Hearts of Highland Fire

Chapter 22

22

Gretna woke in her own bed, staring up at the ornate ceiling above her. She still felt tired from their journey, falling into bed in the wee hours of the morning without so much as a thought as to what the morning would bring.

Her brother had said nothing to Gretna about what he saw, only that they would talk in the morning and that had been the last time she had seen Remy as well.

Gretna’s heart clenched as she shoved back the furs and climbed out of the bed, already making her way toward her water basin. She had to talk to Ian before he got to Remy and forced him to walk away from her. She couldn’t bear it if he did.

A small knock sounded on her chamber door before it opened and her sister stood there, a smile on her face.

“Yer back!”

“Aye,” Gretna replied, returning Lena’s smile. “Come in. I need yer help.”

Lena did as Gretna asked and after splashing some cold water on her face, Gretna started to strip off the gown she had fallen asleep. “Get mah green gown.”

“So?” Lena asked as she went over to the wardrobe and pulled out the gown, laying it across the bed. “Are ye marrying the McCellan?”

Gretna paused. “Nay, I’m not.” She didn’t think that they had to worry too much about that clan in the future.

“No one will tell mah anything,” Lena moaned as Gretna ran a cloth over her arms to wipe away the dust from the hard ride back to the keep. “Wot happened?”

Finishing her task, Gretna looked at her sister. “It will come out soon enough.” She didn’t have time to go into detail with her. “Quick, help mah dress.”

In just a few moments, Gretna was dressed and her hair pulled back into the severe bun she wore around the keep, smoothing the stray hairs away from her face.

“I donna recognize ye,” Lena said quietly as Gretna looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Yer eyes. They are glowing.”

Gretna almost didn’t recognize herself truly. So much had happened to her, but she didn’t want to go back to who she was before her journey.

Turning toward her sister, she placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I’m not the same. I donna think I will ever be the same.”

Lena gave her a strange look, but she didn’t stop Gretna as she hurried to the great hall, finding her brother already taking his breakfast. “Sit,” he growled, not looking up from his meal.

Gretna sat, her stomach twisted in knots. “I know yer disappointed in mah.”

Ian finally looked at her, surprise flickering over his expression. “Wot?”

“I didna get ye the alliance,” she rushed on, fidgeting with the folds of her skirt. “I failed and ruined the faith that ye had in mah tae finish wot needed tae be done.” She would take full responsibility for her actions, but Gretna would not go back even if Ian asked her to. She couldn’t wed James not that she would be welcomed beyond the McCellan border again.

Ian sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Is that wot ye are worried aboot, Gretna? Do ye really think that is wot kept mah from mah sleep?”

“Tis wot ye wanted,” she said slowly. “Why ye sent mah.”

“That’s not why I sent ye,” Ian argued, leaning back in his chair. “Ye wanted tae go, Gretna. Ye were hell-bent on finding yer true love. I couldna verra well stop ye.”

That was true. She had high hopes of finding her true love with James, but instead, she found it in the most unlikely person and he filled her heart with happiness. “I found mah love,” she answered, daring a glance at her brother as she said the words.

Ian sighed even louder, his eyes hardening. “I donna think so.”

“I want ye tae listen,” she interrupted, knowing what he likely was going to say about Remy. “It just happened, Ian. Remy was a perfect gentleman and did nothing wrong. I… ” She paused not knowing how to explain her feelings for Remy. “I love him,” she declared. “I want tae be with him.”

“Gretna,” Ian started again, but she shook her head, silencing him once more.

“Please, donna tell mah who he is,” she replied. “Because tis not who he is to me. Remy Wallace is everything I could want in a Scot, in a husband. All ye need tae do is talk tae him aboot it.”

“Oh, I plan tae,” Ian cut in, his jaw clenching. “Because he was kissing mah sister and that was not part of anything I said tae either of ye.”

“Perhaps not,” Gretna stated, her cheeks heating. “But I did return that kiss and the others between us.”

Her brother groaned. “Gretna, lass, I could have done without that knowledge.”

“I just want ye tae know that this isna a passing fancy,” she answered, letting her heart speak through her words. “If he asks mah tae marry him, I will accept.” This would be her greatest memory tae date.

Ian regarded her for a moment before shaking his head.

“I will speak tae Remy shortly and if he doesna have the same words that ye have.”

“He will,” Gretna said confidently, knowing that Remy loved her. She knew it was difficult for her brother to believe what they were saying given Remy’s history, but Gretna would bet her life on his love for her. Nothing that her brother could say was going to change what they had between them. “And if he does, ye will approve our relationship.”

Ian lifted a brow. “Are ye giving mah demands now?”

Gretna nodded, not afraid of her brother. “Aye, Ian, I am.”

Ian shook his head. “I’ve lost all control of mah own family,” he muttered, pushing himself out of his chair. “Go and make yerself scarce. Tis time that Remy and I have a conversation.”

Gretna stood as well, laying her hand on his arm. “Please, hear him out before ye judge him too rashly.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “I will try.”

Gretna nodded but inside she felt sick to her stomach now. Ian wouldn’t try to ruin her happiness, would he?

Ian Wallace, leader of the Wallace clan, strode out of his keep like a Scot on a mission, heading to the spot where he knew his closest friend would be. Of all the things he thought he would have to deal with when his sister returned, not once had something like that crossed his mind. Ian didn’t know what to do when he found Remy kissing Gretna and more importantly, what to do as he witnessed his sister thoroughly enjoying it.

It was all rather confusing.

Ian moved toward the sparring ring, his mind in turmoil. His sister had made a convincing argument that what he had seen between them was as true as his love was with Ida, but Ian wasn’t that convinced. He had known Remy all his life and while he didn’t think that his closest friend would have taken advantage of his sister, Remy’s past life was clouding Ian’s judgment right now. He needed to hear it from Remy’s lips that he wanted something more than a rut with Gretna.

He truly hoped he didn’t have to gut his closest friend today.

Remy was in the sparring ring with another one of their warriors as Ian came closer, their swords clanging in the still morning. Remy caught his eye the moment Ian reached the fence and quickly disarmed his opponent with such precision that Ian could only be in awe of the talent. That was why Remy was his captain.

But did he also want the title of brother-in-law as well?

Remy slapped the Scot on the back and rested the point of his sword on the ground. “Mah Laird.”

Ian climbed into the ring and approached Remy, seeing the wary look on his face. Before he realized what he was doing, Ian swung his fist and it collided with Remy’s jaw, causing him to stumble back a few feet in the dust. “Wot was that for?” Remy asked as Ian shook out his stinging hand.

“Ye know exactly wot that is for!” Ian shouted back. “Ye laid a hand on mah sister!”

Remy rubbed his jaw but didn’t retaliate, his shoulders slumping. “Aye, I did.”

Ian’s chest heaved with anger and hurt. “I trusted ye around her. I thought ye would treat her like family.”

“I tried!” Remy shouted back, frustration on his face. “She’s infuriatingly difficult when she wants tae be.” Blowing out a breath, he looked away. “And far more special than I ever thought.”

There was a ring of truth in Remy’s words and Ian felt his anger start to lose its grip on his soul. “Just tell mah wot happened.”

Remy chuckled, picking up his sword out of the dirt and wiping it on his breeks. “I honestly donna know. One minute I wanted tae wrap mah hands around her neck and the next, well, I was losing everything I knew tae her.”

That sounded like Gretna. Ian too had felt the need to silence his sister from time to time.

Remy looked Ian’s way, a crooked smile on his lips. “I love her. I know I’m not the man she deserves, Ian. I know that. I tried tae walk away but I canna. Think back when ye realized ye were in love with Ida.” Remy placed his fist to his chest, right over his heart. “I feel the same.”

Bloody hell. Ian let out a sigh for the third or fourth time today, he had already lost count. “But ye said ye would never settle with one lass in yer life.”

“That was before Gretna fell into mah life,” Remy said softly. “I have not touched her innocence if that is wot ye are worried aboot. I wouldna disrespect her or ye.”

Ian knew in his heart that Remy was telling the truth. Even if his sister had tried, he wouldn’t have crossed that line, not with her.

“I want tae wed her,” Remy finished. “But I will walk away if ye tell mah tae.”

Ian opened his mouth and then shut it. Damn him and damn his sister too. All he had ever wanted was for Gretna to be happy. She had tried for so long to find someone who would give her the great love she had spouted about since she was a young lass and before he wed Ida, Ian didn’t believe that it existed.

Now he understood what love was. He felt it every day he woke next to his wife. “Ye donna deserve her,” he told his friend. “She deserves everything.”

Remy hung his head, indecision on his face. “I know. I’ve told her that very thing but she doesna believe that should be a reason.”

Ian looked at his friend, the torture that he was going through, and knew that whatever he told Remy, he would do. If he told him to walk away, Remy would do it because he cared about their friendship that much.

But deep down, Ian couldn’t make two people who truly cared about each other that miserable.

“Aye, then I will expect ye tae live in the keep.”

Remy’s head snapped up and his eyes widened. “Wot?”

Ian clasped his hands behind his back, his stance what his wife liked to call the laird stance. “I’m giving ye permission tae ask for mah sister’s hand. There’s a dowry of course that ye will be privy tae, but mah only condition is that ye remain in the keep for now.” That way Gretna could have the life she was accustomed to and Remy didn’t have to worry about finding a new home from the barracks that he currently lived in. “Think of it as mah wedding gift tae ye.”

Remy swallowed a few times before he finally pulled himself back together. “I’m assuming ye wish tae wed her still?” Ian prodded, enjoying the discomfort on Remy’s face.

“Aye, if she will have mah,” Remy responded.

Ian held out his arm and Remy clasped it, giving his friend a true smile. “Then ye better go ask her before she starts tearing down the keep stone by stone.”

Remy laughed and the weight lifted off Ian’s shoulders. “I can already imagine her in mah mind doing so.”

They shared a grin before Ian stepped back. “Then, I will leave ye tae it.” He didn’t much mind Remy being part of their family. He had always considered him as a brother already. This would just make it official.

He found his wife in the stables, cooing to her horse when he entered. “Did ye give them yer permission?” she demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

“Aye,” he answered, drawing her against him. “I did.”

Some of her ire softened and she wound her arms around his neck, letting him press a kiss to her temple. “Good. I would hate tae have tae force yer hand.”

Ian chuckled. “Ye think ye can force mah hand, lass?”

She looked up at him, giving him a grin. “I know I can.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong on that account.