Page 96 of A Secret Scottish Christmas

The chapel, at one end of the quadrangle, was not hard to spot with its arched doorway and window. Unlike the tower house, most of one side of the chapel was missing. She stepped into the ancient church and followed Nash to the far wall, away from the windows and doorway. Sweeping his greatcoat behind him, he took her hands and dropped to one knee. Her heart rose in her throat and tears welled in her eyes as she anticipated his words.

“Aileen Stephen, I will never be the man I could be without you. You complete me. My heart is yours; I willingly lay it at your feet. Make me the happiest man in all of Britain and marry me.”

She gave him an impudent smile. “Will you let me design ships?”

He nodded. “Even better, we will design them together.”

Her spirits soared yet one question remained. “Must we always live in London?” She had to know if she would be asked to leave her beloved Scotland forever. She loved him enough to do it but perhaps he wouldn’t mind a bit of negotiation.

Nash grinned up at her. “I can see this is to be the first of many compromises, but hopefully not all will be made with me on bent knee in cold rocky soil. To answer your question, I expect we will live in London for part of the year, but not all. The Ossian will be built in Arbroath, yes? So, we’ll be there, too.”

“Oh, Nash.” Tears spilled down her cheeks. He could not have pleased her more. “You have made me very happy. You’re the only man I ever desired for my husband. The only man I will ever love. Aye, I will marry you and gladly.”

He got to his feet, dusted off his knees and took her into his arms. His kiss left her heart racing.

“Now, my love, all we need is a minister.”

He led her from the church into the cold wind blowing across the quadrangle’s inner yard, toward the well that was twenty feet across.

“Nash, I am old enough to marry without my parents’ consent, but I would have Will approve of our marriage.”

“William is not ignorant of my intentions toward you, Ailie. The night of the avalanche, I requested his permission to court you.”

“You wanted me for your wife even then?”

“I did, but I wanted to be sure my suit would be welcomed before I confessed my conversation with your brother. He gave his approval once I convinced him I would always protect and love you, yet never seek to change the woman you are.”

“Another secret, I see. But I heartily forgive you this one. Did Will question you most thoroughly?”

“Oh yes, and quite directly. Your brother loves you very much, Ailie. He would never approve of a man who did not desire your happiness above all.”

“Are there any more secrets that I should know about?”

He gave her a puzzling look. “None that I can think of.”

“Will you say nothing of that day in the library when I mistook Robbie for you? I almost died of embarrassment when I realized ’twas not you I had kissed but your brother!”

Nash had a sinking feeling Robbie had not disclosed all. “Robbie told me there was nothing to be concerned about. I assumed the kiss a mere peck on the cheek.”

Her sherry-colored eyes shot daggers. “It was not a peck on the cheek, I assure you.”

“He lied! If he wasn’t already wounded, I would beat him about the head.” Nash thought of how Robbie had behaved when he’d learned of Nash’s feelings for Ailie. He had changed. “I am sorry, Ailie. You see, at the beginning, Robbie thought to win you. Not until he witnessed my anger that day for what I believed was a simple stolen kiss did he realize how much I cared for you. He promised to act circumspectly thereafter.”

“Really, the two of you make a fine pair when you set out to deceive someone. I just wish it hadn’t been me. At least now I can tell you apart. And, while we are at it, I have another question. What caused that scar beneath your hair? I felt the ridge when my fingers were in your thick curls that night when you kissed me under the stars.”

“A souvenir from the yeomanry in Manchester. If Robbie had not come to my rescue, I would have been killed that day on St Peter’s Field.”

She reached her gloved hand to his cheek. “Then I owe him much.” Had they not been in the courtyard where others might see them, she would have kissed him. “That day in Arbroath when it was Robbie whose head dripped blood, I felt guilty for my joy at discovering the man who lay wounded was not you.”

“’Tis the first time I’ve rescued Robbie. With your help, of course.”

“Come,” she urged, “let us get out of the wind and see the palace.” As they crossed the quadrangle, she wondered if she were bold enough to act upon her thoughts concerning their marriage. “You know,” she began, “in Scotland, there is more than one way to wed.”

“You mean we have a choice between an Anglican church and a Presbyterian kirk? It matters not to me where we are wed as long as our marriage is blessed by God.”

“Actually, I was thinking of something else. In Scotland, we need not post banns or even summon a minister. We can marry by exchanging vows before witnesses as long as we live thereafter as man and wife.”

He stopped and turned to face her. “As I am eager to begin living as man and wife, the idea appeals.” The seductive gleam in his eyes brought heat to her cheeks. “But what of your family and mine?”