“Oh!” Evanna’s eyes filled with tears. “We can really be together?”
“Forever,” he murmured. “But ye know I must have yer father’s permission.”
Evanna’s smile vanished. “He was not too good today,” she remarked, sighing sadly. “His mind was wanderin’ a bit.”
“But he might be a wee bit better now. Let us try him,” Fraser said in a no-nonsense fashion. He pulled her to her feet. “I will not take no for an answer, Evanna. If no’ now, then I will ask again tomorrow an’ the next day an’ the next day, but we are both o’ age, so we don’t really need his blessin’.”
“A’ the same, I would like tae have it,” she said firmly.
“Of course ye would.” Fraser put an arm around her shoulders. “So let us go and get it!”
They strolled back to the tavern, with Fraser’s arms around Evanna’s shoulders and hers around his waist.
“I am afraid,” she murmured.
He laughed. “If ye are in any danger of being hugged tae death, I will protect ye,” he assured her.
* * *
When they arrived, they found Donna, Flora, and Lexie sitting in earnest conversation while eating their midday meal. However, as soon as Evanna and Fraser entered, they immediately stopped talking. Flora and Donna looked furtively at each other before resuming their meal.
Lexie stood up. “I have made yer favorite,” she announced to Evanna. “Roast goose.” Then she arched an eyebrow as she looked at Fraser. “There might be enough left over to feed ye too if ye would like some.”
Fraser’s stomach chose that moment to let out an almighty rumble.
“I will take that as a yes,” Lexie said primly. Then she grinned as she saw his gaze move over to rest on Bruce Mulholland. “Good luck!”
Bruce was eating his roast goose while his ginger cat, Benny, sat on the table in front of him, taking every opportunity he could to steal some food from his plate.
He looked up and smiled as he saw them, and Evanna could see the spark of awareness in his eyes that told her he was lucid.Thank God,she thought gratefully.
“Evanna, where have ye been?” he asked through a mouthful of bread. “Benny an’ I were missin’ ye, were we no’, Benny?”
Benny did not reply. He was too busy trying to sneak a piece of juicy meat from Bruce’s plate.
“I wanted tae ask ye somethin’, sir,” Fraser began nervously.
Bruce raised his eyebrows and took a sip of ale. “What are ye waitin’ for, then?” His eyes were twinkling.
Fraser took a deep breath. “I would like tae marry Evanna,” he said nervously. “We are very much in love.”
Bruce looked surprised for a moment, then he turned his gaze on his daughter. “Do ye want him, Evanna?”
“Aye, Da,” she replied, beaming at her father. “I love him.”
The two men regarded each other for a moment before Bruce spoke again. “I know what it is like tae be in love,” he said, with a wistful sigh. “It is the best feelin’ in the world.” He looked down at Benny, who was contentedly chomping on a piece of goose. “What dae ye think, Benny? Will we say yes tae them?”
Again, Benny was silent, chewing his meat and offering no opinion.
“I think Benny likes the idea,” Bruce chuckled. He looked at Fraser assessingly. “If ye promise tae love an’ look after her, ye may marry my daughter, but if ye harm a hair on her head—”
“Ye have no need tae worry about that from me, sir,” Fraser interrupted. “If anybody hurts her, I will hurt them back fivefold!”
“Then ye may marry her wi’ my blessin’,” Bruce answered, smiling as he held out his arms to Evanna. She went into them willingly, laughing with joy, and embraced him tightly.
“Thank ye, Da,” she whispered. “I love him so much, and you.”
“I know, lass.” He put her away a little to speak to her, then took her face in his hands and looked at her with loving eyes that were full of tears. “I will be gone soon, an’ we both know it. But I want ye tae know before I go that I am proud o’ ye, an’ I know my Bettie would be too if she was here.”