I had planned to earn them over time. Together, we might hae saved them, Duncan. But if ye wouldna grant me so much as a second of yer time, how was I tae earn anything in yer eyes? How would we ever forge the bond necessary tae truly end the anger and begin to heal the pain o’ so many years o’ death and destruction between us?
“Marrying me was only an act of faith tae our clansmen. It was wha’ we did wi’ that union that could have changed history. But you made it clear that was no’ tae be. I refused to let you condemn me to die by your side.”
Duncan flung her hand from his arm and stood. He walked a good distance across the field before stopping.
“As it was, ye killed us both anyway,” she said.
She was standing behind him. He could vanish, but he was certain she would follow him through all levels of hell.
“If ye want to lay blame, it belongs as much on yer soul as it does mine,” she said. “But it also lies wi’ each of our clansmen. They knew they were warring themselves out of existence, yet their foolish pride wouldna let them seek any other solution than a marriage bond.”
Duncan spun around and gripped her by the arms. His rage was so complete he envisioned himself simply snapping her in two. And yet her calm acceptance of his violence proved the stronger weapon. Her knowing visage was like a mirror thrown up to him. He was barbarian first, acting with strength of hand instead of strength of mind, just as she had accused.
He released her, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Swallowing centuries of hate and anger was like acid on his throat, making his voice rough. “Why di’ ye no’ come to me before this?”
“Would ye have heard my words?”
He didn’t bother to answer.
“Ye had to come to me,” she said.
“I did no’ come to ye.”
“Did ye no’?”
He didn’t answer that either.
“It has taken me a long time, though not as long as you, to understand and accept my faults and the sins committed because of them. I have done so. My sentence on earth is finished.”
He looked at her then. She smiled and he almost cringed at what he saw in her eyes. He saw understanding. He saw supreme knowledge.
He saw forgiveness.
“I am no’ here for me, Duncan. I am here now because ye needed me tae be here.” Concern colored her eyes. “Be warned. I willna be here for ye again. If ye hae any last questions of me, ask them now.”
So many thoughts and revelations vied for attention, and with such fury, none could surface. One thing he could not deny. Now that he had seen her again, spoken with her, he would forever think of her differently.
She smiled and reached up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Good-bye Duncan MacKinnon,” she said softly. “May your soul find its final resting place.”
As she stepped back, he understood more than he wanted to. “God rest yer soul, Mairi Claren.”
“Fear not. I willna be burnin’ in hell, Duncan. There is forgiveness for you as well if ye but seek it.”
Her image shimmered and he stepped forward and gripped her arm with unnecessary strength. He tempered his hold on her even as desperation crawled through his heart. His eyes burned into hers, the sting behind them unexpected but accepted. “I do have one final request,” he said gruffly.
“Aye?”
“Alexander and Rory. What happened to them?”
“Tha’ I canno’ tell you.”
“Find them, then. Tell them … I’m sorry.”
Her smile surfaced once again, serene and knowing. “Ye’ll be tellin’ them yersel’ soon enough, I think.”
“Promise me!” He struggled yet again to temper his desperation. “In case I dinna make it there.” Pride was an awesome burden to fit down one’s throat. “Ye dinna owe it tae me,” he said roughly. “But ye asked … and I’m …” His voice broke deep. He squared his shoulders, chin jutting forward. “I’m beggin’ ye.”
She seemed more stunned than pleased by his humbling. It made it no
“Marrying me was only an act of faith tae our clansmen. It was wha’ we did wi’ that union that could have changed history. But you made it clear that was no’ tae be. I refused to let you condemn me to die by your side.”
Duncan flung her hand from his arm and stood. He walked a good distance across the field before stopping.
“As it was, ye killed us both anyway,” she said.
She was standing behind him. He could vanish, but he was certain she would follow him through all levels of hell.
“If ye want to lay blame, it belongs as much on yer soul as it does mine,” she said. “But it also lies wi’ each of our clansmen. They knew they were warring themselves out of existence, yet their foolish pride wouldna let them seek any other solution than a marriage bond.”
Duncan spun around and gripped her by the arms. His rage was so complete he envisioned himself simply snapping her in two. And yet her calm acceptance of his violence proved the stronger weapon. Her knowing visage was like a mirror thrown up to him. He was barbarian first, acting with strength of hand instead of strength of mind, just as she had accused.
He released her, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Swallowing centuries of hate and anger was like acid on his throat, making his voice rough. “Why di’ ye no’ come to me before this?”
“Would ye have heard my words?”
He didn’t bother to answer.
“Ye had to come to me,” she said.
“I did no’ come to ye.”
“Did ye no’?”
He didn’t answer that either.
“It has taken me a long time, though not as long as you, to understand and accept my faults and the sins committed because of them. I have done so. My sentence on earth is finished.”
He looked at her then. She smiled and he almost cringed at what he saw in her eyes. He saw understanding. He saw supreme knowledge.
He saw forgiveness.
“I am no’ here for me, Duncan. I am here now because ye needed me tae be here.” Concern colored her eyes. “Be warned. I willna be here for ye again. If ye hae any last questions of me, ask them now.”
So many thoughts and revelations vied for attention, and with such fury, none could surface. One thing he could not deny. Now that he had seen her again, spoken with her, he would forever think of her differently.
She smiled and reached up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. “Good-bye Duncan MacKinnon,” she said softly. “May your soul find its final resting place.”
As she stepped back, he understood more than he wanted to. “God rest yer soul, Mairi Claren.”
“Fear not. I willna be burnin’ in hell, Duncan. There is forgiveness for you as well if ye but seek it.”
Her image shimmered and he stepped forward and gripped her arm with unnecessary strength. He tempered his hold on her even as desperation crawled through his heart. His eyes burned into hers, the sting behind them unexpected but accepted. “I do have one final request,” he said gruffly.
“Aye?”
“Alexander and Rory. What happened to them?”
“Tha’ I canno’ tell you.”
“Find them, then. Tell them … I’m sorry.”
Her smile surfaced once again, serene and knowing. “Ye’ll be tellin’ them yersel’ soon enough, I think.”
“Promise me!” He struggled yet again to temper his desperation. “In case I dinna make it there.” Pride was an awesome burden to fit down one’s throat. “Ye dinna owe it tae me,” he said roughly. “But ye asked … and I’m …” His voice broke deep. He squared his shoulders, chin jutting forward. “I’m beggin’ ye.”
She seemed more stunned than pleased by his humbling. It made it no
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