By Royal Decree

Chapter 12

In the morning Daphne and Jamie went riding. They had been informed they were to meet with the king for supper but today they had no activities with him. the king was in his drawing room for the day his agenda was full of four hundred and fifty-seven woman he had to address. Jamie had told Daphne how according to custom he had to kiss the cheeks of each one of them.

Jamie directed them to a small pond on the property of Holyrood where he had bribed one of the king's staff to find a row boat for him to take Daphne on a boat ride. He knew they were supposed to interact with the other girls to try and draw out the culprit, but he couldn't bring himself to miss alone time with her. Since they were not in service to the king today then he wanted her all to himself other than the guard of course.

He loved when Daphne saw the boat she squealed with delight. It had been ages since she had experienced a boat ride, and this would be her first time with Jamie which made it more special. If she had known they were to travel in the boat, she would have brought a parasol, but she would enjoy the little bit of sunshine they were getting and not worry about getting freckles. Jamie easily rowed them out into the middle of the pond where they sat in silence for a time. Daphne studied the handsome man before her and saw he seemed nervous about something and couldn't help wondering what it was.

"Is something amiss?"

He laughed nothing was amiss everything in the world was right and good.

"Nothing is amiss I was just thinking about all of our adventures since you arrived at Inveraray castle and beyond. I have not had a dull moment since you came to be in Scotland."

She looked at him and smiled, they had, had a lot of adventures since she arrived. A lot of them were of the romantic nature and were very pleasing. The adventure of someone trying to kill her well that was not so grand.

"I have enjoyed all of our time together. I am sad it will end soon. I have not had so much excitement since ever. Not even a summer with Tory and the rest of the Valentines was ever as exciting as my time here in Scotland."

She was silent for a moment taking all her surrounding in.

"I think I have fallen in love with Scotland and her people. I wish I could stay here forever."

He took her hand and held it.

"You can stay here forever with me if you would like?"

A smile spread to her lips, then a glow seemed to radiate from her.

"I would like that very much, but I will be no man's mistress no matter how much I love him."

He had a pained look on his face she had missed understood his words.

"I do not want you for a mistress. I want you for my wife you, silly girl. I want you at my side for the rest of my life."

She forgot they were in the middle of a pond and in an unstable boat when she flew herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. The boat rocked wildly, and Jamie was worried the boat would capsize and they would be drowned. He did not know if she could even swim most woman of her stature could not. He carefully set her right back on her side of the boat with a quick kiss before he sat back down in his own place.

"I must warn you we cannot tell anyone of this until after we catch the person who is trying to hurt you. I gave my word to the king and your mother I would not make an announcement or even ask you until after they were found."

She looked at him in amazement.

"You talked to my mother and the king about marrying me?"

"I did right after we arrived at Dalkeith House. I wanted to ask you right away the thought of you leaving me was crushing my very soul. I do not think I want to spend a day left of my life without you."

He blushed with what he said next endearing him more to Daphne than he had been before.

"I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you rolling down my hill. I watched you from my study window and from that moment on my heart was filled with love and longing for you."

It was Daphne's turn to blush she had always figured she had gotten away with rolling down that hill without being seen. But if anyone had to catch her indiscretions she was glad it was Jamie. She sat and pondered the situation carefully. He watched the expressions on her face change from one of puzzlement to enlightenment.

"I think we need to try a little harder to find the culprit who is birddogging me. I do so want to yell from the cliffs of Scotland how very much I love you."

He leaned over careful not to rock the boat and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I will gladly shout to the world my love for you. Because since your arrival you have become my world."

Jamie noticed the guard flailing his hands to catch their attention. It was unfortunate they would not have more time alone it was time for them to go back and catch an attempted murderer. That night the king was hosting a privet dinner party and seemed to be ignoring Daphne's mother in favor of Lady Anne Margaret Grant a woman who was prominent within the highland society. Daphne stood with her mother watching the king flirt with the Lady Grant.

"Are you upset?"

Charlotte laughed,

"I love your father Daphne, what was between me and George' was a girls first blush. I was fifteen and thought I knew my heart. When I met Andrew, I knew what true love really was. I will not deny it is fun flirting with the king but that is all it is. Even if I were available which I am not he is in love with Marie Fitzherbert she was really the love of his life, but they were fated to have a rocky romance and never to be together for very long."

"I am glad to hear you love father. He is a good and loving man. Last year at Tory's week of love party he tried to tell all the men there they needed to love and care for their women. He gave them pointers they all needed. Tory and Lina both assured me they were grateful for his lessons. Vince and Jeremy became better husbands to them because of it."

It was Charlotte's turn to ask a question.

"Do you love the Duke Daph?"

Daphne beamed Charlotte could tell her daughter indeed love the Duke, but she needed to hear her say it before she bound them together for all eternity. Daphne took a deep breath looked around so only her mother could hear her answer.

"I came to Scotland to enjoy myself thinking I would have my first season next year. But I have found that I have come to love the highlands and most of all I have come to Love Jamie. I never thought I would find someone who completed me as he does. I always thought marriage meant I had to conform to a man's rules and regulations that I would never be able to be myself again. We both know I am a very free spirit and I go where my heart leads even if it is not a good idea. Jamie loves me for who I am and all my quirkiness. Quite simply he loves me, and I love him."

She could see the relief on her mother's face.

"I am glad you found the man who can complete you that is a rare gift do not throw it away."

"I won't"

She smiled to her mother curtsied and then went to find Jamie. She found him with Victor they seemed to be scheming.

"You two look like you are plotting the demise of the world care to share?"

Victor scowled at his cousin.

"Go away this is important business."

She followed their gaze to find them staring at a young Scottish girl who had a very voluptuous body. She humphed as she walked off, but Victor could have sworn he heard her say. "I hope you smother between them you, stupid boy." He laughed she had Cheek she must have gotten it from Tory god knew she never kept her mouth shut either. But the truth was the young Scottish girl had been talking with Lilly and Alice and they were trying to get as much information on her as possible. Victor had not thought of bedding her for it. It might be a pleasant way of gaining the information.