Chapter 10
B rigid stood in the Gillies Tower chapel, barely able to breathe. The small room was heavy with the scent of wildflowers, piled up in vases and buckets. Brigid supposed she had Mary to thank for that. They did look beautiful, although in truth the smell made her stomach even more queasy. Brigid herself wore the periwinkle blue dress again. Mary had judged it the most flattering against her complexion, and Brigid had to agree. It was hardly the high-fashion wedding dress she’d always pictured, and her design classmates would have laughed at it, but it was pretty enough. Or so she hoped.
She hovered uncertainly in the entrance to the chapel and watched Sandy, who stood beside the altar, apparently deep in an argument with the priest.
“This is all highly irregular,” the priest said, his arms crossed over his chest. “I’m not sure about the legality at all.”
“Couples get married at Gretna Green all the time without having the banns read,” Sandy retorted.
The priest sniffed. “That’s hardly a respectable way to go about a wedding ceremony.”
“I don’t care what’s respectable,” Sandy said, throwing his hands in the air. “I just want to marry this woman - and I want you to hurry up and perform the ceremony. Is that so difficult?”
The priest’s brow furrowed. He turned and looked directly at Brigid, who still hovered in the doorway.
“Do you want this?” he asked her?
Brigid took a step forwards, feeling the blood rush to her face as Mary, Tam, Sandy, and all the servants turned to look at her. For a moment, she couldn’t find any words. It was one thing to silently go along with everything. But did she really want to marry Sandy? She glanced at him. His expression was bland, like this was any other day, but she saw a spark of something in his eyes. Fear?
“Yes,” Brigid said. “Yes, I want this.”
The priest sighed. “Very well, then. I will marry you.”
Mary and Tam cheered so loudly that Brigid jumped. She managed to smile shyly at them, and then she took her place beside Sandy.
The wedding flew by in a blur. Brigid said all the necessary words, and so did Sandy. Then, before she knew it, the priest announced that they were married. Man and wife. Sandy grinned and leaned down close, his breath warm on Brigid’s cheek as he brushed a gentle kiss against the corner of her mouth. For a second, she swayed against him. Then she remembered herself and turned away, although she could feel a blush staining her cheeks.
They all headed to the great hall, for a dinner that Mary and the cook had somehow found time to produce. Even the priest drank a glass of wine and relaxed a little, chatting away to Tam about the parishioners. Brigid sat beside Sandy in the seat of honour, feeling a little overwhelmed and confused. How had this happened? How could she be married?
Sandy smiled at her reassuringly. His green eyes crinkled at the corners, and suddenly Brigid could barely breathe. She found herself leaning towards him ever so slightly, unable to look away from him until Mary started up the conversation again on her other side.
The afternoon faded into evening as they all drank and ate some more. By this point, Brigid had enjoyed quite a lot of wine. She knew her voice was getting louder and louder, but she did not seem able to control the volume any more. She laughed at Sandy’s jokes, even the stupid ones that made no sense. He took her hand under the table, squeezing it gently. She squeezed back, already feeling more comfortable with him. Her husband.
And then the party was over. Brigid found herself ushered to Sandy’s room by a giggling Mary. The wine was wearing off now - fast - as Brigid realised what everyone expected to happen next.
When the door shut behind her, Brigid turned to Sandy. He looked just as awkward as she did, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
“Well,” he said. “What should we do now?”
Brigid blinked, trying to understand the question.
“I should go back to my own room,” she said. “No need to tell Mary, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Sandy ran his hand through his hair. Brigid watched the shining strands with fascination.
“I don’t know how much you know the law here,” he said. “But the marriage technically isn’t valid until it’s consummated. Now, that wouldn’t bother me. But if we’re forced to swear on the Bible that we’re man and wife, things could get difficult.”
Brigid gaped at him as a fresh wave of panic swept through her. She certainly wasn’t a virgin, but she’d only ever slept with one man besides Finn. And she was still Finn’s girlfriend, technically. Wouldn’t this be cheating on him - even though Sandy was now her husband? She wasn’t prepared for any of this.
Sandy took a step closer, than another. Brigid found it even harder to think straight. Those broad shoulders, those long, powerful legs. His golden hair caught the candlelight and shimmered in a thousand shades of molten copper. And when he smiled at her, his green eyes softened.
“Surely it wouldn’t be so bad,” he said gently. “I certainly think that you are beautiful. Maybe you can come to feel the same about me.”
Brigid bit her lip and stared up into those sparkling eyes. The more she thought about it, the more she realised he was right. This was what the law required.
That’s the only reason to do this . the told herself.
Not because he was sinfully beautiful. Not because she felt beautiful when he looked like her like that. Just for the law.
“Very well,” she whispered.
But Sandy didn’t come any closer. He looked at her seriously.
“It’s up to you,” he said.
Brigid had never felt so afraid. She took the tiniest step towards him, then another, and another, until her nose was almost pressed against the white linen of his shirt. She paused for a second, then looked up at him. His eyes were filled with a tenderness that warmed her through to her soul, and she was lost.
She stood on tiptoe, clutching at his shoulders as she pressed a kiss to his lips. All her control and reserve melted under her lips. He grasped her by the waist, pulling her body flush against his, then whirled her around until she lay on the bed. He sank down on top of her, kissing her more deeply. Brigid buried her fingers in his shirt as all her thoughts swirled away on a current of delight. Her body felt alive like never before and she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped against his lips.
He paused and pulled her back up to her feet. For a moment, Brigid was disappointed. Had she done something wrong? He spun her around, and she let him, her shame and embarrassment fighting their way up through the desire.
And then she felt his fingers on the buttons of her dress, caressing their way down her spine, and she realised what he was doing. Layer by layer, he stripped away her clothing, until she stood naked in the middle of the room.
He stroked his hands along her hips and gently kissed the back of her neck.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice smooth as honey.
She looked at him over her shoulder, and there was nothing but sincerity and wonder in his eyes. How could she feel embarrassed any longer, when his every glance and touch showed how beautiful he found her?
He pulled back the sheets and lowered Brigid back down to the bed. She lay there, watching him as he tugged off his own clothes. He came to lie beside her, kissing her passionately as he braced himself on his arms and rolled on top of her. Brigid kissed him back and let herself fall away into the feelings.
A while later, Brigid drifted back to reality. Had she ever experienced anything so wonderful?
Sandy was already snoring gently beside her. She smoothed that glorious hair out of his face. Then she shifted across the big bed, leaving some space between the two of them.
Well, they were legally married. No one could challenge their marriage. But this could not happen again. No matter how much she liked Sandy, no matter how much she was attracted to him, no matter how wonderful it felt.
If anything, Brigid thought, she liked Sandy too much.
And, no matter how handsome and kind he was, she must not let herself fall in love with him.