Courting an Angel (51 page)

At that, Rob gave a soft cry of joy, flew the short distance to her husband, and threw herself into his embrace. Their lips met in a hungry, earth-shattering kiss; the world faded into nothing but the two of them. Only the loud applause of approval that erupted from the courtiers in the hall yanked them back to the reality of the audience chamber.

Lifting his lips from hers, Gordon opened his mouth to speak but then frowned, saying, “Look at yer necklace.”

Rob glanced down at her beggar bead necklace. The star ruby, darker than pigeon’s blood for so many weeks, faded back to its original color.

Rob looked up at her husband and smiled, saying, “Aunt Keely spoke honestly. I believe the danger disappeared out that door a few minutes ago.”

“I love ye, angel,” Gordon said, unable to resist planting another kiss on her oh-so-inviting lips.

“And I love ye,” Rob vowed. Ignoring the milling courtiers who still watched them, she grasped his hand and guided it to her belly which shifted with their baby’s movement. With her heart shining in her eyes, Rob said, “Take us home, Gordy. Take us home to the Highlands where we belong.”

Gordon nodded and lifted her hands to his lips. He kissed her right hand first and then gazed at the delicate devil’s flower staining the back of her left hand before dropping a kiss on that too.

“Damsel, yer wish is my command.” At that, Gordon scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the audience chamber.

* * *

He arrived on the eighth day of February, the first anniversary of the death of Mary Stuart, during the worst Highland blizzard in recent memory. Gordon named his son Hunter in honor of that remarkable summer shieling when he’d managed to make an angel his wife.

She arrived unexpectedly five minutes after her brother. Rob named her daughter Mairi in honor of Scotland’s deceased queen.

Late the following morning when the excitement over Inverary’s newest arrivals had eased somewhat, father and mother rested in their chamber. Leaning against the bed’s headboard, Rob cradled her daughter in her arms while Gordon sat beside her and nestled his son against his chest.

When a knock sounded on the door, Gordon looked at his wife and asked, “Are ye ready for company, angel?”

Rob nodded, saying, “I do hope Gavin likes his new sister.”

“Enter,” Gordon called.

The door swung open slowly. Then a boy’s voice ordered, “No, Smooches!”

Duncan and Gavin dashed into the bedchamber behind the wayward pup. The duke followed the boys, scooped the pup into his arms, and grinned at the proudly smiling parents.

Duke Magnus supervised the boys’ inspection of their new brother and sister, and then remarked, “I suppose this makes amends for yer callin’ me ‘an old warhorse relivin’ past battles.’”

“Why should Hunter and Mairi absolve him of sin?” Rob teased, glancing sidelong at her husband. “I did all the laborin’.”

“He’s so small,” Duncan said, standing beside his father.

“And she’s wrinkled,” Gavin gasped in a horrified whisper, standing beside his brother.

“All babies are small and wrinkled,” their grandfather told them. “The skin smoothes out as they grow.”

“I dinna remember bein’ that small,” Duncan announced.

“Me neither,” Gavin agreed.

“Are ye ready boys?” Duke Magnus asked.

Both boys nodded and knelt on bended knee beside their father and baby brother. The duke drew his jewel-hilted dagger and passed it to his oldest grandson.

Duncan accepted the dagger and held it high. “By all that is holy and this sacred Campbell dagger, I pledge my unwaverin’ loyalty to Hunter Campbell, the future laird of Inverary and Argyll.”

Gavin took the dagger out of his brother’s hands, held it high, and promptly forgot his speech. He flicked an embarrassed grin at Rob and vowed, “Me too.”

“Thank ye, sons,” Gordon said. “I’m verra proud of ye.”

“’Twas lovely,” Rob agreed.

“I’m teachin’ Hunter how to raid the other clans,” Duncan announced.

“And I’ll teach Mairi how to dance,” Gavin said with a smile.

“’Tis time for our lessons,” Duke Magnus said. “Ye can visit yer brother and sister this afternoon.”

Gordon glanced at Rob, who nodded in answer to his silent question. “Duncan, Lady Rob and I would like ye to stand as Hunter’s godfather if yer willin’,” he told his son.

“Aye, I’ll do it,” Duncan accepted, puffing his chest out with pride.

“Gavin, come over here,” Rob said. When the boy walked around the bed and stood beside her, she asked, “Do ye like yer baby sister?”

Gavin nodded. With one finger, he touched the tiny palm of the baby’s hand and smiled when she closed her fingers around it.

“Would ye be willin’ to stand as Mairi’s godfather?” Rob asked.

“I’ll protect her with my life,” Gavin vowed. His gray eyes, so much like his father’s, gleamed with excitement.

“And will ye slay the monsters beneath her bed?” Gordon asked.

Gavin nodded solemnly and then leaned close to his sister, whispering, “Damsel, yer hero is here.”

Duke Magnus ushered the boys toward the door; but at the last moment, Gavin ran back to the bed. “I love ye, Lady Rob,” the boy said, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Thank ye for my sister.”

“Yer verra welcome,” Rob replied with tears welling up in her eyes. “I love ye too.”

Gavin kissed her cheek again and said in a loud whisper, “Do ye suppose Mairi will want a sister too?”

Gordon chuckled, earning an unamused look from his wife.

Rob turned to the boy and answered, “Perhaps Mairi will want a sister. We’ll ask her when she gets older.”

When his father and his sons had gone, Gordon rose from the bed and gently set Hunter in his cradle. Then he lifted Mairi out of her mother’s arms and placed her in her own cradle beside her brother’s.

Returning to the bed, Gordon gathered his wife into his arms. He kissed the crown of her head when she sighed with contentment.

“I want to thank ye for my son and my daughter.”

“Yer verra welcome, my lord.” Rob smiled into his piercing gray gaze, but sudden tears welled up in her eyes when she said, “And thank ye for giftin’ me with a home where I truly belong.”

“Shall I say the words?” he asked softly.
 

“Well, ye did promise to say them for all the days of our lives.”

“I do love ye more than life, my sweet angel,” Gordon vowed in a voice hoarse with emotion. “Ye and no other.”

“And I love ye, Gordy,” Rob whispered as his lips claimed hers. “Ye and no other.”