“I knew there had to be something more than ye were sharing with me.” The captain sat across from them at the round table below deck, where the crew shared their meals. Neither Quinn nor Ysmaine had made use of this or any other room before then.

Things were different now.

Ysmaine’s hands closed around a mug of hot mead. She shook from the chill, still wet from their ride. “There was hardly a chance to tell you the truth. Even now, I wonder if we’ve done the right thing by being honest.”

Seamus sat back on his stool, his thick arms folding. “What about me makes ye believe I would be so eager to run to a nobleman from a foreign country and reveal your presence? I care nothing for the high-and-mighty nobles, and even less for the man you just described to me.”

“It could be dangerous, harboring us on your ship,” Quinn reminded him.

Seamus granted him a wry smile. “It would not be the first time I’ve carried cargo I was not strictly permitted to carry. I am not concerned.”

“We will pay you whatever you like,” Ysmaine vowed.

“Think nothing of it,” he said with a wave of one rough hand. “We’ll be off shortly, and you will reach Edinburgh by tomorrow evening.”

He left them alone, then, his voice ringing out from the deck above.

Quinn studied Ysmaine. She focused on the mug in her hands, still trembling slightly as she raised it to her lips.

“We shall be safe now,” he promised. “Once we’ve reached Edinburgh, we will ride through until we reach Duncan land, at the base of Ben Nevis. Phillip Duncan will provide protection to us until it’s certain we’re in the clear.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked, avoiding his gaze.

“Because I know the man. And because he will understand why we made our escape, as the captain understood.”

“I killed a man.” Her hands shook harder than ever. “I killed him. He bled to death in front of me.”

He moved his stool closer to hers, until their legs touched. She seemed to relax somewhat at the contact. “Lass, look at me.”

She did, with red-rimmed eyes full of tears.

“Ysmaine, ye did what needed to be done. I know it. Ye would not kill or even injure anyone unless there were no other choices.”

She drew a deep, shaky breath. “I threatened him with his sword. I put it to his throat. He… moved toward me, as though he wished to overpower me. He expected me to fall back, I suppose.”

“Ye did not.” He knew her better than that. The guard did not.

“The sword…” She touched her throat. “It went in.”

“Ye did not kill him.”

She snorted. “I just told you I did. I am not telling a lie.”

“I know it, and I tell ye, there is no fault on your part. He might have remained still, instead of moving toward ye. Do ye think he might have harmed ye?”

“Perhaps. I’ll never know.”

“I know.” He draped an arm over her shoulder, drawing her to him. The weight of her head upon his shoulder was glorious, indeed. She belonged there. “But I know ye did it for the right reason. Not out of anger or vengeance. Ye were saving yourself. There was nothing else to be done.”

“We escaped.”

“We did.” He pressed his lips to her wet hair. “We did. Thanks to ye, lass. It was your bravery and quick thinking that got us out of there. I could not have done it without ye.”

He hooked a finger under her chin, lifting it until their eyes met. “Ysmaine, I must tell ye something before another disaster befalls us and I lose my chance. If ye do not feel the same, I understand, but ye must know how much I love ye, lass. I love ye with all my heart.”

A light flickered in her eyes, her mouth widened in a smile. “You do?”

“Aye. Very much.” He stroked her chin, studying her face. A face that had engraved itself on his heart, never to leave. “I am yours, forever, if you’ll have me.”

Fresh tears filled her eyes. “I’ll have you. I love you.”

It was not their first kiss—he’d been unable to help himself when she’d freed him, but it was the sweetest he’d ever experienced. She melted into his arms with a soft sigh, opening up to him, clutching him tight. Needing him as he needed her.

She chuckled, ducking her head while he brushed the hair from her forehead and placed soft kisses upon it. “We’ll have another long ride ahead of us.”

“Aye,” he whispered between kisses, moving down to her cheek. “We will that. And perhaps when we reach the Duncans, I won’t have driven you half-mad. I will still have your love.”

“You will always have my love,” she promised, kissing his jaw. “Always, until the end of my days. Perhaps it will be me who drives you half-mad. You may wish you could return to the days when you bound my hands.”

“I doubt it.”

“You do?”

He pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her eyes. “Aye, for the sooner we reach the Duncans, the sooner I might wed ye.”

She giggled, now crying openly. “Would that we might take wing and travel faster, then.”

“Does that mean ye will?”

She had no chance to speak her assent, for he kissed her again the moment she nodded. The sweetest kiss of his life quickly followed by the happiest, the most meaningful.

The ship began to move, signaling their safe departure.

They were safe, and in each other’s arms.

All was well.