by Karin, Anya
“Yes,” Willard sobbed, “but that’s no excuse for-”
“You’re right, it isn’t. But you say that I say things what remind you of your daughter, aye?”
Willard turned his face up, looking at Kenna with tears streaking his cheeks. Never had he looked so naked, so aged. He nodded.
“Then listen to me now, and know that it takes more effort than you could possibly know to say this to you. I’m not any different than anyone else. I feel angry and hateful and as though all I want is revenge. But there’s a difference between feeling in a way, and acting upon it.”
“I know, I-”
“Let me finish, please, Mayor. I was looking at a life without the man I love, in a place not my own, and it was all because of your anger. Do you understand?”
“I do, yes.” He opened his mouth to continue, but stopped short.
“You said you’d do anything for me. Anything at all. Is that true?”
“Kenna, don’t-” Gavin moved beside Kenna.
“No Gavin, this is my choice. Mine alone. Please.”
She turned back to the man on the ground in front of him, took her hands away from his, and squeezed his shoulders so hard her knuckles went white.
“I want to hurt you. I want so badly to make you feel the pain, and the fear, that you’ve put into me.”
“And I deserve it,” he said.
“But I won’t,” Kenna continued, ignoring him. “I won’t. Not because I don’t want to, but because it won’t do any good. Acting out would only bring me down to a place I dinna belong. Your daughter – Sara – she was right, about many things from the sound of it. She said you were to treat these people as your friends and not fall into the same trap that so many English do. You said yourself that you’re conquerors, aye?”
Willard nodded.
“Then the least you can do is to treat the people in your charge with dignity. You asked me what it was I wanted, and I’m telling you now. I want you to stand up, I want you to call a meeting tomorrow morning, right after we leave, and you’ll ask everyone in this town the same question you’ve just asked me.”
“But what if they won’t listen? What if I’ve gone too far?”
“Then you’ll know it. But I’ve a feeling, if what Duggan says is true, that these people still remember you for the way you were. They remember their friend, and they want him back. Is that true, Duggan?”
Duggan grunted. “Aye,” he said.
“That’s what I want. You’re to ask them – every last one – what you can do for them. You may have put terror in my heart, but only for a handful of days. The people of this town trusted you. You have to work to regain it. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Willard said. “Yes, but – do you not want anything material? Nothing of value?” His eyes widened. “No, no, of course you don’t. That’s where my thinking went wrong in the first place. The material things, that’s not what makes us rich. That’s what Fellworth and the rest of them don’t understand.”
“Stand up,” Kenna said, urging Willard to his feet. He rose.
“You’ve got it. Things are things, aye? They come and go. You can lose ships, you can lose money. But what you canna lose, not ever, are your friends and your family. Even if they’re gone from this planet, their memories live on, aye? Your daughter, though she’s gone, lives on inside you.”
“Yes,” Willard said, his lips trembling again. “Yes, she does.”
“Then honor that memory, mayor. When you disgrace yourself, you spurn her memory. Make your daughter proud. Make this right.”
“I...” Willard’s voice hitched in his throat, and he had to swallow hard to fight back against his emotion. “Thank you. I will. I’ll do as you say.”
The tears running down his cheeks had dried, but his face and his eyes were still red. Willard slowly walked to the side of Duggan’s inn, and leaned against the signpost. “Can...can I trouble you for some water, Duggan?” He said.
“I’ll do you better than that. Before you lot came, I had begun to cook. Porridge should be done by now. You first.” The big man pushed the inn door open and held it open for everyone to file in, which they did, one by one.
“You three coming?” Duggan said, turning back. He had his hand on Olga’s shoulder, and he followed her through the door of his inn where everyone else had already gone.
“Aye, in a moment. Go on,” Gavin said.
Duggan smiled, nodded, turned and went inside.
Kenna and Gavin stared into each other’s eyes, as soon as he was inside.
“It was all you, you know.” Rollo said.
“Rollo! I’m so happy you made it.” Kenna bent and hugged him. “Thank you for all you did.”
“No, this is all your doing, and yours.” He nodded to Gavin in thanks. “Without your kindness, I’d still be calling him ‘master’. I think you’ve just saved two towns.”
“I dinna know about that,” Kenna said, blushing. “I think it was as much everyone else as it was me.”
For a moment, Rollo seemed lost in thought, but shook his head.
“And more important than saving two towns, you’ve saved a soul. It will take time. A great deal of it, I’m thinking. But eventually he will come back to himself. There is no greater deed. I’ve known no woman like you in my life. You’re a lucky man, Mr. Macgregor.”
“Aye,” Gavin said with a smile. He stuck his hand out, and Rollo clasped it tight. “Call me Gavin. You’re a friend to Kenna and to me. And I’ve a job for you.”
“For me?”
“Aye. If things don’t change, find us. I consider you my friend, and as any of these people would say, my friends are very important to me.”
“I can’t...I’m honored. And about what we discussed?”
“First of all, the honor is mine. You’re a brave man to stay, to try and help him rebuild after what’s happened. And now I want you to act as the guardian of these towns. All you’ve to do is send word and we’ll be here, do you understand?”
“Yes. Yes, I understand. Thank you.”
“I think it’s my turn to insist people go and eat, is it not?” Kenna stepped up and put her hand on Rollo’s shoulder. “So go and eat. We’ll be in directly.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you both.” Rollo said.
Alone, finally alone, Gavin beheld his love and Kenna hers.
“I’ve never seen anyone who can challenge the sun for radiance.”
“Oh stop it,” Kenna giggled and slapped Gavin playfully on the chest. But as she studied his face, she knew there was no joke behind his words.
“Some men say things like that because they’ve nothing else to say. I say it because it’s the truth of my heart.”
“Oh, Gavin,” Kenna whispered as she lay her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you, Gavin Macgregor, now and forever.”
He smiled and his ocean blue eyes twinkled like a fire burned inside them. “And I you, Kenna Moore. Now and forever.”
THE END
Did you love Passion and Plaid? Then you should read Thistle and Flame - Her Highland Hero by Anya Karin!
Low Introductory price for a limited time!
If hearts are meant to be together, nothing will keep them apart...
When Gavin Macgregor first laid eyes Kenna Moore at festival in their Highland home, the boy fell in love with her flaming red hair, and her easy smile.
Years later, Gavin works up the courage to give Kenna a thistle, and with one innocent gesture, steals her heart.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Gavin is gone, swept away with the rest of the Highlanders to fight in Bonnie Prince Charlie’s war, from which he never returns.
With Gavin’s thistle around her neck, Kenna finds the strength to journey south to Edinburgh, where she’s promised in marriage to Laird Ramsay Macdonald. Struggling to grow accustomed to her new life, little does Kenna know that the man who stole her heart all those years ago is waiting to do it again.
Also by Anya Karin
Her Highland Hero
Passion and Plaid
The Unmasked Series
Unmasked (New Adult Romance)
Standalone
Thistle and Flame - Her Highland Hero
About the Author
Romance, suspense, thrills and chills are Anya Karin's favorite things to write and to read.
She lives for complex plots, characters that come to life, and maybe even a little bit of spice. So, that's exactly what she writes!
She lives in Pheonix with two dogs, a spouse and a pair of sprouts who are listed in the reverse order of the messes they make!
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