, in truth, picked a date when he knew Cumberland would be in England. He had not wanted the duke to be present.

A knock came at the door. Three lasses, all dressed in finery, stood there with huge smiles on their faces. Clara was behind them with Colin. He held out his arms. “Mama?”

She took him. “Aye, my bonny lad, and I am going to marry your new papa.”

Colin grinned broadly as if he understood exactly what she was saying.

They must be an odd group, she thought as she went down the stairs, through the door to the small chapel. She handed Colin to Grace, and her daughters started down the aisle. Her gaze went straight to Neil, who stood at the altar. Clad in a deep blue tailcoat, with a white waistcoat, dark trousers and a dark blue neck cloth, he looked magnificent.

Just as she took a step toward him, a dog suddenly scooted under her dress, an orange-colored cat behind him.

“They wanted to come, too,” Annabella explained as she crawled under the blue silk of Janet’s dress and gathered up the cat.

Samson peered out from under the silk. Rachel grabbed him. “I will put them away,” she said.

Janet recalled the day Samson had wet on Neil. She remembered his wry smile and the way her heart had responded. “Nay,” she said. “They are members of the family, too.”

She looked up toward Neil, who was trying to keep from laughing. He winked.

Her heart filled with love for him, for that wink. Weeks ago, she would never have believed it possible. So much had seemed impossible.

Now everything was possible.

Following three little lasses, their arms full of Colin and animals, she reached Neil. He held out his hand to her and his fingers laced around hers, just as their hearts had bonded together.

And together they heard the words, “Dearly beloved ...”