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“Let him dribble and drip,” Adaira said cuttingly. “I hope I never see him again.”
Keira was shocked at the bitterness in her friend’s voice, but she knew her father. If he had given Adaira the same kind of treatment he had meted out to her mother, she would have felt exactly the same.
“One last drink,” Keira said as she poured a glass of wine for them both. “To us, Adaira. May we both find happiness. Sláinte Mhath!”
“Sláinte Mhath!” Adaira said, smiling widely. “Goodbye, Archie.”
Then she stopped, and in one last act of charity, she righted his wine glass before they both left, making straight for the dungeons.
* * *
When they tiptoed down to the gates leading to the dungeon, Keira produced the replica keys.
Adaira looked at them in astonishment. “Where did you get these?” she whispered.
“I had them made a while ago,” Keira answered. “I don’t know why, but I had a feeling we might need them.”
Adaira stared at her, shaking her head, then she grinned. “I should have known!”
However, they were surprised when they reached the gates to the dungeons to find that they did not need them since Dougie was there instead of the guards. His eyes lit up as he saw them, and once more they lingered a little too long on Adaira, but this time she threw herself into his arms for a joyful hug.
“Where are the jailers?” Keira asked, puzzled.
“Most o’ them have joined our cause,” Dougie replied as he led them to the cells where the rebels were being held.
Most of the cells had been unlocked already, and the men were streaming down the passageway. Many of them greeted the ladies by name, some shook their hands, and some patted them on the shoulder, but they all thanked them.
Murdoch came out last of all. He felt like a thirsty man who had just found a clear mountain stream as he gazed at Keira greedily, drinking in her beauty. It had only been days since he had last seen her, but already it felt like a lifetime. He longed to run his fingers over and through her tumbling auburn hair and kiss her soft lips, and as his gaze fell on her blue eyes, he could not help smiling. If she would have him, he would never go anywhere without her again.
Keira stood in front of him to stop him from walking any further, then tilted her face up to him. The rest of the rebels had gone ahead of her, and the corridor was slowly emptying out until, at last, they were the only people standing there.
“I have missed you,” he whispered. “So much.”
“As I have missed you,” Keira whispered.
A moment later, his lips were on hers, her body pressed against his as they kissed each other with a hunger born of desperate need.
At last, she drew away reluctantly. “Time to go,” she said urgently as she took his hand and pulled him behind her.
“Go where?” he asked, frowning.
“I will show you,” Keira replied.
When they emerged into the courtyard, they found it crowded with wagons, horses, and people loading their worldly goods into them. Children and pet dogs were running around getting in everyone’s way, but no one minded because there was a general air of festivity about the place. Cheerful calls, laughter, and jokes were flying around in the air, and as they watched, they saw a young man and woman embracing. They had obviously just become betrothed, and it seemed like a good omen for the future of their new clan.
Keira went forward and tied her scarf loosely around their wrists, then smiled at them both. “Bless you, and I wish you every happiness.”
“Thank ye, mistress,” the young woman said with a radiant smile. “An’ bless ye too.”
Keira walked back to Murdoch, feeling a glow of happiness inside her. “This,” Keira informed him with a sweep of her arm, “is our new family. These are the people who have decided to come with us to build our new clan by the sea.”
Murdoch stared at her in disbelief. “You are uprooting all these people?” he asked.
“No,” Keira replied, shaking her head. “They are coming because they want to. No one is being forced. There are plenty of farmers who will stay on their land, but they can come to our settlement any time they wish.”
“All these people?” he asked doubtfully. “But where are we going?”
“To a place I have known since I was a child,” she replied. “It belonged to an old clan whose name has passed into history, and my family—my own family—took over the ownership of it with permission of the king, so it belongs to me.”
