Epilogue

Once more, Taryn was floating as she rode through the Highlands with James seated behind her. But this time, it was for entirely different reasons. She let her thoughts drift towards what life with James would look like, what she hoped it would turn into. It felt strange to think that before James had captured her, before he had reappeared in her life, she had been so convinced that her life would never include love, not like this. Now, she couldn’t imagine her future without him.

“Tell me what ye are thinking about,” James whispered in her ear.

She did nothing to try to stop the smile from spreading across her face as he did so.

“Ye. And our wedding. And what the future holds.”

He hummed thoughtfully, intrigued by her answer.

“All good thoughts, I hope?”

“Aye. I ken that we have a long road ahead of us,” she conceded. “But it all feels so much more manageable, kenning that I dinnae have to do it alone. That I will have ye by my side to help me.”

“Always,” he promised.

Ready to ask him an endless list of questions about their future, Taryn opened her mouth but was promptly cut off by the sound of horses rushing towards them from behind. Her heart rate doubled as both their horse and Knight picked up their speed.

James turned in his seat, scanning the trees behind them, sword already in hand. Lachlan had his bow notched and ready in the span of just a few seconds. Taryn’s fingers gripped the reins until her fingers were white. The very last thing she was expecting was the friendly greeting Lachlan called out.

“I was beginning to wonder when we would see ye.”

James relaxed back into the saddle and sheathed his sword without explanation. Taryn was craning her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the new arrival, her grip on the reins still tight. She didn’t recognize any of the faces that made up the squadron of riders who had caught up to them, nor could she place their tartan. Now that she thought about it, she didn’t know where they were or where they were headed.

She flushed with embarrassment at not having asked earlier. Having been too caught up in her daydreams, Taryn had been content to let Lachlan and Aila lead the way. She wished now that she had been a little more aware and prepared.

“We were out rounding up the warriors from the outer villages,” the eldest man at the front of the riders answered. “Laird McKenzie will be pleased to have such numbers to offer.”

“McKenzie?” Taryn whispered to James.

“Aye,” he said, his lips pressed on the shell of her ear. “I will have to explain it all to ye later, but we have allied ourselves with the McKenzie Clan. We are almost to their Keep now.”

She barely had time to let the thought settle in before they made it to the McKenzie Castle doorstep, and she was ushered down from her horse and into the warmth of the castle.

Keeping a tight grip on James’ hand, she followed Aila and Lachlan inside, her friends having a seemingly good idea as to where they were going. When they came to the Great Hall, filled with McKenzie clansmen, Taryn suddenly realized the disheveled state she was in.

“I cannae greet the Laird like this,” she told James in a panic. “He will think me rude. He will think he has allied himself with the wrong side.”

“Trust me,” a comforting feminine voice answered her. “I will think nothing of the sort. Yer friends here have explained all that ye have been through already.”

“Taryn,” Lachlan said, stepping closer to the friendly looking woman. “Allow me to introduce Laird Iona McKenzie. Laird McKenzie, this is Taryn McGregor, heir to the McGregor Clan and integral part of my own clan.”

“I am so relieved that James was able to get to ye in time. It does me good to see a man willing to fight for a woman the way yer James did,” Iona said with a kind smile. “It is even better when these things turn out well.”

Taryn blinked in surprise. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing—first that there was a woman for a Laird and that this impressive woman was her ally. Before Taryn could conjure up an adequate response, shouts came from the other side of the hall.

“Taryn!”

“Ye are back!”

“Ye saved her!”

She had barely managed to spin in the direction of the voices before two pairs of small arms wrapped around her, nearly knocking her to the ground. James’ hands went to her shoulders, steadying her, as she looked down to see her favorite two boys hugging her.

“Arran! Christopher!”

Giving up trying to stand completely, Taryn knelt to the ground and pulled the boys in close.

“What are ye doing here?”

Her tears returned, though remained unshed, and were prompted by the wave of unabashed joy at seeing the children.

“We came to help rescue ye,” Christopher told her proudly.

“Well,” Arran added with a smile, “I helped Uncle Loch and Aila get here. Christopher?—”

“Ye can regale Taryn with yer stories later,” Lachlan cut off. “Might I suggest we move to a more private room?”

The boys talked Taryn’s head off with their stories of snowball fights and feasts in the Great Hall as they led her to the Laird’s personal study. They pulled her onto the sofa and climbed up next to her, neither of them wanting to be parted from her again. James followed, reluctantly relinquishing her hands to the children but staying close. Taryn settled into the sofa, content to have her entire family around her once more, or nearly her entire family.

“Is Elsie here too?” she asked Aila, peering up at the group of adults that had followed them into the study.

Lachlan and Aila stood in front of the fire, letting the heat melt away the snow from their travel clothes. James stood on the other side of Christopher, within arm’s reach of Taryn. Across from her on the matching sofa, Iona, and the man Arran had introduced as her husband, Finn, sat hand in hand.

“Nay,” Aila said. “She is still at the Kincaid Castle.”

“I suppose she and Sorcha are ripe with worry.”

Aila exchanged a look with Lachlan, making warning bells go off in Taryn’s mind.

“What is it?” Taryn pushed.

When no one offered a quick response, not even the boys, Taryn knew something was seriously wrong.

“Aila, tell me. Is it Elsie?”

“Nay, nay. Elsie is safe and sound,” Aila assured.

“Then it is Sorcha. What has happened? Where is she?”

Aila sighed and cast one last look at Lachlan, who only shrugged.

“She was bound to find out sooner or later,” he told the room.

“After we discovered ye missing,” Aila began her explanation, “Sorcha and I were out of our minds with worry. The plan was that Lachlan and I would come here in search of allies to help defend us from Baron Dudley. That is what we were in the middle of when James arrived to tell us of yer fate in the McGregor prison.”

“What of Sorcha?” Taryn pushed.

“I tried to get her to stay put with the children, but she would nae listen. She was convinced that it was the English who had taken ye. She has gone to the Baron’s estate to find ye.”

Taryn’s stomach fell to the floor. Had she not already been sitting, her knees would have buckled.

“So he has her too,” she whispered in horror.

“We dinnae ken that yet, I was completely against the plan at first too.” Alia hurried. “But then she reminded me just how cunning and strong she is. I made her swear that she would be careful, that she would keep herself safe. She could nae risk ye being alone in that man’s house. She had to go after ye.”

Swallowing hard, Taryn turned to James, her expression grim.

“I cannae let that man take two of my closest friends. We have to rescue them both.”

“And we will,” he promised. “Look at this room, Taryn. There are three clans represented here. Three clans full of warriors willing to fight for what is right, to take a stand against the Baron. He may be powerful, but he is nae strong enough to resist three clans.”

“Four,” Iona corrected. “My cousin, Laird Murray, has answered my letters. He has pledged his men as well.”

“And judging from the mass of McGregor rebels still pouring into the courtyard,” Finn added, having moved to the window to peer outside. “We will be quite the army.”

Amazement and relief flooded Taryn. Only hours ago, she had been convinced that the Baron would be the end of her and the McGregor Clan. She had felt so utterly alone and hopeless. Yet now she sat, surrounded by her true family, with the promise that a better future was still on the horizon.

She would stand and fight for her people. Together, they would go after Laura and Sorcha, rescuing them from the Baron’s grip and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all. And when all was said and done, she would marry the man she loved and live out her days in a haze of happiness. It would be worth it in the end. All it would take was courage.

“Then what is next?”

An hour later, Taryn was back on the saddle with James sitting behind her. It felt entirely normal and comfortable for him to be there. Laird McKenzie had been kind enough to offer them rooms for the night, but they were all ready to return to the Kincaid Keep. A hot meal and a warmer cloak later, Taryn was set for their journey home.

Armed with plans to reconvene soon so they could continue to strategize for the battle ahead, Lachlan and Aila led them out of the courtyard and back into the Highland forest. This time, however, Arran and Christopher were saddled on their own horse. And that was nothing to say of the dozens of McGregor warriors who trailed after them.

“We will send any others who turn up to yer Keep,” Finn promised Lachlan. “Ye will have a proper army before long.”

“And then we will go after the Baron.”

It was a declaration that kept Taryn, James, and all the others warm as they rode home.

The sky had turned dark by the time the Kincaid Castle came into view. Snow continued to fall, coating everything in its path, but Taryn wasn’t cold. She was a bundle of nervous energy, fidgeting in her seat more and more with every step.

“Home at last,” Aila announced with a sigh.

“I am sure Elsie will be itching to see all of us. Edith and Mary, too.”

“Who are they?” James asked, the names Lachlan listed unfamiliar to him.

“Ye will find out soon enough,” Taryn answered.

As suspected, the three ladies of varying ages were pacing in the foyer, concern etched into their faces. Elsie, with her young eyes, saw the group of riders first and had plastered herself to the window to watch their return.

“Ye are back!” she shouted, having flung the door open in greeting.

“Hello, my wee lass,” Lachlan said with a laugh, swinging her into his arms as soon as he had dismounted. “Did ye miss us?”

She snuggled into his arms, the distance and time having rid her of any remaining shyness she might have felt towards Lachlan. As soon as Aila slid down from Knight, Elsie reached for her too. Happily, Aila took the girl and carried her inside. Lachlan helped the boys down and then ushered them inside after her. Taryn and James followed suit, leaving their horse to the groomsman.

“Elsie and Christopher are siblings,” Taryn explained as they walked in on the pair reuniting with a warm hug.

“All right, all right,” Christopher called, pushing Elsie off him after her arms grew too tight around his neck. “Get off me.”

She stepped back but didn’t go very far. Instead, she leveled her hands onto her hips and stared her brother down.

“Dinnae ever leave me behind again.”

Every word of her demand was punctuated with a poke to the center of his chest. Christopher rubbed at the spot for a moment before throwing his hands up.

“Okay, okay. I will nae leave ye behind.”

“Swear?” Elsie pushed, clearly more than a little miffed about her lack of adventure.

“I swear.”

The adults burst into laughter at the seriousness on her face, but it was that same sentiment that had gotten them all into the situation they were now in.

“Hello, Elsie,” Taryn called softly, crouching down to the girl’s level.

Too caught up in brandishing her brother, Elsie hadn’t noticed Taryn’s arrival. She spun now, overjoyed and squealing, and ran into Taryn’s arms. The force of her jump knocked Taryn off her feet, but she didn’t mind. She wrapped her arms around Elsie and held on tight, saying a silent prayer of thanks that she had been able to make it back home to such a precious girl.

“I missed ye,” Taryn whispered, determined not to be the first one to let go.

“Ye are nae going to leave again, are ye?”

The softly uttered question broke Taryn’s heart all over again. She could hear just how frightened Elsie had been by the whole thing.

“Och, lass,” Taryn said, her words choked with emotion. “I cannae promise that I will nae leave ye again. There is still much to be done. But I can promise ye that I will always, always come back to ye.”

“Swear?”

“I swear.” Taryn squeezed a little tighter, listening as Lachlan made introductions for James to the others who had waited to greet them.

When Elsie finally picked her head up from where it had been buried in Taryn’s neck, she caught sight of James. Never willing to be more than a few steps away from Taryn, he looked as though he was towering over them from their spot on the floor. Rising, Taryn scooped Elsie up with her.

“Elsie, I would like ye to meet James. He is the one who ensured I would get back home safely to ye.”

James gave Elsie a dashing smile and reached for her hand. The girl, now bashful and tired from the rush of emotions, let him take it, watching him through her eyelashes.

“It is an honor to meet ye, Elsie,” James said, pressing a kiss to the back of the girl’s hand.

“It is?” Elsie asked, warming up to James rather quickly.

Taryn suspected his handsome smile and playful green eyes had something to do with that.

“Och, aye. I suspect ye are the only person on this earth who loves Taryn as much as I do. It does me good to ken that someone else sees just how special she is. That makes ye verra special too.”

Elsie melted into giggles, completely and utterly charmed by James. Taryn nearly did the same.

“Taryn,” Elsie tried to whisper, tugging on a strand of her still matted and unwashed hair. “He said he loves ye! Did ye hear that?”

The adults laughed again, the innocence and awe that Elsie spoke with was too endearing to ignore.

“Aye, Elsie. I heard him. And I love him too.”

“Ye do?” She gasped, studying James with new eyes. After a moment, she faced him again and smiled. “It is verra nice to meet ye, Mister James. Thank ye for bringing Taryn home to me.”

Taryn hugged the girl once more and then turned to her friends.

“Now what? We need to start making a plan for getting?—”

“Now,” James interrupted. “Ye take a bath. And then get some sleep. In a few days, when ye are feeling rested, we will start planning. But nae before then.”

“James is right,” Mary told her. “Ye have had a verra difficult few weeks. I have some herbs ready for ye. Go and soak. I will bring ye some tea later to help ye sleep.”

Lachlan and Aila nodded along, while Edith stepped forward to take a begrudging Elsie out of her arms. Outnumbered, Taryn accepted defeat and let James lead her away from the crowd and down the corridor.

“They will nae save themselves, ye ken,” he told her once they were alone. “Sorcha and Laura will need ye to be strong and healthy. There is nay telling the state we will find them in. So ye must take time to take care of yerself, and then we will go after them. I swear.”

The echo of Elsie’s words brought a smile to her face that stayed put as she pointed James in the direction of her rooms and waited for him to start the fire and fill the tub with hot water.

She sat in front of the vanity, gingerly taking a brush to her tangled hair, watching James work in the reflection. He caught her gaze as he poured the last bucket of water into the copper tub. The look he gave her warmed her cheeks until they were a bright pink.

“Would ye like me to leave?” he offered, his voice huskier and deeper than it had been minutes before.

Hesitantly, she shook her head.

“I will need help getting the knots out of my hair. And unbuttoning my dress.”

It didn’t matter that she could have asked Aila or Mary to help her. She wanted James close, she wanted to feel his hands run through her hair.

Nodding, as though any words would ruin the moment, James gestured for her to come stand in front of him and the fire. She did so, giving him her back while she watched the growing flames dance. His fingertips moved swiftly over the long row of tiny buttons that ran down the length of her back, each one exposing more and more of her shift. When he reached the end, her sleeves fell from her shoulders, pulling the rest of her dress down with it.

His breath was quick and warm on her neck, echoing the racing heartbeat that slammed into her ribs. When she didn’t move, he pressed a kiss, slow and tender, to the skin in between her neck and shoulder, sending shivers down her back.

“Get into the water, Taryn,” he told her, his voice even more gravely.

Slipping out of her shift as quickly as her nervous fingers would allow her, she stepped into the water and sighed. Only once she was seated and submerged did she reach for the pouch of herbs Mary had left her. Pouring them into the bath, the water turned murky with the evidence of the last several weeks washing away.

“Lean back,” James said.

She had only just realized that he hadn’t been standing behind her, his approaching footsteps giving him away. A shy glance up, and she caught sight of his heated gaze. She kept eye contact with him as she lay back against the rolled up towel, letting her head rest on it.

With the brush in one hand and a stool in the other, James positioned himself behind her. He leaned forward, collecting her hair and sweeping it off her neck so he could continue her work getting all of the knots out.

“James.”

His voice was softly murmured, but she felt the brush and his hands go still.

“Aye?” he answered, clearing his throat.

“Kiss me.”

Obligingly, he leaned over the tub and did so. She wondered if she would ever get used to his kiss, if it would ever cease to steal her breath away. Steam from the tub rose, along with the fragrant smells of rosemary and lavender. She sighed, hoping the moment would never end.

Her hand shot up, clasping the back of his dark hair, pulling him closer to her. His kiss deepened and she sighed again. So content was she, that when James moved from the stool, brush forgotten, and scooped her out of the tub, she didn’t protest. There were no comments about the water dripping from her freshly scrubbed skin or the fact that her hair was still a mess when he dropped her into the awaiting bed. All she could think about was him. And when Mary knocked a little while later with the fresh pot of tea as promised, neither of them heard her, too wrapped up in each other to be bothered with the rest of the world.

Thank you so much for reading my book!