With everyone else gone, peace fell upon the chapel like a shroud. The only sounds were the distant echo of a closing door, the high whimper of the wind hitting the stone walls, and Anna’s shallow breathing as she clung to Emeric.
“You’re alive,” she murmured into his chest.
“Aye,” he whispered. He cupped Anna’s face, tilting her chin to look up at him. “Alive and here with ye.” His thumbs grazed her cheeks as he lost himself in her bottomless eyes.
Anna sighed, her face softening and the tension seeping out of her. Her fingers moved to trace the rough callouses on his hands. “Thank God,” she breathed. “I was so scared...”
He tightened his arms around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. His voice was husky when he spoke, affected by the depth of emotion he felt. “I know, love. I’m sorry ye had to go through that.”
“Promise me you won’t do anything like that again?” Anna said. “I mean, what were youthinking? What kind of brainless plan was that? You wouldn’t really have gone through with it, would you?”
Emeric shrugged. “I was hoping to call Maria’s bluff. It worked.”
She prodded him in the chest. “But it might not have. You’re crazy, you know that? Promise me, Emeric. Promise me you won’t ever do that again. I don’t think my heart could stand it.”
“I promise,” he said, meeting her eyes. He suddenly could not look away.
Ever since her arrival, he’d been entranced by the fire she carried within her, the fierce spirit that challenged him, drove him to be better. Now, as he looked into her eyes, that same fire flickered back at him, melting the frost-edged fear that had settled in his heart.
How was he ever supposed to let this woman go? He could not. It would be the death of him. Emeric swallowed hard as he made his decision.
“I am a man of war,” he confessed, his gaze never wavering from hers. “I was born to it, raised within its iron grip. I understand battle and conflict more than I ever thought to understand love.” His fingers tightened around hers. “But ye, Anna...ye have shown me there is something more powerful than any of that. I love ye. I will always love ye.” He swallowed, working up the courage for his next words. “After what ye have endured, I understand if ye dinna wish to go anywhere near marriage. But...but...I...would ye...” His throat closed and he could not form the words.
Anna’s hands tightened about his. “Emeric Mackintosh,” she said, softly. “Would you marry me?”
His jaw dropped open. “I’m sorry?”
She laughed softly. “You heard. I love you, you big idiot. And seeing as you’re having such difficulty asking me, I thought I’d save you the trouble. So, how about it? You want to get married or not?”
He was dreaming. He had to be. But the rush of joy that spread through him was all too real.
He grabbed her, yanked her against him and kissed her, giving her the only answer he could.
Chapter 26
Anna watched as Lily bustled about the room, tidying things that didn’t need tidying. She always did this when she was nervous. It seemed living hundreds of years in the past hadn’t ironed out her best friend’s habit.
Catching her looking, Lily straightened. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Have I got a stain on my dress? I have, haven’t I? Oh God! I knew I shouldn’t have had that glass of wine!” She spun around, trying to spot the offending stain on her skirts.
Anna laughed. “Relax will you? You haven’t got anything on your dress. Aren’tIsupposed to be the nervous one? Anyone would think you’re the one getting married.”
