Epilogue A New Start #2
Alice felt a shot of anxiety rush through her before he started pressing slow kisses to her neck and shoulder. She let out a sigh of relief, leaning into the touches and affection.
“Oh?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. “And what might that be?”
“Convincin’ my wife that last night wasnae a dream. That we shall be doin’ it again, and soon,” he said softly. “And that she still wishes tae stay married tae such a fool.”
“I have already told ye my answer tae that,” she said, turning in his arms to face him properly. “Ye shall simply have tae keep askin’ me until ye believe me.”
“Then I shall ask ye every mornin’ for the rest of our lives,” he said before he kissed her again. It was slow and unhurried as the morning light filled the light around them.
“Now,” he said as the kiss broke. “We are goin’ tae break our fast together, we are goin’ tae spend the mornin’ together, and then, I need tae speak tae Keith.”
“Do ye wish me tae leave ye tae speak tae him alone?” she asked.
“Nae,” he said, pulling her tighter against him. “We have been away from each other fer too long over the last few weeks. I cannae bear the idea of bein’ away from ye again.”
“Alright, alright,” she giggled, kissing his forehead. “Then we shall interrogate him together…”
They did not hurry to leave their chambers.
Alice dressed slowly, and Evander seemed in too much of a rush to allow her out of arm’s reach.
He would find any and every reason to brush past her, tuck a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear, or to press his lips against her temple, as though testing that she would still lean into him when he did.
“You are going tae make us late,” she told him, not making an effort to move away from him.
“There is nae one tae answer tae but ourselves this mornin’,” he said. “Let them wait.”
She let out a soft, disbelieving laugh. She was still adjusting to this version of him. The one who lingered instead of running to his duties. The one who clung to her instead of finding an excuse to put distance between them.
Eventually, they left and walked through the corridor together.
Alice’s eyes drifted, as usual, to the paintings above them and down the hall.
Her hand was tucked into the crook of his arm.
When her eyes came down from the ceiling, she noticed the servants were looking at them.
Molly’s eyes went wide before ducking her head and hiding a smile behind a stack of linens.
A younger girl, one Alice did not recognize, almost walked into a wall from staring.
“They are all watchin’ us,” Alice whispered with a giggle.
“They are watchin’ because their laird has nae smiled this much in years,” Evander said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head even as they walked. “I imagine it is startlin’ tae witness.”
“You were truly so gloomy before?”
He thought about it.
“Aye,” he admitted with a sigh. “I dinnae ken how tae be anythin’ but guarded. I forgot, I think, that the keep could feel more like a home than a pile of stones I was responsible for.”
Alice nodded slowly, her arm tightening around his.
“And how does it feel now?” she asked. He looked down at her, his eyes warm and soft.
“Now, it is my home. Because my wife is here,” he said, assisting her down the stairs.
“Good,” she said with a nod. “Then it will always feel that way.”
“That it shall,” he agreed as they got to the dining hall.
Walking inside, he led her to the head of the table, holding out a seat for her.
When he sat beside her, there was no room between them.
Their arms and knees touched as they ate.
The servants and kitchen staff would look at them, sometimes smiling, sometimes whispering or giggling, and sometimes confused. Alice did not mind. Let them look.
It would stop being strange, eventually, and turn into their normal. Finally, when they had finished, Evander stood up and looked at Catriona.
“Have Keith brought tae the main hall,” he said firmly. “There are things I wish tae discuss with him.”
“Of course, m’Laird,” Catriona nodded before racing out of the dining hall. Evander helped Alice up, and the pair of them went to confront the scoundrel…
“So, how long have ye been plottin’ against me?” Evander asked, sitting in his large chair in the Great Hall. Alice was sitting on his lap, snuggling into his neck, looking down at Keith with him.
Keith for his part did not even have the decency to look embarrassed at having been caught. He looked at them both with a lazy grin. Clearly Alice and Evander had not been the only ones who had had an enjoyable evening.
“A smart captain knows when it is time tae be a tactician and when tae hold back to secure the happiness of his laird,” Keith said as if passing on secret wisdom to them both. Alice couldn’t help but giggle.
“Ye are a menace,” Evander sighed.
“And yet, he got the outcome he was hopin’ for,” Alice said. “Thank ye, Keith for pushin’ Evander tae see the truth and for pushin’ me tae go tae the loch.”
“‘Tis nae bother, my Lady,” Keith said.
“Ye are lucky that ye are my friend and that it all went well, or I would have ye hanged by the balls fer ye insubordination,” Evander grumbled.
“Well, then,” Keith chuckled. “It would appear that I am a very lucky man indeed.”
“More than lucky,” Alice said. “Although Lady Luck certainly played her part.”
“It would seem so,” Evander said with a nod. “Ye may go now, Keith. Dinnae let me see ye makin’ a fool of me again.”
“Aye, sir,” Keith said cheekily, turning on his heels to leave.
“Oh, and Keith?” Evander called after him. Keith looked back at them. “If I hear that Sorcha has made my Lady upset again, she will nae be allowed back in the keep. I am serious. Dinnae let her test me on this.”
Keith paled slightly and nodded eagerly.
“I will make sure she behaves,” Keith said, glancing toward the door. Alice saw someone move outside the room and snorted as she realized Sorcha had been listening in.
“You may as well come in, Sorcha,” Alice called toward the door, not bothering to hide her amusement. “Eavesdroppin’ from the hallway is rude, even for ye.”
There was a beat of silence, and then Sorcha stepped into the doorway. Her chin was raised with as much dignity as she could muster considering the circumstances. Keith turned to see her, and Alice was sure she could see this man melting for her.
“I wasnae eavesdroppin’” Sorcha insisted. “I was merely waitin’ fer Keith…”
“Fer twenty minutes?” Evander asked, one eyebrow raised.
“He is a slow talker,” Sorcha insisted.
“And a slow thinker it would seem,” Evander sighed, making Alice giggle.