Chapter Eight
CHAPTER EIGHT
H e’d recognize that hair anywhere.
It was like a flame against the dull and drab backdrop of the ward, that fiery vision of Eventide’s hair as she headed in his direction. He saw her come from the keep, and since the moment she’d appeared, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
This was what he’d come for.
This was the moment.
Not strangely, he was the least bit nervous. That wasn’t something he usually experienced, so the sensation was unsettling. He’d spent the entire ride from Moy telling himself that the lady would be honored and he would be gracious about it. Eventide had been wronged and wronged again, but here he was, riding in like her savior. It seems I am tae save ye from yer humiliation, m’lady. Aye, ye may kiss my hand in gratitude.
Kiss his hand?
What was he—the damn pope?
He had laughed at himself for that one, but the truth was that he was nearly giddy with anticipation, and his thoughts were reflective of that. He’d viewed marriage to Emelia like a jail sentence, but marriage to Eventide was quite the opposite. At least, he intended that it should be. He’d never thought that marriage would excite him in any way, but here he was.
God help him, he was actually excited.
Sweet Mary, please dunna let her reject me!
He came to a halt just inside the gates of Blackrock, handing his steed off to a stable servant. But his attention remained on Eventide, and when she saw he’d dismounted, she lifted her hand and waved. He waved back. Removing his heavy leather gloves, he headed in her direction.
“Welcome back, m’laird,” Eventide said, smiling as she gazed up at him. “We heard that the siege of Moy was successful.”
“It was.”
“Did ye bring the wounded with ye?”
He glanced at the gate behind him. “There was no wounded tae bring,” he said, returning his attention to her. “Honestly, Evie, I’ve never seen such a battle in my life. It was quite… easy.”
She looked at him curiously. “Easy? How?”
He shrugged as he tucked his gloves into the belt at his waist. “There was very little opposition,” he said. “What resistance there was ended up subdued early on.”
“Did ye capture Reelig and the family?”
He shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “They were not there. Someone must have told them we were coming.”
That seemed to bring her a sense of relief. “Luke told me once that they have kin near Stonehaven,” she said. “That must be where they’ve gone.”
Darien shrugged. “Mayhap,” he said. “They certainly went somewhere, because they weren’t at Moy. That made things simple.”
“It would seem so,” she said. “I must admit that I’m glad no one was killed or captured. Ye knew I was against this from the start, so I’m glad it seemed tae be resolved without bloodshed.”
“Very little,” he said. “In fact, yer da and mine are still there, mopping up the remains. Old Padraig Munro dinna come tae battle, but his sons did. Estevan told me that the sons want a piece of Moy, so I suspect they’re being soundly beaten by my da at this very moment because they asked for more than he is willing tae give.”
“What is he willing tae give?”
His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as if there was much on his mind. “He’s giving me the castle,” he said simply. “ That is what he’s willing tae give, and that’s why I’ve returned before the army. I need tae speak with ye, Evie.”
She looked at him, puzzled. “Me?” she said. “Why? Have I done something wrong?”
He shook his head. Reaching out, he took her by the elbow and began to escort her back toward the keep. “Of course not,” he said. “At least, not that I know of. Why? Do ye have a guilty conscience?”
She chuckled. “Not usually,” she said, “but ye sound mysterious.”
“I dunna mean tae be,” he said. “But we need tae speak in private. Where can we go?”
“The hall,” she said, pointing to the building with the steeply pitched roof. “Yer mother said that we should go intae the hall and she’d meet us there.”
He headed for the hall. “And we must always obey my mother.”
“I suspect she would not take it kindly otherwise.”
He looked at her and started laughing. “Ye’ve met my mother, have ye?”
She chuckled because he was. “I’ve spent the last few days with her,” she said. “She’s a formidable lady.”
“Ye have no idea.”
Eventide continued to snort as they headed into the hall, which was mostly vacant at this hour. The dogs were sleeping, strewn around the room, and a few servants were milling about and cleaning up dog feces, which Athole had always insisted upon. She was willing to let the hall be a man’s domain, but she wasn’t willing for it to be a dog’s.
Eventide indicated for them to sit on the dais at the far end of the hall.
It was quiet here, away from the dogs and servants, and Darien politely helped her sit before taking the spot on the bench next to her. A helpful servant saw her with a guest and rushed to see if she needed refreshments. Eventide made the request and the woman rushed off to fetch it. When they were alone again, Eventide turned to Darien expectantly.
“Unfortunately, I dunna think this is the most private place for a conversation, but it will have tae do,” she said. “I hope this doesn’t displease you.”
Darien shook his head. “Not at all,” he said, but his gaze lingered on her as if he wanted to say more. After a few moments, he smiled faintly. “Ye’ve always been the consummate chatelaine, concerned for everyone. And I’ve only ever known ye tae be kind. Isn’t that exhausting?”
Eventide grinned and averted her gaze modestly. “It is unkindness that is exhausting,” she said. “Speaking of kindness, yer mother has been very sweet tae me.”
“Has she?”
“Aye,” Eventide said, nodding. “I’ve had the privilege of spending the past few days with her and yer sisters, and I must say that I find all of them quite agreeable. It has been delightful.”
His eyes glimmered. “My mother likes ye, does she?”
“She has been lovely.”
“That is good, because she does not like just anyone,” he said. “Dunna tell her I told ye that, because she’ll box my ears, but I’ve seen her behave rather imperiously with women she doesna like.”
“She has never been that way with me.”
“Good,” he said. “It means she approves of ye.”
Eventide nodded, a somewhat sideways gesture when mixed with a shrug. “I dunna mean tae agree with ye, but I think she does,” she said. “Do ye know what she said tae me today?”
“What?”
“She thinks that the two of us should marry.”
Darien couldn’t help the shock that rolled over his features. “U-us?” he repeated. “She told ye that?”
Eventide nodded seriously. “She says I’d make a good match for ye,” she said. “Please dunna tell her that I told ye, because I think she wants tae tell ye herself. I’m telling ye because… Well, I’ll tell ye what I told her.”
“What did ye tell her?”
Eventide took a deep breath and lowered her gaze. “I told yer mother that ye were probably weary of the Moriston sisters,” she said. “After what Emelia did, surely ye canna even consider her sister. It sounds foolish simply tae suggest it.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “Because ye probably think ye’re well off tae be done with us,” she said. “But I also told her that I dunna bring a title and lands like Emelia does. That makes me unsuitable. So… if she mentions this tae ye, then ye can tell her yerself. I only told ye what she said because I dinna think it right that she surprise ye with it. It’s a very big decision.”
Darien nodded, contemplating what he’d been told. Frankly, he was quite surprised to hear it. Astonished was more like it. His mother had suggested a marriage between him and Eventide? Either the old girl had lost her mind or she had taken a fancy to Eventide. Fortunately, he suspected the latter.
He could hardly believe it.
But along with that surprise came unease. He couldn’t tell if Eventide was receptive to the suggestion or not. It appeared to him that she was trying to downplay any association with him by making it seem as if she were an unsuitable match. Either she meant it and she had no interest, or she was being humble.
There was only one way to find out.
“It is a big decision,” he said after a moment. “In fact, that’s what I wanted tae speak with ye about. Ye may find it surprising tae know that not only has my mother apparently suggested a union between us, but so have your father and my father.”
Now it was Eventide’s turn to be surprised. She looked at Darien with wide eyes, prevented from replying when the servant returned bearing a heavy tray of ale, bread, fruit, cheese, and something in a bowl that was white with green speckles. Darien remained silent while the servant set everything out. He couldn’t help but notice that Eventide seemed to be unable to direct the woman. She seemed rather dazed. When the servant faded away, Eventide’s brow furrowed as she poured Darien a cup of the strong, yeasty ale.
“My father suggested a betrothal between us?” she asked. “And he proposed it to yer father?”
Darien shook his head. “My father came up with the idea,” he said. “Yer father agreed.”
Eventide was quickly sliding into a world of bewilderment. It was written all over her face, and had she realized Darien was watching her so closely, she probably would have tried to conceal her expression a little more. But she couldn’t. Lady Mabel had suggested a betrothal, but so had her husband, evidently. And now her father was in on it. Eventide had no idea how Darien felt about any of it, but he didn’t seem too angry. Or frustrated. If he wasn’t, she had badly judged his reaction. She’d assumed he would have been positively averse to a marriage to another Moriston sister.
But maybe she’d been wrong.
It never occurred to her that she would be.
“And what are yer feelings on the matter?” she asked, but kept talking the moment he opened his mouth to speak. “I told yer mother I’m unsuitable. A man like ye needs a prestigious wife tae bring ye wealth and lands, and I simply dunna have anything tae offer. Ye dunna need tae spare my feelings because I know what ye’re going tae say. Truly, ye needn’t worry. I understand completely.”
He was watching her with a good deal of amusement. “Ye do?”
“Of course I do. Our parents should have never suggested such a thing.”
“But what if I’m agreeable to a betrothal? What then?”
She looked at him, fearfully, as if she didn’t want to believe him. “But ye canna be.”
“Why not?”
“I told ye why.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I think ye’re doing a lot of talking for me,” he said. “Can I not speak for myself?”
She grew flustered. “Ye can,” she said. “My apologies. When I become nervous, I talk. Sometimes far too much. I canna stop myself.”
He started to chuckle. “Like now?”
“Like now.”
He shook his head, snorting. “Hush, woman,” he said. “Stop talking and listen. Are ye listening?”
She nodded hesitantly. “I am,” she said. “I am a good listener, I promise. I am—”
He put a couple of fingers over her lips to quiet her. “ Hush, ” he said again. “Ye want tae know what I think? I think it’s a splendid idea. I dinna want tae marry Emelia, but I do want tae marry ye. In spite of what ye’ve said, I think ye’re more than suitable. I’d be honored tae call ye my wife.”
His voice was low and soft. He was being gentle and kind, but Eventide was so overwhelmed that she leaned away from him, putting distance between them, and nearly leaned right off the bench. He had to grab her to keep her from falling, and when he did, putting a big arm around her to hold her steady, she gazed into his eyes with what could only be described as sheer disbelief.
“It… it’s not true!” she managed to gasp.
He didn’t let her go, thinking she felt quite wonderful in his embrace. “Aye, lass,” he said. “I’m not sorry tae say that it is.”
“Nay!”
“Do ye not want me, then?”
She swallowed hard as the truth began to settle in. But she still couldn’t believe it. She pointed to herself.
“Me?”
“Ye,” he said. “Answer me. Do ye not want me?”
She took a deep breath, but it was ragged and uneven. Like she was gasping for air. “It’s not that,” she said. “Do I want ye? I never thought I’d ever hear that question. I never thought anyone like ye would… Are ye sure ?”
He grinned. “I’m sure.”
“Ye’re not going tae change yer mind?”
“Not me,” he said. “But ye’ve yet tae give me an answer. Will ye be my wife, Evie? If ye need convincing, I swear tae ye that I’ll be a good husband. Ye’ll want for nothing, and I swear that I will always be true tae ye. I’d never shame or hurt ye. We’ll raise a dozen sons with yer red hair and my good looks. I’ll be the envy of every man in Scotland.”
Her mouth was hanging open by the time he was finished, but finally, he saw the light of warmth flicker in her eyes. That flicker was followed by a smile with a big dimple on either side of her mouth. She had the sweetest smile.
He knew he could grow to cherish it.
“Aye,” she finally said. “I’ll be yer wife. And I promise this Moriston sister couldna be dragged away from ye if God himself came out of the heavens and demanded it. If ye want me, ye have me. Forever.”
Realizing he had her agreement did something to Darien. He began to laugh, something deep and booming. He laughed so hard that tears streamed down his cheeks, and because he was laughing, Eventide started laughing. Soon, they were laughing together like a couple of fools, weeping with joy.
Until Darien pulled her against him and kissed her.
Eventide had never been kissed before. Not like this. Luke had tried, but she’d always turned her face away from him and he ended up kissing a cheek. Other than a few boys when she’d been a young girl, little boys who liked to steal little kisses, this was her first experience with a man kissing a woman.
And what a kiss it was.
It was warm and delicious. He tasted of the yeasty ale he’d been drinking. But his lips were soft as he suckled her gently, and Eventide’s heart began to pound so strongly that she swore it was about to beat right out of her chest. Her arms, as if they had a mind of their own, wrapped around his neck and held him tightly. So tightly that she was practically strangling him.
But Darien didn’t seem to mind.
“I hope that did not offend ye,” he whispered as his lips released hers. “Some men finish a deal with the shake of a hand. I thought we should finish ours with a kiss. It seemed appropriate.”
Dazed and breathless, Eventide managed to grin. “No offense taken, laddie.”
He returned her smile. “Good,” he said. “Because I’ll probably do that again sometime. Probably every day for the rest of our lives.”
She licked her lips and loosened her grip around his neck. “Did ye ever kiss my sister like that?”
His smile faded. “We are tae be clear about one thing right now,” he said. “Ye’re not tae bring up yer sister like that. Not that I’m trying tae forget about her, because there’s truly nothing tae forget, but simply because I want something special with ye, and we canna build that if ye keep bringing up yer sister. Do ye understand?”
Eventide nodded solemnly. “I do,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said. “I’ll tell ye anything ye want tae know about my feelings toward Emelia, but not before, during, or after I’ve kissed ye. Are we clear?”
“Aye, Darien.”
“Thank ye,” he said. “I dunna want tae think about Emelia when all I should be thinking about is ye.”
“I understand.”
She was contrite, perhaps even a little hurt because he’d very nearly scolded her, so he unwound her arms from around his neck and held her hands, kissing them.
“I’ll answer yer question if ye wish,” he said softly. “Nay, I never kissed her like that. I never wanted tae, and she never brought it up. All yer sister and I did was talk. Just talk. Sometimes I held her hand, but there was no affection behind it. Only duty. Evie, I never felt anything for yer sister. Surely ye know that.”
Truth be told, Eventide did know that. But more importantly, she was feeling a little woozy. His kiss had been overwhelming, and now his big hands were holding hers ever so tenderly. She was in a position she’d never thought she’d be in. She’d been planning to commit herself to the cloister after Luke’s departure, and now… now, she was getting married to the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. As she stared at his hands, her eyes began to well, and she struggled not to weep.
“What is it?” he asked gently. “Tell me why ye weep.”
She tried to smile. “I dunna know,” she said, sniffling. “I suppose because I’m happy. Yer mother asked me about my future, since I would no longer be marrying Luke, and I told her I would join a nunnery before I’d let my father betroth me to another man, so until this conversation, that was my future. A bleak, cold future. I feel as if I’m dreaming now.”
He smiled, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears. “If ye’re dreaming, I’m dreaming right alongside ye,” he said. “And I wouldna let ye join a nunnery. I’d beat the door down and take ye out of there.”
She chuckled. “I’ll save ye the trouble and not go,” she said. But her smile faded as she gazed into his eyes. “Ye canna know what this means tae me. What I hope ye’ll come tae mean tae me. Ye swore tae me that ye’d be a good husband, and I’ll make ye the same promise. I’ll be a good wife and try tae make ye proud, Darien. I’ll try my hardest.”
He leaned over, kissing her gently on the cheek. “I know ye will,” he said. Then he waggled his eyebrows. “Ye know, when I came tae Blackrock for the marriage tae Emelia, I felt as if I was coming tae my own execution. I dunna wish tae speak badly about yer sister in front of ye, but I will say that I knew we would have problems. Probably too many of them for the marriage tae be a happy one. But I know that willna be the case with ye.”
Eventide wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. “Nay,” she said. “Ye’ll never have tae worry over me. I’m as loyal as a dog. When I have the most handsome husband in all of Scotland, why would I ever look at anyone else?”
He flashed a grin. “Ye think I’m handsome?”
“The most handsome.”
He snorted. “My brothers might take exception to that.”
“I’m not marrying any of your brothers. I dunna care what they think.”
He laughed softly as he pulled her into his embrace again, but he didn’t kiss her. He simply held her, his gaze drifting over her hair, the shape of her face, the fringe of eyelashes around those blue eyes.
She was flawless.
“My parents married for love,” he said quietly. “I’d always hoped I would, but I lost that hope with Emelia. I think I’ve found it again.”
Her cheeks flushed, and, fighting off a smile, she laid her head against his chest. She could smell his distinctive musk, hear his heart pounding strongly in her ear. She moved her hands to his chest, gently touching him, acquainting herself with the feel of him. There wasn’t anything about the man that wasn’t utterly magical.
It was the most romantic moment of her life.
“Yer mother told me how she met yer da,” she said. “She said she met him at a monastery.”
Darien had his eyes closed, feeling every touch, every breath she took against his chest. There was something so calm and tender about her, something that soothed his mind in a way he’d never known before. Just holding her made him feel peace. It settled him.
She was like a salve for his soul.
“She did,” he said, eyes still closed. “His father was convinced he was worshiping the devil, so he sent my da there for the priests to straighten out.”
“Was he worshiping the devil?”
“Nay,” he said. “Ye can rest assured that I dunna come from a family of devil worshipers. But I do have a very old family with complex and mysterious origins.”
“Where do they come from?”
“Hispania,” Darien said. “My family descends from a Roman legion, the Hispania legion, that came tae Scotland tae subdue the Picts. Tradition says they were overwhelmed by the fierce fighters, but the few who survived married intae the tribes. Even our standard reflects that.”
She lifted her head to look at him. “What’s on yer standard?” she asked. “I never noticed.”
He opened his eyes and looked down at her. “A red bull,” he said. “Our family name is Tarh— tarbh in Gaelic means ‘bull,’ as ye know. We’ve had that name for over a thousand years.”
She smiled faintly. “That makes yer family quite old,” she said. “Not many can claim that.”
“Our children will be able tae.”
Her smile grew. “They’ll be able tae claim the blood of the Northmen, too,” she said. “My ancestors were Northmen raiders who settled in this area centuries ago. Moriston means ‘dark.’”
“Then ye’ve just given our family its own standard.”
She looked at him curiously. “What do ye mean?”
His eyes twinkled. “Yer name means ‘dark’ and mine means ‘bull,’” he said. “Our standard will be a black bull. We’ll be known as the black bull of Moy Castle.”
Her expression turned serious as she sat back, putting some space between them. “Do ye intend tae keep Moy, then?”
“Why?” he said. “Is that not to yer liking?”
“I’m not sure,” she said truthfully. “It’s a Cannich property. Do ye not think they’ll try tae get it back?”
He shrugged. “It’s possible,” he said. “It’s equally possible my da will simply give it back tae Reelig Cannich if the man apologizes for his son’s actions. My father is actually quite easy tae placate sometimes. When his anger cools about Luke and yer sister, he might be willing tae return the castle.”
“Then why did he take it tae begin with?”
“Tae prove a point,” Darien said. “If he does give it back, I’m not sure where that leaves us for a place tae live, but I do have a small home in Edinburgh. I live there when I’m entrenched in Robbie Stewart’s court.”
“Do ye spend much time there?”
“I have over the past few years.”
“Then if that’s where ye live, that’s where I’ll live, too,” she said. She hesitated before continuing. “But ye should know that when yer mother was trying tae convince me that ye and I should wed, she told me that she would tell yer father tae give ye the Lowmoor title and Wigton House. That’s where she grew up.”
His brow furrowed. “She told ye that?”
Eventide nodded. “When I told her I was unsuitable because I wouldna bring ye a title or land, she said that yer father inherited her father’s title and property when her brother died,” she explained. “She says yer da doesn’t care about the title because it’s English, so she will tell him tae give it tae ye. Ye’ll be Lord Lowmoor of Wigton House.”
Darien thought on that. He’d known about the Lowmoor title, but it never occurred to him that it could be gifted to someone. He’d never cared, so he never asked. Therefore, this was a bit of a revelation to him.
“If she really intends tae convey the title tae me, that is an astonishing prospect,” he said. “And a welcome one.”
Eventide leaned toward him, grasping at the neck of his tunic. “Dunna tell her I told ye,” she said. “Act surprised when she speaks of it.”
He shook his head firmly. “I wouldna dream of betraying ye,” he said, thinking on the enormous manor house near the sea. “Wigton House is impressive. When I was a child, we would visit from time tae time. My grandmother, Irene, was a serious woman with a loud voice. She always seemed quite imperious. But she would sneak us sweets after we went tae bed and then lie tae my mother about it, so we knew she loved us.”
“Ye have fond memories of the place.”
“Verily.”
“Then it will be a good place tae raise our own family.”
He hadn’t thought of that until she said it. Then he grinned and pulled her into his arms again.
“That we will, lass,” he said, his cheek against the top of her head. “Evie, are we truly going tae do this? Are we truly going tae get married?”
“I think we are.”
“I’d be disappointed if we dinna.”
“Me too.”
“Darien dun Tarh! What are you doing to that woman?”
The shouting came from the hall entry, and the two of them turned in time to see Mabel entering the room, a frown on her face. She was waving a hand at her son.
“Let her go,” Mabel commanded. “Get back from her. Move! ”
Eventide had to put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as Darien sighed heavily, let her go, and stood up from the bench. He could hear his mother muttering as she approached the dais, and he leaned toward Eventide’s ear.
“I’m telling ye now that if she tries tae box my ears, I’m running away,” he whispered.
Eventide couldn’t help the giggles. “What if she tries tae box mine? Will ye defend me?”
He looked at her as if she’d gone mad. “Against my mother?” he said, aghast. “Never. Ye’re on yer own, lass.”
Eventide continued to giggle as Mabel came to the dais, her focus on her son. “Well?” she demanded. “Why were you holding her like that? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Darien was fighting off a smile. “Lares dun Tarh and Fergus Moriston have decided that Evie and I should wed,” he said. “Congratulate me, Mam. I’ve agreed tae it. More importantly, so has Evie.”
Mabel went from outrage to elation in a split second. Not that she had been truly outraged to see Darien and Eventide in an embrace, but she did want to know what was going on. Now, she knew. Forget about crediting her husband or even Fergus with this success. Mabel knew this was her doing.
Her matchmaking had paid off, and she was damn happy about it.
By the look on Darien’s face, she could see that he was, too.