Whoa! Just when he thought he'd already heard the worst in Montrose, here is yet another dark tale.
Would his fate have been the same as Sophie's late husband had he not stayed the course and held to his convictions? Whatever had made him fall in love with such a horrible person, so many years ago? Had she always been so evil?
Riding home, Oliver is certain that Sophie is not in Arbroath. The ghosts that haunt her past life there would have prevented her from returning. But where can she be? Nothing comes to mind. It is at this point that he realizes he really doesn’t know her very well.
He will have to use different means to find her.
Amelia reluctantly picks at her food. For the past week, she has lost her appetite. She can’t tell if she is in this state because of Thomas or Oliver. However, when she thinks of it clearly, something keeps telling her it is all because of Oliver.
While she tries hard not to think about him, she reminds herself of about how poorly she had spoken to him that night and how she had demanded he leave her house. Yes, she was angry and confused in the moment, but perhaps she shouldn’t have spoken to him so harshly that night.
Occasionally, she allows herself to remember how it felt as he walked out that door. Would that be the last time she ever saw him? Had he truly walked out of her life forever? She has made peace with Thomas but not with Oliver, and it breaks her heart to think it should end in such an ugly way.
And what about his alleged marriage to Sophie. He did say it was a loveless marriage of convenience, only entered into so as to provide for the child. But how can she can trust or believe him. It’s becoming too hard to do that.
“Are ye going to eat that, or are ye going tae keep tapping it?” Gavina says across the little dining table. Beside her is Owen, who is silently eating.
“Ah’m not hungry,” Amelia says wearily.
“Ye said the same thing this morn. Ye haven’t even touched the food.”
“Ma mind is full to the brim."
“Because of the painter? Huh?” Gavina asks. But Amelia, looking deflated, doesn't reply.
“From wit ye told me, it doesn’t seem like he cheated on ye. The two of ye just misunderstood each other, it was pure bad.”
“I donnae think we will be together,” Amelia says sadly.
“Ye sure ye can hold to that?” Gavina pats Owen on the head. “Yer son is his spitting image. It’ll be difficult to forget him whenever ye look at yer own son.”
Gavina is right; Owen looks so much like his father. It was how Oliver was so quick to recognize him.
“Wit should I do,” Amelia asks.
“Mayhap, think of seeing him,” Gavina says as she shrugs.
Can I be bold enough to go to Arbroath to see Oliver? Amelia ponders.
A knock on the door of her cottage interrupts her thoughts. She quickly jumps up and rushes to the door—it could be Oliver.
Amelia listens to her father speak. Since he and her mother had walked into her cottage minutes ago, he has been talking, apologizing for the way he had treated her, and for the horrible things he had said to her three years agon her time of need.
When Amelia heard the knock on the door, she could never have imagined that her parents would be the ones at the door. After all, they live miles away from each other.
Just as she was surprised to see Oliver at her doorstep, she is just as shocked upon seeing her parents.
Unlike her father, her mother has been to her cottage before. Amelia kept her promise by inviting her mother when she first settled in Dunfermline. But this is her father’s first time here. Watching him speak, she can see and hear how deeply sorry he is for his actions.
“Da, it’s okay. Ah’m not angry with ye, I forgave ye a long time ago.”
Her father looks at her questioningly, with tears welling. Could she ever forgive him, after the way he’d treated her? Amelia smiles and lets out a slight chuckle, “Da…really.” As the tears begin to work their way down his cheeks, he smiles broadly and chuckles, as does her mother and Gavina.
It feels so good to have her family united with her again. What would she gain by withholding forgiveness? It is time to move on.
Chapter 10
Amelia strolls along the burn that leads to her cottage. Indeed, sometimes Saturday can be a very relaxing day, especially in rainy seasons when there is less planting or the crops have been harvested. Achieving her dream has been one of her most significant accomplishments in her life. And yes, she will never question her decision to pay for the farm in years to come. If not, she would always feel indebted to Thomas.
The evening’s chilly breeze blows through her hair, and she breathes in the tell-tale smells of spring. Walking along the road, the laughter of children and their parents enjoying the nice weather fills the air. This is the laughter of love, togetherness, and gratitude. Amelia smiles; life can be so beautiful.
Amelia has built herself a comfortable life, but sadly not a love life. Again, her mind wanders off to Oliver. It has become routine for her to associate everything that happens to her with Oliver. She is always thinking of him, even when she isn’t. One way or another, Oliver's face is ever present in her thoughts.
Alas, there is nothing she can do; it is over. He must be having a good life now; after all, she had pushed him away into Sophie’s arms. Approaching her cottage, she glances at the paper posted on the wall close to her cottage. She looks away, but immediately looks at it again.
“Sophie?” She walks closer to the wall and takes a look at the poster which has been pinned there. Oh my! Her suspicions are confirmed! It truly is a sketch of Sophie, and that of a little boy. A bounty has been placed on her by ...Laird Oliver Adair!
“Whit?! Why would Oliver place a bounty on Sophie?” Oliver is not the type of man that would take irrational action. For him to put a reward on Sophie's head means that she must have done something terrible thing to him. How could that be?
She looks at the paper again, looking for more detail. What does this mean for Oliver? Is he ok? Does this mean life in Arboath is not working out for him? In times like this, he will have no one to lean on, as his parents have passed and his uncle bannished.
The thought of this melts Amelia's heart. She walks slowly away from the poster.
“It will be the best time tae pay him a visit,” Gavina says as she sits on the wooden chair opposite her friend.
“Ye think so?” Amelia asks.
“Aye. Ye need it. Both of ye need it. A lot will be sorted oot.”
Amelia thinks for a minute. “Wit about Owen? I cannae leave him here.”
Gavina shoots her a look, “Are ye making up any excuses not to go, or I are ye joking? Wit Ah’m I here for? Of course, I will take care of him”
“Oh dear.” Amelia goes to her and hugs her. “Wit would I do without ye?” Amelia asks jokingly
“Nothing,” Gavina answers in a fun way, and Amelia giggles. “Ye can make me happy by bringing a man home, love.”
“Aye ma'am,” Amelia replies, and they both burst into laughter.
Honestly, what would she have ever done without a friend like Gavina
Amelia walks into Oliver’s castle after days of traveling. At the castle entrance, the servant’s expression is just as she had imagined it to be. Some of the servants express their gratitude for seeing her. She could swear that some were nicer to her than they had been three years ago. Having Sophie as the lady of the house for the past few years has apparently taught them a few lessons.
One of the servants informs her that Oliver is out for business. They usher her into the living room. While she waits in the large room, Amelia takes her time to look around at the wportraits and paintings hanging on the walls. Indeed, Oliver is an outstanding artist. She is familiar with his work, and is constantly impressed every time she sees it.
Most artists can be identified by their signature style, but not Oliver. In each of his paintings, he creates a completely different mood and palette, easily en
gaging each viewer differently. As she admires the images on the walls, her eyes catch the picture of Laird Alexander, and Amelia hesitates. Her blood runs cold and the shivers run down her spine at the sight of the very monster who she dispatched many years before, even though it is just a painting. She turns away.
“Ma lady,” a voice calls, and she turns to see Maggie, who has a broad, beaming smile.
“Maggie,” Amelia says, and goes to hug the elderly woman. Of course, Maggie hesitates when Amelia offers to hug her. After all, she is a servant with a strict code to follow, but Amelia can’t resist the urge to hug her. This woman was genuinely nice to her when she was here.
“We weren’t expecting ye, but ye are welcome,” Maggie says with a smile, and carries Amelia’s luggage. “Come, let me take ye to yer chamber.”
Amelia is surprised. Shouldn’t she wait till Oliver is back before she is given a chamber? She doesn’t even know how he will receive her. “Maybe we should wait till Oliver is back.”
“Ah’m sorry ma lady, but naw. I believe ma laird won’t be pleased with me if I keep ye here. Please come.” The woman begins walking, and Amelia has no option but to follow her.
It’s been but an hour since Amelia entered her room when the chamber door swings wide open. Oliver bashes into the room, and Amelia startles.
“Amelia?” Oliver gently calls. “Ye are here.”
“Aye,” Amelia says slowly. “Owen is with Gavina in Dunfermline.”
His eyes roam over her. She is not sure if she should be excited or scared, having already settled into a chamber without first resolving their outstanding issues.
Oliver silently maintains his gaze upon her for what seems like an eternity. When he finally moves, he strides towards her quickly and steals her lips on his. While this kiss is unexpected for Amelia, it is most welcome. Amelia can’t help but savour every second of it, falling into bliss. She has missed him so much and from the passion and urgency of Oliver's kiss, she can tell he has missed her also.
Just then, he releases her. “Ah’ve missed you so much,” Oliver says in a blue voice, and Amelia can sense the pain in it.
“Ah have missed you too, Ah’m sorry fer the way I talked…”
“Shhhhh… ye donnae have to apologise for anything.”
“Everything was just misunderstanding,” Oliver says. “Moreover, I should do the apologies, fer laying with Sophie. It was not ma…”
Amelia quickly places a finger over his lips. “I understand,” she whispers.
She slowly moves forward and places her lips on his. Oliver pulls her closer to him. Amelia plays games with her tongue while her hands run caressingly through his thick hair. Oliver lets out a sigh. Amelia pulls away from kissing him, then teases his lips. Slowly she moves her hand from his head to his manhood. Oliver lets out a deep breath.
Bit by bit, she starts stroking his manhood, and Oliver moans deeply. She loves to hear him moan. The sound of his moan wakes up every part of her body. Amelia increases the pressure and the speed of each stroke, and Oliver groans deeply.
Immediately, he kisses her to prevent himself from making so much noise. “I cannae take this anymore.” He pulls out her breasts from her gown and buries his face in them, sucking, nibbling her nipples. Amelia moans and calls his name over and over, burning with desire.
When they can’t hold back their passion any longer, Oliver picks her from the ground, pulls up her gown, and puts his manhood into her wet lady puss. That moment, they pound on each other, tasting each other like never before, like this might be the last time they ever….
“Ah’m sorry for bashing into yer chamber like that. I was too excited to see ye,” Oliver says as he places his head on Amelia’s chest after they finally gratify their urges.
Amelia laughs. “Ye just remembering that now?”
They both laugh.
“Thank ye fer being here with me. A lot has happened.”
“I understand,” Amelia says as she rubs his chest and kisses him on the forehead.
They resume another round, making up for the years that in the end could not keep them apart.
Epilogue
It has been a year and a half since Amelia and Oliver reconciled. One year ago, they solidified their love and devotion to each other with a grand wedding, the likes of which had not been seen since.
Thanks to Oliver’s bounty, Max was shortly reunited with his biological parents. A bounty hunter had unexpectedly located Sophie and Max in a distant village. The hunter had heard numerous rumours of a flirtatious woman and a young lad who had recently taken-up living with a (recently widowed) local pub owner; it fit Sophie’s profile.
Although Max now lives with his biological parents, his newly appointed godfather Oliver makes regular weekly visits to spend time with the boy.
Regarding Sophie; She had been pregnant with Oliver’s child but lost the pregnancy during one of her “outings”. To protect her secret and secure her position with Oliver, she had stolen a baby to present as her own. Her fate was decided by Montrose's council, condemning her to a life in prison.
Oliver and Amelia now divide their time between their home in Montrose, Dunfermline and Arbroath, where respectively Oliver maintains his art business, and Amelia operates her farmland (of which Oliver insisted on paying Thomas for).
Having been married now for a number of years, Amelia has finally become the woman she had always dreamed of being. When love is real, it finds a way, but if you reach out too quickly, it may be lost forever. Luckily for Amelia, she found her forever Highland Lover.
Afterword
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Highlander's Love Child : A Highlander Steamy Romance Short Read (Highland Lover Series Book 5) Page 5