Chapter 16
Wedded
An hour later the common room was full. Cormac's men and Boyd's men both, standing room only, gathered to witness the wedding of the notorious Shadow.
Cormac stood at the front of the room and felt the change the moment Una appeared at the top of the stairs.
She had chosen a deep green gown and it was entirely the right choice.
The color set off the warmth of her skin and the dark of her hair, pinned back at the sides and left to fall loose.
The embroidery at the neckline and cuffs was extraordinary work, fine gold and blue flowers running the full length of both sleeves.
He knew, with a certainty he could not account for, that the gown was her own handiwork, and it made him proud.
She carried herself quietly as she always did. She simply walked toward him.
He had never seen anyone more beautiful in his life.
For her part, Una reached the bottom of the stairs and found Cormac waiting, and had to stop a moment to collect herself.
He had dressed with care: a clean plaid and leather belt, a fine linen shirt, woolen socks and sturdy shoes, his hair tied back, clean-shaved, his sword in its sheath at his side.
He stood straight and still and watched her come toward him with the full weight of his attention, and she thought, not for the first time, that he was a handsome man.
She reached his side. He took her hand.
"Ye look beautiful," he said quietly.
She looked up at him and decided, for now, to believe it.
Boyd stood to one side with his arms folded, watching. Something in his expression settled, and he gave a slow, private nod.
The priest began.
The vows were real. Cormac's voice did not waver on a single one. When it came to Una's turn she spoke clearly, which surprised her.
When it came time for the kiss, Cormac did not hesitate.
Before Una could move his lips were on hers, gentle, steady, unhurried, and she returned it with an eagerness that surprised her.
They were lost in it until the priest cleared his throat, and then the men began whistling and chuckling and someone stamped their boot on the floorboards.
Una blushed when Cormac stepped back. His smile was warm and reached his eyes.
The room erupted in cheers.
Seumas clapped Cormac on the back hard enough to stagger him, then immediately apologized to Una for the noise.
Maisie appeared from the kitchen with a tray of cups and declared that no one was going anywhere until they had drunk a proper toast, which no one argued with.
Boyd raised his cup. "To Cormac and Una Stewart. May she be the making of him. Lord knows he needs it."
Laughter spread around the room. Cormac shook his head but he was grinning.
Una stilled at the name. Stewart. Her name now was Stewart. She thought of the arisaidh he had given her on the first evening, the colors she had recognized immediately. His family colors. She had been wearing his name before she even knew it.
Something about that warmed her heart.
She looked at the faces around her, rough and road-worn and every one of them grinning at her, and felt something warm and unfamiliar settle in her chest that she had no name for yet.
She raised her cup but did not drink. She had imbibed quite enough the previous night and had no desire to repeat the experience.
Across the room Cormac caught her eye and winked.
Una smiled and felt, somehow, that she had made the right decision.
***
SOMETIME INTO THE CELEbrATIONS, after Boyd and his men had left, Una found a quiet moment with Cormac and asked what the plan was now.
"We leave for Edinburgh on the morrow," he said. "I have dealings there." He had not told her yet that he worked for the king and that they were headed to his rooms at the castle. She had enough to deal with for one day, and he would broach the subject soon.
Una nodded. For the first time she understood how little she actually knew about Cormac's life.
All her money and worldly possessions were back in the cottage.
She did not know where Cormac lived, or anything about his family, or what any of it was going to look like.
A frown settled on her forehead before she could stop it.
"Dinnae fash, love," Cormac said from beside her. "Ye have me now. Whatever ye need, I'll provide."
"I have coins and my belongings at home. My needles and threads. 'Tis unsettling to be starting a new life without the things I would have packed if I'd knew I was leaving for good."
Cormac kissed her on the tip of her nose. "I spoke to Boyd before he left. His men and Bella will see to packing yer belongings and sending them to my family home. Once we reach Edinburgh I'll provide everything ye need for our stay."
Una was relieved. Bella would know exactly what to pack.
Bella was also the only person who knew where Una kept the coins from her sewing work, and she could trust her to forward them on and smooth things over with her patrons.
Still, she would miss the little school and her cottage.
She would have liked to say goodbye properly.
"As soon as we're able," Cormac said, as though he had read her mind, "I'll take ye back to Kyleakin so ye can see yer friends and say goodbye as ye should."
She leaned across and kissed him. It came out of her before she had quite decided to do it. "Thank ye, husband," she replied quietly. "I would like that. I have some coins with me as well, if they're needed for provisions."
"Then ye keep them," he said. "I have coin enough for both of us and as yer husband I'll insist on it."
They gazed at one another and grinned, and he kept her hand in his as the celebrations continued around them.
***
THE AFTERNOON WORE on and the revelry continued. Cormac remained a steady presence at Una’s side, seeing to her every need, his thigh warm against hers, his thumb moving in idle strokes across the back of her hand.
Every now and then she felt his eyes on her and looked up to find him gazing at her with intensity. Each time she looked away first.
"How is yer head?" he asked.
"Much better. The shock of having to wed appears to have sobered and healed me."
Cormac laughed, a real one, surprised out of him. "Aye, my poor wife. A shock in more ways than one." He tilted his head, studying her. "Is that why ye're not drinking now?"
"No," she said. "Ale makes me sleepy."
"Is that so." He said it lightly, but his voice had changed. He leaned toward her, his shoulder pressing against hers, his mouth near her ear. "And ye see, that's important. Because tonight is our wedding night, Una."
"Aye," she rasped with a slight shiver.
"And I'd like ye fully conscious," he murmured, "for all the things I intend to do to yer body."
The heat of it moved through her from her ear down to somewhere considerably lower, and she sat very still and did not look at him.
"On second thought," Una replied, reaching for the nearest jug, "I think I need a few pints."
Cormac roared with laughter, pulled the jug clean out of her reach, and before she could protest he kissed her, deep and deliberate, one hand cupping her jaw, in front of everyone.
Loud whoops and boot-stamping sounded from around the room.
When he drew back his eyes were dark and his expression was a promise.
"Oh no ye don't, ye hoyden," he said. "Not tonight."
Una looked at him and felt the shiver run all the way through her body and pool between her thighs.
They shared several heated glances, gentle strokes, and stolen kisses until Cormac could take no more. Without warning he swept Una into his arms and declared to the crowd that he and his new wife were off to bed.
That was met with raucous cheers.
Una clung to Cormac as he bolted up the stairs.
***