Chapter 30
Elsea paced in her bedchamber, ringing her hands, anxious about whether her brothers would arrive in time. Since her window looked out over the sea, she wanted to rush to a different room and look into the bailey.
Bagpipe music reached her, and she halted. Did that mean they were here?
A knock sounded at the door, making her jump. "Come," she called.
Tilly, her maid, popped her head in.
"Oh, Tilly. I'm so glad you're here!" Elsea darted forward and hugged her.
"Och, m'lady," she sobbed. "I was so worried about you. I insisted on coming, regardless of your brother's disapproval."
"How are you?" Elsea squeezed her tight, then pulled back and wiped the tears from her own eyes.
"Good. Look at you, how beautiful and happy." Tilly blinked through the tears. "When I saw the great hall decorated for a wedding, I thought... oh, my dear lass is getting her fondest wish."
"Indeed." Elsea laughed.
"What of your mother? She will be sad to miss your wedding."
Elsea nodded. "I thought about asking the chief to send guards after her, but the weather is too bad for her to travel this far north now."
"'Tis true. The wind is ice cold."
"And I think I've waited long enough to marry Chief Brodie."
"I agree." Tilly beamed.
"Will you stay here with me and remain my lady's maid?"
"Of course, lass. I would be devastated if you did nay wish it. I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too."
"In hopes of a wedding taking place, I packed a trunk of your best clothes. His lairdship was nay happy about it, but he had it loaded onto a pack horse."
"Oh, I thank you. I need those."
"Is the wedding today?"
"Aye, at gloaming." A thrill raced through Elsea.
During the next two hours, the lady's maids styled Elsea's hair in the most creative and intricate braided style she had ever seen. She told them it wasn't necessary, but they were enjoying it so much she let them have their fun.
Since Elsea didn't have a specific wedding gown, Cat and Dani helped her choose the most appropriate one, and the one that looked best on her. It was her own gown that Tilly had brought. The pale blue silk shimmered in the candlelight.
"'Tis almost time," Cat whispered, her eyes alight. A tap sounded at the door, and she opened it.
Agatha entered, smiling and carrying a bouquet of pink roses.
Elsea gasped, recognizing them from the parterre garden below. "Oh, how beautiful."
"They're from the quatre saisons autumn damask roses I brought from England when I married Brodie's father many years ago." Agatha's eyes misted.
"Oh, how special. I thank you." Elsea hugged her.
White heather and ivy stems completed the bouquet. The lush rose scent called to her, and she brought the flowers to her nose. "They smell amazing."
"I still think your mother will be furious at us for not inviting her," Agatha said. "But I ken 'twould be dangerous for her to travel here all the way from Loch Lomond at this time of year."
Elsea nodded. "I'll send her a missive. She always liked Brodie and will be glad we've wed."
After Cat and Dani exited, Will arrived at her door.
He took one look at her, smiled, and shook his head.
He hugged her and stepped back. "There's nay need for me to ask if this is truly what you want, sister.
'Tis clear on your face. You're beaming just as you did when Brodie first placed that betrothal ring on your finger. "
She blinked back tears and nodded. "He's the only man for me."
"I must apologize for trying to betroth you to the earl against your wishes."
"It all worked out, and I forgive you."
"Well, I ken you wish Da was here to escort you down the aisle, and I do too."
Her tears only increased.
"Since he cannot be, I want to give you this." Will held up an old, worn sgian dubh. "He carried this every day for twenty years, at least."
Elsea's throat tightened. "Nay, Will. 'Tis yours," she whispered.
"I have all his other blades, dozens, if you include the swords and dirks. He would want you to have this. And I'm nay resentful you were his favorite. He loved all of us."
She nodded and hugged him. "Wait until I put it on. I want to wear it during the ceremony." She returned to her bedchamber, closing the door, then strapped on her calf sheath with the sgian dubh inside. It took less than a minute and she returned to the corridor.
"One more thing, lass. No more running away," Will said, his voice gruff. "Promise me."
"I promise." She chuckled. "Brodie's stuck with me."
Kieran and Corran waited in the corridor, and she embraced them as well.
"I wish Quinn could be here," she said.
"He would've come if he'd known you were getting married," Will said. "But you ken I always leave him in charge when I travel."
"Aye."
"Your groom kept all of this a secret."
She smiled, hardly able to wait to see her mischievous groom.
They descended the narrow turnpike stairs, Will in front and her two younger brothers behind her.
They waited for a moment just outside the great hall, her heart fluttering with nerves.
The bagpipes outside went silent, as did everyone in the great hall, though she figured it was packed.
One of the musicians played a lone flute. Goodness, it was so beautiful her eyes misted. It was the song she and Brodie had danced to that first time. The Hebridean fairy's love lilt. "Tha Mi Sgith."
She gasped. "Oh, heavens," she breathed. How had he remembered that detail?
Tilly stood nearby and motioned them forward.
Will escorted Elsea fully into the great hall. She'd been right. People filled the room, and they all stood watching her. Finnian grinned and winked at her as she passed by him.
All the people's heads blocked Brodie, but Cat and Dani came into view, smiling, standing before the huge hearth beside stoic Father Helms.
Finally, her gaze met Brodie's. Love shone in his midnight eyes, and his smile was infectious.
She was close to laughing and crying at the same time.
He wore a fine plaid and black doublet. Her gaze dropped to the dirk on his belt. It was the one she'd given him as a betrothal gift. He hadn't sold it or thrown it away. He said he'd never stopped loving her, and she was thankful for that grand miracle.
She handed off the bouquet to Cat and took both Brodie's warm, sword-roughened hands.
Facing him, she wanted to cry her eyes out when she looked into his.
But she could not do that now. He winked at her, his playful, teasing side showing.
As Father Helms recited the ceremony in Latin, she forgot the painful past and focused on Brodie and their bright future.
After they said their vows, Brodie leaned down and kissed her lips once.
With a wicked gleam in his dark eyes, he framed her face in his hands and came back for a much longer kiss.
The men erupted in whoops and whistles, and everyone laughed.
Father Helms cleared his throat loudly.
Elsea's face burned as Brodie pulled back. He tucked her to his side and drew her down the aisle between their clansmen. He urged her into the stairwell.
The male guests protested.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, twisting around to look at him. They couldn't leave their guests now.
"Go to my chamber," he said, his voice low. "Hurry."
"Are you mad?"
"I want to avoid the bedding ceremony," he growled low.
She scoffed. "Surely they would nay insist on that old tradition."
"Aye, they would. They're coming behind us."
Lifting her skirts, she hurried up the steps and into the corridor. He caught up to her and lifted her into his arms. She laughed as he carried her over the threshold. Once inside his chamber, he set her down and barred the door.
A moment later, some of his half-drunk clansmen pounded on it and yelled out scandalous things.
Her mouth dropped open.
"You have nay attended many weddings." Brodie chuckled.
She shook her head and grinned. "Just Will's. And our clansmen were well behaved."
"You ken how my clansmen are. Besides, I wish a few moments alone with my lovely wife." Brodie kissed her.
A tingle shivered over her at the word wife. She could not believe he was her husband, her dream come true.
Tears burning her eyes, she kissed him back. "You are the most handsome, romantic, thoughtful husband on earth, and I love you," she whispered against his lips.
"And I love you, my wee warrior wife." He grinned.
She glanced down, then touched the dirk sheathed at his waist. "You kept it."
He quirked his brows. "Of course. Do you think me daft?"
She grinned. "I thank you for loving me."
"There's nay need to thank me for that, my bonnie angel. That takes no effort at all."
After another insatiable kiss, she asked, "What about our guests?"
"They'll be fine. They have plenty of food, wine, and whisky to keep them entertained. Not to mention the music and dancing. We'll go back down later."
"Oh, saints! They all know what we're doing." She covered her burning cheeks. "I cannot face them after we... um... indulge. They will tease us mercilessly."
He shrugged. "Only for a minute or two. Wonder how long they will allow us before they're beating on the door again?"
She shook her head.
His fiery gaze slid down over her body. "We can wait until later if you prefer."
She clasped the lapels of his doublet and pulled him close. "Nay. But we have no time to undress."
Kissing her, he lifted her onto his bed, pushed her skirts up, and proceeded to make love to her in the lengthiest, most drawn out way possible. The restraint of not mussing her hair or clothing, nor his, only made the act that much hotter and more enthralling.
***
WHEN brODIE AND ELSEA returned to the great hall an hour later, few people noticed at first, then a cheer went up.
So, mayhap Elsea's silk skirts were a bit rumpled and his plaid was not pleated as neatly as it had been, but who cared?
Then the jeering and ribbing began. He adored Elsea's blushes.
But when Brodie grinned or laughed at their jests, they grew bored trying to get a rise out of him and went back to their drinking and dancing.
Brodie and Elsea opened gifts from the guests.
"I wish you'd told me, MacCain," Will said, sitting down nearby. "I would've brought a gift."
"Nonsense. 'Tis nay necessary."
"I will get one to you both. And we must finalize the contracts. She has a good dowry, you ken."
Brodie did not need her dowry. He only wanted Elsea. But he wasn't going to refuse it either, because it fortified their marriage contract and the alliance with the MacAuley clan.
"I thank you," Brodie said, shaking his hand. "You and your clan are most generous, as your da was."
Sitting together at the high table, he and Elsea ate. He made sure she had plenty of all the best dishes. Gavin, sitting beside him, refilled their wine goblets.
Brodie thanked him, then glanced up to see his mother dancing with Lunn. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. She giggled like a lass.
"Look at them," Brodie said, taking a sip of wine.
"Aye. They've been like that all evening," Gavin said.
"What is he up to? Seducing my mother?" Brodie stared, aghast.
Gavin guffawed. "Who knows? He is an old rogue. But since we banished my curse, he acts like a much younger man."
Brodie had never considered it, but his mother retained an air of youth. Her hair was still dark as midnight and her skin smooth. And Lunn was nay old. He still appeared a brawny warrior.
"Do you disapprove?" Gavin asked.
"Nay. They can do whatever they wish. Hopefully, he does nay get her with child."
Gavin snickered. "We might like having a wee brother."
"Saints. Bite your tongue."
Beside him, Elsea chuckled. "Let them have their fun."
"Very well. We certainly are." He kissed her cheek. "Eat quickly. I'm near ready to retire for the night."
She squeezed his thigh beneath the table, sending a jolt of arousal through him.
"Keep doing that and I will toss you over my shoulder and carry you upstairs like a barbarian," he growled against her ear.
"Mmm." She raised her brows and watched him with interest. She took a sip of wine, swallowed, and licked her lips. He could not resist kissing her.
"We have not even had our first dance yet," she reminded him.
"Och. How could I forget? Are you ready?"
She nodded.
He led her onto the dance floor. Earlier, he had asked the minstrels to again play the Hebridean fairy's love lilt for their first dance as a married couple, and they did, all the instruments joining in with the flute.
Elsea's eyes glistened with tears. "You remembered," she said so low he barely heard her.
"How could I forget?" he murmured and kissed her forehead.