“Marry me, lass,” he whispered, using the hand still clutching the cursed cane to pull her closer. “Marry me and be the mistress of, no’ just McClure Keep, but my heart.”
Her gaze had turned serious, and she stared into his eyes.
“Kenneth, I’m sorry I didnae tell ye about my father’s plan.”
“ ‘Tis aright. I dinnae want to be Laird Oliphant.”
She nodded solemnly. “And I dinnae want to be Lady Oliphant. But…I’m no’ the right kind of lady to be Lady McClure either.”
With a pang, he remembered what she’d said yesterday, right before the bow had fired.
I’m no’ good enough to be a lady. I just want to be me!
And he understood.
His smile turned gentle as he leaned close enough to brush a kiss across her temple. “Lass, ye’re perfect the way ye are. Just the way ye are. I dinnae want a lady who sews and plans and sews…or whatever ‘tis ladies do. I want ye.”
She didn’t respond, and he decided she didn’t understand. So he rocked back on his heels, looked down at her, then frowned so she’d know he was being serious.
“Leanna Oliphant, I want ye. I want ye forever. I dinnae want ye to change, and I dinnae care what others think the perfect lady may or may no’ be. I think ye’re perfect just the way ye are, and I love ye.”
Her eyes had widened throughout his impassioned words, but now, she ducked her chin, her cheeks flushing becomingly. His gaze was drawn to her lips: plump and dark, and made for kissing.
“Ye do?” she whispered, and he had to drag his focus back to their conversation.
“I love ye.” He dropped his hand and used his fingertips to tilt her chin upward so he could meet her eyes. “I love ye, Leanna Oliphant, just the way ye are. And I’d like verra much if ye’d be my wife.”
“But…” He thought he was prepared for all her objections, until she said, “I’ll miss my home. I kenned if I met a man and fell in love, I’d have to leave, but now that I’m faced with it…”
He winced, hating how lost she sounded. “Yer family can come visit, and we’re no’ so far apart we cannae return—”
“Nay! I mean, aye, I’ll miss them a bit too, I suppose. But…Oliphant Castle is my home. On the other hand, McClure Keep sounds verra exciting.”
“We even have some secret passages.”
It was almost comical, the way her face lit up. “Really?”
And Kenneth vowed, if they hadn’t had secret passages, he would’ve built her some. “Aye, lass, although no’ nearly as extensive. But I can absolutely promise there’s nae skeletons waiting for ye.”
She burst into laughter. “But ghosts, aye? Ye have ghosts?”
His hand cupped her cheek, loving the way she lit up. “If we dinnae, I’ll make certain to find us some. Surely the priest can invite some to live with us. And I’ll even find ye a pet ass if ye think ye’ll miss Bill too much.”
Still laughing, showing off those beautiful dimples, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him forward. “I look forward to discovering all the secrets of McClure Keep.”
His breath caught. “Does that mean ye’ll marry me?”
“I’ll be a terrible lady, but I can promise ye this, Kenneth McClure: I’ll make yer life fun.”
The way she pressed her body against him, her tits pushing against him, made him think of a very particular kind of fun.
“Och, Leanna,” he murmured, leaning closer to her. “I ken we will.”
The begetting was going to be nothing short of euphoria.
“Afore ye kiss me, there’s something I have to tell ye,” she suddenly said, staring hard at his lips.
His leg didn’t ache anymore, and there wasn’t a damned thing she could tell him right now which would keep him from kissing her. “Unless ‘tis another blasted secret, lass, I dinnae care—”