He sat on the floor and held her in his lap. “Lorna,” he whispered. “Come back to me. I beg ye. Ye swore never to leave me. Remember?”
Her lashes fluttered and her chest slowly rose and fell. She opened her eyes as though waking from a dream. The faintest smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She let go of his shirt she had knotted in her fists and touched his cheek. “I knew ye would come for me.”
“Always, m’love. I will always be here for ye.”
She stared at him as if unable to get enough of looking at him. Her brow puckered for a brief moment, and she bit her bottom lip. Tears welled in her eyes.
“What is it, dear one?”
“I didna find Bella, and I dinna ken if I can bring myself to go back into that darkness. Forgive me.” She blinked hard in a vain attempt to not cry. “I have become a coward.”
“Ye are no coward.” His tone came out so stern that Mrs. Thistlewick gasped from behind him. He ignored the woman. This was between himself and his lady love. “Dinna ever say that again. Do ye understand, precious mouse? Not ever.”
“But I failed ye. I failed Bella.”
“Ye failed no one.” He supported her so she might sit taller. “Bella is safe. Gone to fetch the priest, in fact.”
“She is safe?” Her glorious blue-green eyes widened and relief shone in her smile. But then her expression melted into a look of worry. “Fetching the priest? Did someone die while saving her?”
He unleashed a satisfied laugh, unable to hold it back. “Nay, m’love. She is fetching him to witness our vows. Remember?”
It was then that she seemed to notice everyone gathered around the fringes of the room. “Ye sat in the floor. In the middle of the hall? In front of everyone?”
“I did.”
“And I am in yer lap. In my shift.”
“Aye. Ye are.”
After another shy glance all around, she leaned closer and whispered, “Why?”
“Because ye were in such a state after yer ordeal that I thought ye needed the largest and brightest room in the keep.” With a grin and a shrug, he added, “’Tis a mite too cold to be taking ye outside in yer shift.”
Her smile started small and timid, then grew until it sparkled in her eyes. “I love ye.”
“And I love ye as well, my dear one. More than ye will ever know.”
“I got him!” Bella shouted from across the room. Face red and trying to run, she yanked the elderly priest along behind her.
“Have ye the strength to stand, m’love?” Gunn tipped his head toward the pair coming their way.
“Aye.”
He helped Lorna rise and stand at his side.
Mrs. Thistlewick rushed forward, wrapped a shawl around her, then gave her a quick hug. “We canna have ye marrying the man in yer shift, now can we?”
Lorna smiled up at him. “I would marry him wearing as much or as little as he wished.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd, then was quickly silenced when Father Thomasharrumpheda stern clearing of his throat. With his prayer book tucked in his arm, he gave Bella a kindly nod. “Do ye wish to stand there beside yer new stepmother whilst the Almighty hears their vows?”
“Can Frances and Hesther stand with me too?” she asked.
“They can,” Lorna answered, then turned to Gunn. “Aye?”
“Aye, m’love. They are now a part of our family as well.” He hugged her to his side, unwilling to let any space exist between them. It didn’t matter that her strength had fully returned. He held her for himself. “All I ask is that we get on with it. Aye, Father Thomas?”
“Get the bairns in place, my chieftain.” The man waggled a bushy gray brow and patted his prayer book. “God and I are ready.”
