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have made me a very rich man.
Kate twisted her brow in confusion but continued to smile; his rapture was
intoxicating. What are you talking about?
Alex sat straight up. Ye ll want for nothing, Ceitag. I have the means to make
sure of it. He paused as though she would put the pieces together, but she shook her
head, still ignorant to his meaning.
Jimmy, he grinned. Jimmy left me his estate. Not the house, I mean, his
money. During the war he made a sly fortune in the black market. And o er the years he
spent very little. In the end he wanted me to have it all, except the portion of the house
for you and your sister. But the money meant nothing to me because ... because I was so
empty inside and had no one to share it with. Heat from his palms flooded Kate s
cheeks. Now I have ye and your love has made me a truly rich man.
Despite Alex s obvious elation Kate felt wounded. She drew away from him,
watching his brow lift to her questioning stare. Are you telling me that you were
keeping the money a secret because you didn t trust me? That maybe I was a gold
digger?
Alex ignored her solemn trepidation. Aye, he answered seriously. And I
make no apology for it, either. Ceitag, I had to know ye loved me, regardless of my
status.
LOVE NOT FORGOTTEN Ellen Ashe 164
Appeased now, then, are you? Kate s chest tightened in annoyance.
I am, he announced, matter-of-factly. In every sense o the word.
Kate was refused permission to allude longer to any misgivings. Alex had her
firmly sealed in his arms, a combination of tears and kisses continued to flood over her
hair and face. His gestures of adoration were making her giddy and there was still the
issue of ghostly inhabitants to mull over.
Stop this! she scolded finally. I am not a giant teddy bear for you to maul to
death!
I ve only just begun, he teased, a brilliant watery light glistening from each eye.
Don t you want to know what s on Tim s tape?
Alex shook his head, a lock twisting over his forehead. I could care less.
Don t tell him that. What happened was very frightening, Alex. We ve come
this far. Don t you think we owe it to & them & to finish this if we can? Then we will
be free to carry on with out own lives.
Alex s smile loosened. Aye, he said with renewed seriousness. You re right.
I dinna want either of them getting jealous and trying to meddle.
Kate was about to question about the two ghosts ability to effectively interfere
when Mally gently rapped on the doorframe. Sorry, she said. But there s a gentleman
here to see Alex.
If their commitment to each other was to be private, Kate realized the idea
fruitless. She abandoned thoughts of secrecy and smiled confirmation to which her sister,
grinning like a Cheshire cat, bounded away; Tim no doubt was the intended goal.
Alex wavered slightly as he stood, reaching for balance. The headache of
hypnotism and euphoria culminated in his skull. He blinked a few times and said without
showing discomfort, Dinna go away, Ceitag. I ll be right back.
She followed him as far as the door, holding his hand, affirming her affection by
touching him as much as possible. But she waited here, waving at the visitor who turned
out to be Doug, leaning against his car, arms folded with an air of disapproval. And as
she watched Alex s broad shoulders flex as he strode across the courtyard, she wondered
if he would tell his brother about their plans for marriage. Doug would no doubt be
overjoyed his little brother was about to finally settle. Maybe the news would lighten his
anxious expression.
Kate stepped behind the open door to listen. Not so far away and with the voices
carried on the wind, she could hear virtually every word.
Aye, Dougie, ye look worried man. Somethin wrong?
Kate heard the older man cough harshly before beginning. I dinna know, laddie,
but I thought it were best if I told ye and then ye could decide yerself. His hard jaw was
set. This was no pleasant social call.
Weel, out with it then.
Kate suppressed a giggle. Between the glee of securing her future with the man
she loved, and the natural thicker accent he used with his brother, she felt a giddiness rise
in her heart.
Doug went on. There s a rather nasty lookin bugger about the village, askin a
lot of questions about ye.
About me? Alex sounded incensed. What sort of questions?
Where ye lived. If ye had a woman. He even asked if ye were a man o money.
LOVE NOT FORGOTTEN Ellen Ashe 165
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