Was she now considering his proposal?
He did not think he stood a chance with her.
But it was all madness, wasn’t it? He’d proposed to her within minutes of meeting her and still felt he had the right of it. She was someone remarkable, someone he could love forever.
No logical reason for it. No passage of time to confirm his feelings. He’d just been struck by her at first sight.
“Aye, ye can always rely on my word. If I promise to love, honor, and protect my wife, I would do so to my dying day.”
“And be faithful to her?”
He noticed Miranda’s hands were still trembling.
“Aye. I would no’ still be a bachelor if those vows meant nothing to me. Perhaps I take them too much to heart, for I have never found the one lady I could hold in my heart forever. Because of this, I did no’ think it right to marry.”
She frowned. “And yet you proposed to me. Oh, I know it was more of a bribe to keep me quiet than a true proposal. What would you have done had I accepted and held you to your promise to marry me?”
“I would have been a true husband to ye. And I did no’ offer for yer hand thinking to bribe ye or control ye.” He shook his head and sighed. “Dinna ask me why it felt right to ask ye in that moment. I hardly understand it myself. But when I saw ye hurling those vases at Mongo, my heart suddenly opened up.”
She glanced up at him and laughed softly.
“Och, aye,” he said with a grin. “I should have been angry, but I could no’ find it in me. Ye were magnificent. A beautiful virago, so beautiful ye stole my breath away. In that moment… I dinna know exactly, for it was a roil of feelings ye stirred in me. Ye showed such courage, and I thought such a brave woman would always protect our children with all her heart and soul. Ye showed such fierceness, and I thought it would be wonderful if a woman could love me that fiercely.”
“You wished to have objects tossed at your head?”
“Nay, Miranda. I’ve said it badly—what I thought in that moment was that our bonds of love could be fierce and our union unbreakable. We could have a true marriage if both of us were able to feel love that deeply.”
Miranda’s eyes widened, and then she shook her head and laughed softly once again. “I was trying to maim your kinsmen. You must have a very strong death wish, if this is what attracted you.”
He gave a jovial chuckle. “I hope not. I rather enjoy breathing.”
She smiled, but soon sobered. “Whether you consciously understood it or not, what felt right to you was doing whatever you needed to protect Mongo from my wrath. That’s what really compelled you to propose to me.”
“No, Miranda. I—”
She raised a hand when he sought to protest, for he truly had not been thinking of Mongo at all, at least not that he was aware. He had been thinking with his heart, which was instantly stirred by the sight of her—and his manly parts were not silent, either.
“Let’s not fight over this, Solway. I have decided not to say anything to the magistrate.”
He let out a gust of air. “Truly? Thank ye, Miranda.”
“But I fully expect you to impose a suitable punishment on him.”
“I will. I promise ye. I’ll write to Gordon this very day and instruct him on the punishment. He can be trusted to carry it out. Ye recall him, he’s the elderly kinsman who hurried to wake me.”
“Yes, I recall. He also brought in tea and food for me.”
“Aye, that’s him.” He reached over and gave her hand a light squeeze. “Gordon will handle it ably. This is better than Mongo and his companions deserve, and I am most grateful for yer mercy.”
He frowned a moment later. “Yer hand is cold even after taking that hot tea. Ye worry me. Was the trip from Lanark Castle too much for ye? Shall I help ye to yer quarters?”
“I am fine and have no intention of sleeping through the day.”
“Then would ye like to select a book from the inn’s library? Ye might find it comfortable to read in bed awhile. Shall I summon a maid to assist ye?”
She shook her head. “I am not a child nor an old woman to require assistance or watching. But I like the idea of reading in the library. That’s what I shall do. It is too confining to stay in my room, even though it is lovely and the innkeeper does his best to provide us with all the comforts.”
“Too confining? Will ye no’ take me up on my offer of the Royal Suite, then? Ye’ll be more comfortable there, Miranda. It is quite spacious and has its own small parlor, so ye will no’ be squeezed into a bedchamber.”
