Chapter 2
His bride was wearing his favorite color, a deep forest green. There was no way she could have known, but he took it as a sign that he was doing the right thing.
She turned to Laird MacFinn, her mouth agape like a fish. She looked exactly as she did when they were children, just grown.
“What did ye do with me friend?” she demanded in a hushed tone.
Caden did not know whether he should be angry or amused that she had not recognized him.
“Ye kidnapped him, Uncle!” she hissed.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the guests.
“Kidnapped?” a guard asked, his hand landing instantly on the hilt of his sword.
“Who was she going to marry?” a lady from the MacCabes whispered.
“Did the Laird plan this? Was that the only way to get a bride?”
“Nay, the Laird doesnae need such tricks!”
Maybe he did not, but it was clear that his bride needed a breath. He glared at the crowd and the whispers stopped at once.
Ava was still looking at her uncle.
Laird MacFinn flushed. “I wouldnae do such a thing! However, I cannae blame the wise fool for nae wanting to marry a disrespectful lass such as ye,” he scoffed, shaking his head.
“That’s all right,” Caden found himself saying. “I’ll tame ye.”
He glanced up and down his bride’s figure as she turned furiously towards him. He notwould never have expected that she would grow into such a beautiful woman.
Aye, she’ll do just fine. How can she nae remember me? I guess after being away at school and her not seeing me since before the accident, she’s forgotten who I am.
A hint of revulsion and distrust flashed across her face, and her eyes narrowed on him. It sent an unwelcome chill down his spine.
“What have ye done with Finlay?” The fire in her eyes hid secrets he was not sure if he wanted to uncover.
“What have I done?” Caden put a hand over his chest in mock shock.
Chuckles rose from the congregation.
“Must ye insist on nae answering me questions?” The red hair matched her temper. He found himself holding back a smile. “If ye hurt him, I swear—”
“Whatever ye swear, I must insist that ye refrain from doing it in the kirk,” the priest interjected, smoothing down his robes. He was clearly offended, having been with the kirk for years.
Caden took pride in irking the man. He felt like swearing just to see what his reaction would be. Surely, he would not be so explosive as his new bride. He turned his attention back at her and sighed.
“Yer loyalty is appreciated, lass. But the truth is, me braither just didnae want to marry ye, all right?”
“Braither?” his bride gasped, recognition finally dawning in her eyes. “Caden?”
“Aye,” Caden said, exasperated.
Why did it take her this long to recognize me? Had Finlay never talked about me with his best friend?
He almost felt sorry for the lass. Almost.
“Ye needed a groom, and I’m here. Finlay didnae want to be here. So I’ll be the one to marry ye, and I willnae waste any more time, is that understood?” He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling his fingers flex against his ribs.
He wanted to get this over with.
“So… ye…?” she stammered, before shaking her head. “Finlay is all right?” Concern flickered in her eyes.
Caden wondered for a brief moment if her feelings for his brother were genuine and romantic. He also wondered if Finlay knew and returned her feelings.
Did his rogue of a brother run because he actually cared for her? Or was he none the wiser about her feelings? It should not matter.
Frustrated that things were not moving along, Caden huffed. “Aye. Now, let us get married, lassie. I daenae have all day.” He held out a hand for her to take.
Ava stood frozen for a moment, then turned her ire on her uncle, who had managed to stay quiet this whole time. Maybe he had been hoping to avoid the brunt of her fury. He was wrong.
“So ye didnae ken about this, Uncle Archibald?” Sparks seemed to fly around her hair and eyes.
Laird MacFinn eyed the crowd out of the corner of his eye. Even Caden stole a glance. Everyone was holding their breath in anticipation of what the bride would do.
“Ye wanted to trap me in a marriage with a Laird from the beginning after all!” she whispered harshly.
“I dinnae ken, lass. But I dinnae mind the switch. Like I said, the clan needs—”
“Alliances. Aye, I got it the first time ye said it. Or the hundrenth,” Ava interrupted him.
Laird MacFinn looked tired, explaining that to her. Caden almost pitied her.
His bride straightened to her full height, and, as if a door had closed, her face hardened in the blink of an eye.
Caden cleared his throat, even though it did not need clearing.
She’s a smart lass nae to show all her cards at once.
He could tell their marriage was going to be interesting. If she decided to marry him, that is. He was tired of waiting.
“Again, I daenae have all day. Are ye ready to get married now?” He held out his hand again.
He bit the inside of his cheek, a bad habit he had had since childhood.
“It seems I have nay other choice,” she huffed, placing her small, calloused hand in his.
He nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but stopped himself at the last minute.
“Shall we get started now, me Laird?” The priest looked to Caden for approval, his eyebrows raised.
Caden cast a glance at his bride, who gave a curt nod. “Aye.”
They stepped toward the priest. As soon as Laird MacFinn took a seat, the tension in the kirk eased. Caden heard several old ladies ooh and aah when the priest wound the braided cord of his clan colors, green and blue, around their wrists, knotting it tight while reciting ancient words..
Funny how that was supposed to symbolize their bond. All he knew of her was her name, a glimpse of her temper, and the fact that her hand on his was surprisingly rough.
Caden found himself wondering how a gently bred lady had such calloused hands.
Shouldnae she be spending her time needlepointing all day or something?
“As with this cord, ye’ll be bound together through strength and unity,” the priest was saying. “Now, do ye, Caden Hunt, Laird of Clan MacCabe Clan, take Lady Ava Dougal to be yer lawfully wedded wife? Do ye promise to lead, protect, and care for her until yer dying day?”
Caden’s chest tightened. He looked at his bride to gauge her reaction to the priest’s words. There was none. Her was chin lifted with quiet resolve, but her gaze was fixed ahead rather than upon him.
Another chill ran down his spine.
Ava.
“I do.” He looked back at the priest, afraid of what her expression would do to him.
“And do ye, Lady Ava Dougal, niece of Archibald Dougal, the Laird MacFinn of MacFinn Clan take Caden Hunt, Laird of Clan MacCabe, to be yer lawfully wedded husband? Do ye promise to honor, respect, and care for him until yer dying day?”
Caden looked back at her.
“I do.” Ava’s cold eyes held his gaze.
At the priest’s nod, Caden drew his dirk and, with one clean stroke, cut the cord that had bound them, a gesture sealing the contract even as it freed their hands.
Cheers erupted. Ava glared at everyone celebrating.
Caden would rather have faced her fiery anger instead.
The world went quiet. Ava hated that she could hear her heartbeat in her ears the second she heard Caden’s name. She hated his large, muscular figure. She hated his deep brown eyes, which seemed to look right through her.
The Hunt brothers and the Dougal sisters had spent part of their childhood together until Caden had gone off to school to get a proper education before assuming his responsibilities as heir.
Finlay had never talked about Caden much after he left. Ava had not seen him since they were children. Now he had a mask over his face.
Clearly, there were a lot of things her best friend had not discussed with her.
She had not thought to ask about Caden. She and Finlay had been friends and nothing more. They both liked it that way.
Curse that man for abandoning me. Now, me plans are ruined. I’m stuck with a man I notdaenae ken and havenae spoken to since we were bairns. Now I’m supposed to marry him? Curse ye, Finlay!
And as for Caden? Her husband would never get the better of her. She did not know him well enough, and she had no intention of getting to know him either. Her life and freedom would be her own.
Caden Hunt will never have me heart.
Ava had never thought much of wedding vows.
She had been so adamant about not getting married that she had never truly considered them.
When the priest started listing the things she would do for her new husband, she prayed silently that obedience was not in the list. To her surprise and pleasure, it was not.
She found it relatively easy to say I do and put the ring on her groom’s finger. She could not help but feel the calluses on his fingers when he slid a small silver band onto her finger.
Rough hands from work and war…
“By the power vested in me by the King of Scots, I pronounce ye man and wife. Ye may kiss yer bride.”
Ava swallowed back her breakfast before looking at her husband. Her breath caught halfway up her throat. Caden’s eyes were boring into hers, a soft smirk playing at the corners of his lips. And he was close. Too close. Surely he was not planning to…Oh dear. Caden looked like he wanted to kiss her.
He stepped even closer, if that was possible, his tall frame towering over her. His rough hand came up to cup her face. She tilted her chin to look up at him. Everything around them disappeared as he slowly leaned down to kiss her. Their lips were merely a hair’s breath from each other.
Ava felt herself leaning into him. She could not really tell why.
Maybe it was the hungry look in his eyes, or the way he smelled of soap and something else, something manly that she had never noticed before on any other man…
No! Of course not. It was just the crowd’s expectations of her leading her.
It was definitely not the way she noticed how hard his muscles must be, how his chest seemed extremely big compared to her, how his eyes roamed over her face.
She could not stand to look at him any longer, so she let her eyes flutter shut.
However, just as she felt his breath brush her lips, he grabbed her chin and turned her head slightly, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek instead.
Ava opened her eyes and looked at him. That stupid smirk still played at his lips, she wanted to wipe it off.
Of course, that would entail her touching his lips.
And that could not happen. They had not even kissed yet.
Not that she was disappointed, of course.
She just thought that he was going to do it.
She took a step back to hear thunderous applause from the crowd. She turned around, intending to find her sisters, only to lock gazes with Finlay.