Kat couldn’t speak. Every emotion she possessed had knotted in her throat. He loved her; she could see it in his eyes, in the way he held her hand so gently, as if afraid to hurt her. She could see it in the fact that he knelt before her so patient, so tender.

Malcolm sniffed and wiped his own eyes. “Och lassie, I think you’re going to have to marry the man. ’Tis obvious he’s daft about you. And if you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your days.”

He looked past Kat, his eyes meeting Fiona’s. “So long as there is love, one can overcome anything.”

Fiona took a hesitant step forward. “Malcolm? I—I want out of our wager.”

“Out of it? But…my love, I believe I just won it.”

“Yes, well, it was a stupid idea.” Her lips quivered. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I just feared that if we had a child, you would cease thinking of me as—” She bit her lip.

There was a moment of silence and then Malcolm held out his hand. “Come, love. We have let our pride do the talking for too long. It is time our hearts had some time together.”

Fiona slowly put her hand in his, her eyes filled with tears. “But…what if we cannot agree on the things that have kept us apart?”

“Then we will learn to compromise.” His gaze searched hers. “I thought winning was important. But now, like you, I am beginning to think there are times when losing can be more rewarding. Come, my love. We have a lot of talking to do, the two of us. And here is neither the place nor the time.”

“Indeed,” she said, laying her head on his shoulder and smiling mistily. “We really must return to the ballroom. ’Tis nearing midnight and soon it will be midnight. People will wish to claim their favors.”

Malcolm turned to Devon. “May I announce that you are engaged?”

Devon looked at Kat. She took a deep breath. “I suppose we might as well.” The flash of happiness in Devon’s eyes warmed her heart.

Malcolm nodded his approval. “Excellent! We’ll make the announcement once the cakes are gone.” With that, he and Fiona walked out the door, hand in hand.

Devon pulled Kat into his arms. “See what persistence can do for a man? That’s my one fault, you know. Persistence.”

“One?” She quirked a brow at him.

“Aye,” he said challengingly.

A faint quiver touched the corner of her mouth. “I suppose everyone is allowed one.” Kat’s gaze dropped to where Devon’s hand enveloped hers. “I have to know one thing.”

“Yes, my love?”

“Will you promise on your life to always tell me the truth, even if you think it is something I might not want to hear?”

“Yes.”