Part 25 (2/2)
James sat back in his chair, unable to argue the truth. He was barely on the throne a month and his enemies had already tried to kill him. How long would Davina last if the next attempt succeeded? ”She is my child,” he said in a low voice.
”And she is likely carryin' mine.”
Every Highlander around the table seemed to groan at the same time. The chief looked about to be seriously ill. Stunned by both Robert's courage and his arrogance to blurt out such a thing, the king began to rise to his feet. ”Do you understand what I can do to you for this?”
”Aye, I do,” Robert answered, holding up his palm to stop his father from speaking in his defense. ”But what kind of faither would I be no' to do everything I can to protect my bairn? How different am I from ye?”
The king fell back into his chair and closed his eyes. Every choice he'd ever made involving Davina came rus.h.i.+ng back to his mind. He'd done all to protect her, even at the cost of his brother, the king's, objection.
”I will go.”
James opened his eyes and looked, along with everyone else, at Colin.
”Nae,” the chief answered quickly. ”Yer place is here with yer kin.”
”Faither, I dinna' want to spend my life fighting the MacPhersons over cattle. Rob is to be chief someday. There is naught here fer me. I want to fight fer something I believe in.”
”I will need a man with his intelligence and skill to protect my son,” the king interjected, ”should I be fortunate enough to have one in the future.”
”So ye believe in England's causes now?” Colin's father asked his son skeptically.
”I believe in him.” Colin s.h.i.+fted his gaze to the king. A hint of a smile hovered about his lips and then his expression hardened. ”I will go, yer Majesty. But I ask ye to spare my brother in return.”
James spread his cool gaze over Colin and then onto his eldest brother. ”Ask something else of me. I have already decided to forgive my daughter's champion. As for her future, I will let her decide.”
Surprisingly, James noted the sickened look on Rob's face. Did he doubt Davina would choose him? Why would he when it was so clear that she loved him? ”Bring her to me, will you, Robert? I trust your mother and your aunt will not take offense to giving her over to you.”
Robert rose from his chair and gave the stairs and what lay beyond a determined scowl, much like the one he wore on the battlefield. Watching him leave the hall, the king knew that whatever life his daughter chose, Robert MacGregor would not give her up without a fight.
”Colin,” his father said, dragging the king's thoughts back to the table. ”Are ye certain aboot this?” His concern for his youngest still marred his brow.
”Aye, faither. Someone's got to keep the Protestants at bay, and better me than Mairi.”
His father didn't laugh. In fact, James noticed that he'd gone even paler than before.
”Is your daughter as loyal to Scotland as your sons, then?” the king asked.
”Worse.”
James chuckled, but he envied the mighty chief for his fine family. It wasn't until he saw Rob leading his beautiful daughter down the stairs that he felt G.o.d's favor in his life as well. He loved his daughters, Mary and Anne, but they had grown hard from their lives at this court and that, and from their arranged marriages to men they did not love. Everything about Davina was delicate and graceful, like a pale swan gliding toward him. Her gait lacked the air of self-righteousness that her sisters possessed. The tilt of Davina's chin was wrought with inner strength, not conceit. Watching her, he thought of his first wife. Anne had never cared about becoming queen. Being his was enough and she'd filled his halls and his days with her laughter. She would want the same life for her firstborn.
When they reached him, Davina's defiant gaze followed James as he rose to his feet, but she said nothing and clung to her husband's hand.
James folded his hands together behind his back to keep himself from dragging her into them and rejoicing that she lived. ”You wed without my knowledge or consent, daughter.”
”You were not here to give it,” she replied evenly.
”No, I wasn't. An unforgivable error I intend to remedy.”
He almost smiled when her eyes softened on him. All hope was not lost. ”Clearly you were not forced into becoming his wife.”
Her mouth relaxed into an unbidden smile when she looked up at the man at her side. ”I was ecstatic.”
”Then I am prepared,” James announced, pulling their attention off each other and back to him, ”to allow you to remain here with him if you choose to.”
”If I choose...?” Her voice trailed off as her large eyes opened wider and filled with tears. ”I choose to remain here with him.”
James smiled, finally able to grant his daughter something she wished. He had no idea that he had just become her bright star in the sky. ”Then accept the first of many gifts I will be giving you, and take my blessing.”
The men around him cheered and someone even pounded him on the back, but King James saw no one, heard no one save the girl before him, and then she was in his arms and he finally felt forgiven.
”You and I have much to learn about each other, daughter,” he whispered close to her ear. ”I will be visiting often.”
”I would like that, Father. Very much.”
Rob pulled his tunic over his head and climbed into bed. The candlelight brushed his face in broad strokes of light and dark. Beneath the s.e.xy stray curl falling over his forehead, his eyes glittered with the hunger consuming him. Davina reached out her arms to gather him to her sooner.
”When was the day you knew you loved me?” she asked as his mouth fell gently on hers. ”I want to thank G.o.d for it every day and night.”
”'Twas the verra first day I met ye,” Rob told her, biting her lip. ”Ye had just lost everything, and I wanted to give it all back to ye.”
”You succeeded and gave me even more.” She curled her lips and closed her eyes at the feel of him hot and thick against her entrance.
”I never doubted I would.” He entered her with a smile as intoxicating as every other inch of him.
”Do you fail at nothing then?”
”I'm a MacGregor,” he groaned against her chin, sending a wave of pleasure through her body. ”There's verra little we dinna' do right.”
”Is that so?” She lifted a provocative brow at him and rolled him over on his back. Straddling him, she gazed down at his broad chest and his flat, fit belly and smiled rather wickedly as she buried him deep inside her. ”Lucky for you then. I'm a MacGregor now, too.”
”Aye, and ye're mine.”
She was his, and it was more than enough to keep his halls forever filled with her laughter.
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