She shook her head. "Dinnae," she said gently. "I did what I had tae."
"Ye're wrong. I wouldnae have blamed ye if ye'd have turned me in. I could never have hated ye for protectin' yerself," he replied. His eyes settled on her cheek, and he frowned tightly. "It's a mess and a heavy responsibility, but they'remine, naeyers.Ye need tae be safe."
"Ye'rewrong," she protested. "There was nae other choice for me. I'd have lied for ye a thousand times, Christopher, nae matter the consequences. What ye're doin' is right. It's taken me too long tae understand it, but I do now. Ye need tae keep goin'. Ye're what's important."
Suddenly, his hands moved from her arms to cup her face. In one swift move, his lips crashed against hers, and she melted into the kiss with every part of her. Morag gasped against his mouth, and he whispered her name, his hands slipping to twist in her hair. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back with all the emotion that had been overwhelming her, showing him through that kiss how much he had come to mean to her and feeling the same back from him.
At last, Christopher ended the kiss, pressing another light peck to her forehead. He drew her close for another hug and said, "Yeare what's important. More important than me. More important than what I'm doin' here. More important than anythin'."
She leaned against his chest, hearing his heart beating steadily in time with her own, her cheek damp from the wetness on his shirt and her own tears.
"I—"
"Let's run away," Christopher murmured. "Let me take ye away from here."
Her heart stuttered in her chest. "The mission?—"
"I told ye.Ye'reme mission. Ye're all I care about. Let me take ye somewhere safe or I'll never be able tae focus. Maybe once I ken for sure, I can come back—though I doubt it. It doesnae matter. I need tae get ye out of here. Ian's away, so now's the best time tae act."
Christopher released her from the hug and kissed her lightly once more.
"I think there may still be good in his heart, but I've nae time now tae find it."
"How am I more important than all this?" Morag asked. "He's yer brother!"
"And ye're the woman I love," Christopher replied quietly.
The words, though spoken barely in a whisper, rang as loud as a church bell through Morag's mind, pulsing in her mind and her heart and her soul.
Love?
How could it be? She had thought of him endlessly these last days, dreamed of him, been consumed by him, but she hadn't even thought it would be returned. Morag had long since accepted there would never be love in her life, and so to hear those words from Christopher's lips was almost enough to undo her entirely.
"Christopher," she breathed.
"I mean it," he told her in an earnest, steady voice. "I love ye. Tell me ye'll come away with me."
"Aye," she said immediately, caught up in the moment. "Aye, I'll go wherever ye want. Let's get away from here."
The smile that unfolded on Christopher's face was like the sun emerging from behind the clouds after a storm. He kissed her unbruised cheek.
"Me Morag," he told her. "Me love. Give me just a few hours. I need tae try tae gather as much information as I can tae help me family and our allies and tae sabotage what I can before we flee. I swear tae ye, I'll be back before first light. Can ye hold out until then?"
"I can. I will," she swore. "But Christopher, please. Promise me ye'll be careful. I cannae bear tae think of ye bein' hurt."
"I'll see ye soon," he promised.
He reached into his belt and drew out a sheathed dagger, then handed it over. Morag accepted it in her shaking hand, feeling the balanced weight of the weapon in her hand. It was easier to handle than the swords she'd been practicing with, and she tucked it away quickly.
"Be safe, for me."
"I will," she said.
A thrill of fear went through her at the thought, but she knew that if she had to, she would easily use this dagger. If the choice was between Christopher or Campbell's men, then she'd choose him every time.
He smiled, then moved back to the window. She helped him out, reminding him again to be careful. Just before his head disappeared below the frame, she called out his name once more.
"Christopher?"
