Epilogue

After brushing down Poseidon, Kirstie closed his door and walked down the line of stalls toward the exit of the stables. Although it was her last run-through of the day, a warm glow from the setting October sun still cast bright beams through the windows and doors, leaving hints of gold floating through the air.

She still found it hard to believe she was back at Kentillie and that Wallace had asked her to take over because he’d been suffering with a bad back. He’d said, “Yer the only person I trust,” and Lachlan had agreed to let her run the stables.

A large dog ran in through the front door, speeding straight down the aisle; she turned as it passed and watched it scoot through the open back door. Brodie, her cousin, yelled from somewhere outside, “Raghnall.”

She laughed and was about to turn to leave when arms swept around her, pulling her back into a hard, familiar body smelling of woods and spice.

“Did ye miss me?” Alan whispered in her ear before nipping at it, eliciting a response she had become well familiar with.

“More than ye can ken.” Twisting, she wrapped her arms around his waist and drew him as close as her stomach would allow for a long, deep kiss. Resting her head on his shoulder, she snuggled in and asked, “Is it done?”

“Aye. The inn is rebuilt, bigger and better than before.” A satisfied smile turned his lips up. She was happy that he, Lachlan, and a large group of Cameron men had been able to help the innkeepers, especially with Alan’s guilt over the loss of the couple’s livelihood.

“And they were pleased?”

“They even invited us to stay anytime we want.”

“’Twas nice of them, but I think no’. This is the only place I belong.” She kissed his cheek.

“I havenae been able to sleep without ye by my side and reading to me before bed.”

“I missed ye.”

Releasing her, he reached down into a satchel she’d not noticed before. “I missed ye, too, so I brought ye something.”

“Books!” she squealed as he drew out three bound leather volumes.

Draping his arm around her as her fingers traced the gold lettering on the cover of the volume on top, he guided her through the door and out into the waning daylight. “Now let’s go home. I need my wife, a warm bed, and a good story.”

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