The Wild Rose of Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens

to speak, but he put a finger to my lips. "Hush, lass," he said softly. "Get warmed now. Then we have something to do."
    We stood silently by the fire until at last he took a candle and my hand, then walked through the dark house wordlessly while he looked at everything slowly. I watched him memorizing the house as we moved through the rooms and finally into the chapel, where he put a candle on a pew and took both my hands. His expression was carefully blank as he faced me but his eyes were very bright.
    "We were wed in this very spot almost three years ago, Mary Rose. Do ye remember?" His voice was serious but remote. He might have been talking to a stranger.
    "Yes, Alex," I said softly. "I'm not likely to forget it."
    He sighed and looked over my head. "Mary, I am releasing ye from those vows. I've written to the bishop asking for an annulment. We have no children together, so it is ..." His eyes met mine. "Ye do no' have to be the widow of a traitor. Ye can go to England again. Ye could have yer life back..." My face must have shown my feelings, for he faltered and stared at me.
    I was so angry that at first I could not speak. I ripped my hands out of his grip as I whirled away. My entire body shook with rage and it was with difficulty that I faced him. "I will not do this, Alexander MacGannon," I said fiercely. "You cannot cast me off as you would a ... I will not be annulled! How dare you ask me to wed you and be your wife forever and at the first sign of trouble throw our marriage away! I became your wife willingly and I will die your wife, you huge fool!" I glared at him. At first he stood watching me with a startled look, then he laughed. The fool laughed so hard that he had to sit down. I crossed my arms until he stopped. Wiping his eyes, he looked at me again and drew a deep breath.
    "Of all of the responses ye could have made, Mary Rose," he said, "I dinna expect that one." His expression gre w sober. "But, lass, this is not exactly the first sign of trouble. We're in a barrel full of trouble." He shook his head ruefully and extended his hand. "I dinna mean to make ye angry, lass. I am sorry to be such ... to have gotten us in this." He took a deep breath as I took his hand. "I am sorry ye married such a huge fool."
    I knelt before him and put my hands on his arms. He looked down at me wordlessly, his eyes very blue. You'll never see these eyes again, I thought and pushed the thought away. "Alex, my darling man," I said gently . "I have loved you for so long. I will always love you. You cannot protect me by releasing me. I married you in this chapel, and when I said my vows in front of witnesses and your sons, I meant e very word. How can you ask me to retract that now? How can you ask me to let you go when we have so little time together? The greatest joy I have ever known has been as your wife, Alex. Do not take it from me. I will die your wife. And I will live as your wife. Proudly."
    He searched my face, then gave me a shaky nod as he pulled me up and stood facing me. He took both my hands in his. "Mary," he said, "I will love ye until I die." His voice was steady and sure, as it had been on the day we wed, and he lifted my hand to his mouth, kissing my fingers while I watched.
    "Alex, I will love you till the end of the world, beyond death." He kissed me then, a bittersweet kiss, and I wrapped my arms around him. The last night, the last night, my thoughts roared. At last he leaned back and looked into my face.
    "Mary, will ye care for my boys? Or would ye have Angus take them off yer hands? Ye ken he will if I ask."
    "They're mine now, too, Alex," I said softly . "I'm losing my husband. Don't take my sons."
    He nodded. "Will ye tell them when they're older the truth of it? I wouldna have them think their father lost their land for lack of sense. Well, that's true enough. I did lose their land for lack of sense but I dinna mean to." He laughed ruefully. "Perhaps ye can tell them so I sound a bit brighter than I