Chapter Twenty-Eight
The Ghosts of Black Isle
Tara and Shaw
A wedding for Tara. And there had to be a unicorn somewhere in my stories…Zinna.
Tara stood outside Cameron Castle and stared across the landscape. Jennet stood hand in hand with her, Ethan and Shaw behind them. The day was glorious, a rare sunny day with just the right amount of crispness in the air.
Tears streamed down Tara’s cheeks, and Jennet looked aghast. “You can’t cry on your wedding day!”
“I cannot stop myself. Look at how beautiful the sea of plaids looks down the hill. I can’t decide which colors are more glorious, the red Grants or the blues Ramsays. And look at my papa’s new purple plaids just for the wedding. Are they not stunning?”
“What about the Drummond and Menzie plaids?”
Shaw and Ethan said in unison, “Or Matheson plaids?”
Aedan Cameron and Quade Ramsay, Jennet’s father, joined them, dressed in their finest wedding attire. Her father asked, “What is this I hear about plaids? You know the Camerons are the best.”
“I do love the new purple, Papa.”
Uncle Quade snorted. “I think you know which are the most glorious. The blue. Always the blue.” His green eyes sparkled with his usual humor.
He leaned down to kiss Jennet’s cheek and said, “But truly, you are the most glorious this day, daughter. You and your cousin. You both are more beautiful than any sea of plaids.”
“My thanks, Uncle Quade.” Tara glanced over her shoulder at Shaw.
“I just adore my dress.” Shaw’s chest puffed up a wee bit.
Tara was dressed in the purple dress she’d tried on in Inverness.
She’d had no idea Shaw had returned to the shopkeeper and asked him to finish the alterations to fit her.
It had a purple bodice with ribbons of gold crisscrossing over the front and trimming the sleeves.
She wore matching ribbons of gold woven through her hair.
Jennet wore pale blue, with a bodice that matched the Ramsay plaid, ribbons of silver in her hair.
At the sound of a door opening behind them, Tara looked back and gave a little cry of delight. “Mama, you are so beautiful. And so are you, Aunt Brenna.”
The Grant sisters had grown more and more alike, though Aunt Brenna’s hair carried more gray strands.
Both were beautiful in the sun. Tara drank in her family—mother, father, aunt, and uncle—and felt herself supremely blessed.
Uncle Quade, handsome as ever, looked much like her father.
She tipped her head in curiosity. She’d never noticed before, but now that they stood side-by-side, it was more obvious.
She glanced at her uncle then her father.
Jennet leaned over and whispered, “They look very alike, do they not? I’ve always noticed the resemblance between our mothers, but not our sires until today. Perhaps ’tis the light.”
A rider all dressed in red plaid and mounted on a black stallion came toward them, two brown mares following. He came across the meadow and stopped in front of them.
“I’m here for my two lovely sisters. Are you ready, Brenna and Jennie?” Uncle Alex asked with a little bow from the saddle.
He would escort the mothers of the brides to the wedding.
Stable lads, including Sammy, looking proud to be part of the wedding, led the other mounts forward, ready to join the procession. Uncle Alex, with their mothers, rode in the lead position, followed by their fathers. Then she and Shaw, Jennet and Ethan would come at the rear.
Mothers and fathers departed. The stable lads with the remaining horses stepped up. As if all four had been stung by a bee at the same time, the horses all tossed their heads and danced back, tugging on their reins and refusing to stand to be mounted.
“I cannot hold him,” Sammy said, being pulled away by the animal.
Shaw stepped up to assist him. “We don’t need wild horses for a wedding.” He grabbed for the reins, but the horse tossed its head and broke free, whinnying, and all four took off around the back of the castle.
“Shite, Ethan. What are we to do now? We cannot walk to the abbey—they’d send a search party to find us. Look, everyone’s gone into the abbey already.”
“We’ll fetch new mounts as quick as we can,” Sammy said, ready to run off.
Tara smiled and put a hand on the lad’s arm. “You don’t need to. I suspect our mounts will be here soon.” Now she understood what Riley had meant early that morning. Zinna has a gift for you. Watch for it before you ride to your wedding.
She pointed to a spot in the trees not far away, where she could see movement. She knew exactly what would emerge from the forest.
A moment later, four white horses trotted toward them.
Shaw reached for her hand and gripped it hard, and she patted his arm. “She wanted to do this as thanks for her freedom. ’Tis her blessing and gift for our day.”
Shaw’s gaze caught hers for a second, and his eyes shimmered with tears. The white mare in front came directly to him, nuzzling his hand before tipping her head to show the quarter moon—shaped mark under her right ear. No horn was visible between her eyes today.
Ethan said, “I wouldn’t have believed it, but ’tis truly Zinna. How could that be?”
Riley came out of the castle behind them.
“Don’t question. Just give thanks and enjoy her presence.
She’ll be gone after the ceremony, but she says she’s here to make you smile.
Then she’ll move on and let you focus on your new wife this day.
Brin and I stayed back so I could tell you what Zinna was thinking. ”
Tara broke away and hugged her sister. Brin came out behind them and said, “Sorry we’re late. Riley wanted to make sure you got Zinna’s message. We’ll ride ahead of you.”
Ethan helped Jennet mount one of the white horses then swung into his own saddle, awaiting Shaw and Tara. Brin and Riley found their horses tethered and waiting peacefully and went ahead of them, Brin calling out over his shoulder, “You look beautiful, sister.”
Tara reached for Shaw’s hand again and asked, “Do you wish for another horse?”
He closed his eyes, then opened them, kissing her hard on the lips.
“Nay, my love. I’m honored by her gift. And I’ll be the seer this time and tell you what Zinna is saying.”
“And what is her message?”
“That you and I belong together.”