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The whispers grew louder, mixed in with loud gasps and an animalistic cry of outrage from Thomaes.
Cicilia felt her heart thrum with pride and fear at once.
What’s he doin’? Is he sure about this?
But Alexander was totally calm as he said, “So? Yer choices are imprisonment, execution, or freedom. I leave it entirely to ye, me people. I trust ye, in the hopes that one day ye can trust me again.”
He’s so brave, an’ tryin’ so hard to make things right. I dinnae think I could love him more if I tried.
“Hang him!” shouted someone from behind Cicilia.
“Aye, let’s see him hang!” shouted another.
Soon, the whole crowd was calling for it. Eventually, Alexander held up a hand. As one, the group was covered with a blanket of silence, obeying and respecting their Laird fully, at long last.
“It will be done,” Alexander declared. “In truth, an’ for justice.”
Cheers erupted all around, then someone from the gathered group called out, “Hail Alexander MacKinnon, Laird o’ Gallagher! Fortune favors the bold!”
They all took it up as a chant, calling his name, praising him, and as Cicilia looked up at the man who would be her husband, she saw the shock in his face and tears in his eyes. This, at last, was the acceptance he’d spent all this time looking for. All Cicilia knew was that no matter what else she did in her life, helping him get to this point was an achievement above all else.
Afterward, Cicilia walked arm in arm with her betrothed through the gardens, enjoying the fresh night air. Thomaes’s execution date had been set for the morrow. The day after, at long last or so it felt, she and Alexander would be wed alongside Jeanie and Nathair.
“It’s a lovely night,” she commented, and he smiled at her.
“Lovelier because I have ye here to spend it wi’ me,” he told her.
She laughed and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Me brave an’ good Laird,” she said. “Ye did well today. I’m proud o’ ye.”
It was his turn to chuckle. “Och. Everybody keeps sayin’ that lately. If I’d have kent this was all it took to be praised, I might have acted out sooner.”
She swatted his arm, giggling. “So what now, Laird?”
“Well,” he said, touching her cheek and bringing her face up to kiss again. When he was done, he said, “Now we’ve got the small matter o’ a weddin’ to attend. Do ye think ye can make it?”
“Och, I dinnae ken,” Cicilia teased. “Do ye think I should?”
“I think ye’ll find that if ye do, Miss Cicilia, it might change yer life forever,” Alexander told her.
“Dinnae ye threaten me wi’ such goodness. Me wee farmer’s heart cannae take it,” Cicilia mock-scolded him. Then they were in each other's arms once more, kissing and loving and being together under the stars.
Chapter 31
Totus Tuus
Totally Yours
Alexander was helping Nathair to straighten the bow on the
front of his sark when there was a knock at the grooms’ door. Both of them looked at each other in askance, but neither seemed to know who it could possibly be.
“Who’s here?” Nathair called.
“It’s me,” came Catherine’s voice, and Alexander couldn’t help but smile to hear his sister, even though she was most definitely meant to be with the women now. “Cicilia sent me to talk to Sandy.”
Nathair grinned at him and opened the door, and Catherine stepped inside. “Ye’re lookin’ ravishin’, Catherine,” he told her. “But nae as bonny as me bride.”
Catherine laughed. “Ye’re lookin’ fine yerself, Nathair. I’m glad ye finally found a lass to love who measures up to me in yer mind,” she teased. Then she turned to Alexander and said, “Cicilia had a wee gift for ye. She was gonnae give ye it when ye were wed, but she dinnae want ye to marry without it.”
