Highlander's Trials of Fire

Jonet lifted her head and slowly placed a kiss on his lips. It was sinking in now. That he was fine. That their future was fine. That the threat was gone, and she no longer had anything to worry about. She kissed him again, just because she had to.

Matthew tightened his arm around her.

“I love ye, Jonet,” he whispered to her. “After a brush with death, I daenae think I can go another second without sayin’ those words to ye.”

“I love ye too. After watchin’ yer brush with death, it wouldnae be very right of me nae to let ye ken, as well.”

She expected him to smile, but it was not as quick or as full as she thought it would be. His brows creased. “Will ye have dinner with me tonight? There is somethin’ I must tell ye. Somethin’ that I should have told ye from the very beginnin’.”

She mimicked his frown. “What is it?”

As quickly as it came, his frown disappeared, and he chuckled lightly. “Why daenae we save it for the dinner?”

She let him kiss her, smiling, even though she could tell that he was not completely fine. Yet she was not going to let it bother her. Whatever he had to say, Jonet was sure that it would not matter in the grand scheme of things. The life he had promised her was now theirs for the taking, and nothing would ever get in the way of that again.

Chapter 30

I have to tell her everything.

That was the only thought running through Matthew’s head since the moment he opened his eyes. They had not noticed him immediately, lost in their conversation as they had been. Yet Jonet’s despair had been obvious, and it tore at his heart to know that there was still something standing between them.

That very thing could rip them apart and the thought scared the life out of him.

Once Jonet was able to pull herself away, she had fetched the Laird. The tall, proud man Matthew had known him to be looked battered beneath the weight of his stress, but he still gave Matthew a bright smile as he greeted him. Matthew’s guilt doubled. He remembered suddenly that Jonet was not the only one who had been a victim of his lies, but her entire family.

So, he had asked if he could be brought down to the dining hall for dinner instead. Jonet had been completely against the idea, claiming that he needed his rest, but the physician told them that, if he moved with care, Matthew should not have a problem.

“Are ye certain about this?” Jonet asked him for the tenth time. She had her arm around his waist, helping him down the hallway.

Matthew, try as he might, could not stop himself from leaning his weight on her. The pain was sharp, enough to pimple his skin with sweat, but at least the wound had not broken. If Jonet saw blood, she would march him back to his room. She would try to carry him herself if she had to.

“I want to have dinner with the entire family,” he assured her. “It would be a little odd to have ye all crowded around me bed.”

“Ye can have dinner with us when ye’re better,” she protested. If his weight was too much, she did not say. She had been tending to his every need since he woke earlier that afternoon, though he had told her there was no need for her to fuss. The physician, after checking on him, had said that he was healing nicely and a few more weeks in bed should do the trick. Jonet had wanted to take that literally.

“That’s true,” he agreed with a nod. “But I have to take the chance to be celebrated as a hero when I can, daenae ye think?”

She huffed a laugh, shaking her head. Jonet stopped walking and looked up at him, placing an off-kilter kiss on his lips. “Ye are always a hero to me.”

“Aye, that’s all good and well, but I’m lookin’ for more fame, lass.”

She rolled her eyes and they continued along, the dining hall growing nearer. “One more word out of ye, mister, and I’m havin’ the guards pick ye up and bring ye back to the bed.”

“Ah, so strict.” Matthew sucked in a breath.

That made her laugh. The moment they entered the dining hall to see the table laden with food, Matthew knew Christal had decided to honor him in her own way. He made a mental note to thank her personally when he had the chance, but for now, he let Jonet help him to the chair he usually sat in.

Laird MacLagain was already seated, drinking deeply from his goblet. His eyes sparkled at the sight of the both of them and he gave Matthew a loud, happy greeting, moving to clap him on the shoulder. Jonet stepped in the way and gave her father a warning look. The Laird held up his hands in surrender.

There was someone else sitting at the table, someone Matthew had not expected to see. Now that both Dougal and Jonathan were gone, Matthew had expected the room to look a tad bigger. The loss of their presence would have made the silence louder, as their memory lingered in their seats. Yet sitting to the right of the Laird was Rinalda, wearing a bright, if not slightly tired, smile.

“Maither!” Jonet sounded surprised. “I dinnae ken ye would be here too.”

“I heard Matthew wanted to have dinner with the family,” her voice was strong, to Matthew’s relief. “It wouldnae do well nae to have me here.”

“She insisted,” the Laird said. When he looked at his wife, the big, tough bear of a man looked soft. “And I havenae figured out a way to nae give her whatever she wants yet.”

“And ye never will,” Rinalda stated.