Chapter Forty
F inn felt as if he was oversleeping and missing something important. The last he’d felt this way was when he was attending Cambridge and missed an exam. But this felt more important, and no matter how much he tried he couldn’t get himself to move and wake up.
Then he heard a voice that settled his nerves.
“I’m here, Finn.” It was Lily.
Now he wanted to wake all the more so he could see her. He needed to tell her something. It took another moment or two to remember what it was.
He was sorry.
He’d acted like a brute when they’d left her sister’s ball. He’d been angry and had taken it out on her. Which made no sense because he loved her.
Oh, yes. That was the other thing he needed to tell her.
Pushing against the heavy weight, his lids flickered open into the dimness. It had been dawn when he’d gone to duel with Flockton, but now it seemed to be night. His eyes focused on Lily and their son, who was asleep in her arms.
She was singing softly, her voice in perfect tune.
He smiled and listened. When the melody cut off and he heard her sniffle, he realized she was crying. He couldn’t allow her to worry.
“Lily,” he managed in a dry, croaking voice.
Her head shot up and her gray, watery eyes went wide.
“Finn,” she came closer, her abrupt standing earned a grumble from their son as she shifted him. “I’m here,” she said as she’d been telling him occasionally while he’d slept.
He’d heard her before and wanted to reach out to her, but couldn’t until now.
She took his hand and he noticed how warm it was when usually her hands were cooler than his. She looked at the baby and then to the pitcher by the bed.
She settled Willie on the bed next to him and Finn was able to pat the lad on the back softly while Lily brought Finn a glass of water.
She held it to his lips and he drank. He might have argued, but even a few pats had tired him and he wasn’t certain he could manage the full glass.
“Thank you,” he said, before recalling the reason he’d forced himself awake. “Lily, I’m sorry. You were right. It was pride that made me go to the park.”
“Shh… You don’t need to apologize. I’m sorry, I left when I should have stayed.”
“I didn’t mean what I said. Any of it. I was so frustrated that I couldn’t protect you and Willie properly. I was angry with myself, not you.”
“All is forgiven.”
“I love you, Lily. And I love William. You are my family. I never want you to leave. Whatever happens, we will face it together.”
She nodded and leaned closer to press a kiss to his head.
“And I never want you to leave us .”
“Never,” he whispered before falling asleep.
They left London as soon as Finn was healed enough for travel. He’d been able to vote for Shay’s bill so his responsibilities in London were completed.
Lily had said her goodbyes to Martha and her brothers, but she was excited to go home to Gealach Castle.
William reached for Finn as they walked to the carriage.
“I can have Sara take him for a while.”
“Nay. I’ll take him.”
Lily worried their heavy son would be too much for her healing husband to carry, but he wouldn’t hear of it. The baby smiled at him, and when Finn leaned down to blow against his neck, William laughed.
Finn and Lily shared a look of surprise before Finn did it again, getting the same reaction from their son.
Throughout their trip north, they both tried different things to make Willie laugh. It was an entertaining distraction.
Lily was nearly starved when they pulled up to a tavern. Finn helped her down from the carriage with a smirk. It wasn’t until she was on the ground and looked up at the sign that she realized where they were. The Old Forge Inn.
She recognized those steps all too well from spending hours sitting on them waiting for someone to come along and help her. She never would have guessed the man who had finally offered his aid would also offer his name as well as his heart.
“I seem to remember the place served a tasty mutton pie.
Lily passed Willie off to Sara so she could go in for dinner with her husband.
“What if someone recognizes me?” Lily said.
Finn merely shrugged off any concern. “We will face it together as we will face anything to come.”
She nodded and they went inside to a private dining room. No one questioned the duke and duchess as they ate.
When they stepped out, Finn held out his hand to assist her down the stairs.
“I thought my life was over,” she said, looking at the place she’d sat for those troubling hours baking under the sun. “But it was only the beginning.”
Finn leaned down and kissed her right there in front of the tavern full of rowdy Scots.
“Thank you for waiting for me to get here,” he said.
“Always.”