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Authors: Donna Grant
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Ronan.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Ina said there would be another Alpin woman who would release him. There was a chance that he could earn his freedom at that time.”
Meg licked her lips. “How does he earn his freedom?”
“Ina wouldn’t tell me. Nor will she tell you,” Tilly quickly said when Meg started to rise.
Meg huffed out a breath as she stayed seated. “I want to help him. He made a mistake, but he didn’t kill Ana. She killed herself because she couldn’t take rejection. Why should he be punished for that?”
Tilly reached over and set her gnarled hand atop Meg’s. “Not everyone is as strong as you, my dear. Even in your darkest hour after that bastard ran off with your dowry and left you waiting at the altar, I knew you would come through it all.”
“My chances at finding another man to marry are nonexistent, aunt. I have no dowry.”
“For some, you won’t have to.”
Meg looked up at the ceiling as she once more thought of Ronan. “Wishful thinking on both our parts.” Meg hated the pain she felt in her heart as she realized the truth of her words. “Ronan abhors marriage, and he has every right to after what his mother did to his father. He doesn’t trust women.”
“Do you...care...for him?”
Meg met her aunt’s gaze. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to have feelings like this again. Ronan barreled into my life, but he has opened my heart and my mind to the possibility that happiness could be mine. If I dared to reach for it.”
“Are you willing to fight for him?”
“Fight for a man that will do anything to keep from being married?” Meg asked in disbelief. The answer swelled within her. “If there is even a wee chance I could have a future with Ronan, I would have to do it honestly. No manipulation, no lies, and no deceit. I would have to win him with my feelings.”
Tilly nodded in approval. “If anyone can do it, you can. You keep saying you care for him, and that you have feelings, but is it love?”
Was it love? Meg recalled how he had taken her in his arms and kissed her with such abandon, touched her with unrestraint.
Made love to her as if there were no tomorrow.
Her stomach quivered as she recalled the hungry desire that had flared in his eyes right before he kissed her. He hadn’t spent all his time with her, and the women of the castle had certainly taken notice of him. Yet he hadn’t eased himself with any of them. Only her.
Was it because she held the key to whether he returned to the mirror or not? The euphoria blossoming within her withered at the thought.
“Meg?” Aunt Tilly called.
Meg rose to her feet, her stomach a ball of knots. “I’ve had a very long day.”
“Of course,” her aunt said with sharp eyes. “Why don’t you send Ronan down to me?”
Meg nodded as she hurried out of the solar and ascended the stairs. Each step weighted her down until she felt as if she carried the world upon her shoulders.
Her hand shook when she raised it to knock on Ronan’s door. The door was yanked open, and Ronan stood before her, his eyes as troubled as before.
“You doona look well. Are you all right?” he asked.
Meg couldn’t calm her heart it beat so fast. “Aunt Tilly just arrived. She would like to see you in the solar.”
“All right. First, tell me what’s wrong.”
She hated the concern in his gaze. It made her feel special, and she knew better than most how easily she could be duped. She was afraid to ask Ronan why he was really with her, because she was terrified of the truth.
Meg tried to turn away, but Ronan pulled her against him, his strong arms wrapping around her. He held her to his chest, giving her comfort. “I doona know what I’ve done, but it wasna on purpose, whatever it is.”
He was apologizing without knowing if he had even done anything. It would be so easy to love this man, to give him her whole heart and plan a life with him.
It all lay out before her, giving her a glimpse of what she
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Ina said there would be another Alpin woman who would release him. There was a chance that he could earn his freedom at that time.”
Meg licked her lips. “How does he earn his freedom?”
“Ina wouldn’t tell me. Nor will she tell you,” Tilly quickly said when Meg started to rise.
Meg huffed out a breath as she stayed seated. “I want to help him. He made a mistake, but he didn’t kill Ana. She killed herself because she couldn’t take rejection. Why should he be punished for that?”
Tilly reached over and set her gnarled hand atop Meg’s. “Not everyone is as strong as you, my dear. Even in your darkest hour after that bastard ran off with your dowry and left you waiting at the altar, I knew you would come through it all.”
“My chances at finding another man to marry are nonexistent, aunt. I have no dowry.”
“For some, you won’t have to.”
Meg looked up at the ceiling as she once more thought of Ronan. “Wishful thinking on both our parts.” Meg hated the pain she felt in her heart as she realized the truth of her words. “Ronan abhors marriage, and he has every right to after what his mother did to his father. He doesn’t trust women.”
“Do you...care...for him?”
Meg met her aunt’s gaze. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to have feelings like this again. Ronan barreled into my life, but he has opened my heart and my mind to the possibility that happiness could be mine. If I dared to reach for it.”
“Are you willing to fight for him?”
“Fight for a man that will do anything to keep from being married?” Meg asked in disbelief. The answer swelled within her. “If there is even a wee chance I could have a future with Ronan, I would have to do it honestly. No manipulation, no lies, and no deceit. I would have to win him with my feelings.”
Tilly nodded in approval. “If anyone can do it, you can. You keep saying you care for him, and that you have feelings, but is it love?”
Was it love? Meg recalled how he had taken her in his arms and kissed her with such abandon, touched her with unrestraint.
Made love to her as if there were no tomorrow.
Her stomach quivered as she recalled the hungry desire that had flared in his eyes right before he kissed her. He hadn’t spent all his time with her, and the women of the castle had certainly taken notice of him. Yet he hadn’t eased himself with any of them. Only her.
Was it because she held the key to whether he returned to the mirror or not? The euphoria blossoming within her withered at the thought.
“Meg?” Aunt Tilly called.
Meg rose to her feet, her stomach a ball of knots. “I’ve had a very long day.”
“Of course,” her aunt said with sharp eyes. “Why don’t you send Ronan down to me?”
Meg nodded as she hurried out of the solar and ascended the stairs. Each step weighted her down until she felt as if she carried the world upon her shoulders.
Her hand shook when she raised it to knock on Ronan’s door. The door was yanked open, and Ronan stood before her, his eyes as troubled as before.
“You doona look well. Are you all right?” he asked.
Meg couldn’t calm her heart it beat so fast. “Aunt Tilly just arrived. She would like to see you in the solar.”
“All right. First, tell me what’s wrong.”
She hated the concern in his gaze. It made her feel special, and she knew better than most how easily she could be duped. She was afraid to ask Ronan why he was really with her, because she was terrified of the truth.
Meg tried to turn away, but Ronan pulled her against him, his strong arms wrapping around her. He held her to his chest, giving her comfort. “I doona know what I’ve done, but it wasna on purpose, whatever it is.”
He was apologizing without knowing if he had even done anything. It would be so easy to love this man, to give him her whole heart and plan a life with him.
It all lay out before her, giving her a glimpse of what she
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