“Then you didn’t listen closely enough to the blessings,” he says. “Each couple had their wedding vows renewed or spoken for the first time. I bound your hands together with the ceremonial cord. Catriona, you wore the henna bridal patterns on your hands and wrists.”
“I dinnae…” Cat clears her throat. “I was not aware the henna had a special meaning.” She looks down at her arms, the color still clear and precise.
“I find this to be a bit of a surprise,” he says smoothly. “But the ceremony is legal and binding, I assure you.”
Gazing down at my… holy feck, at mywife?I see that she’s wearing an expression that looks like she’s been hit on the back of her head with a cricket bat. “Cat? Are ye all right?”
“I just…” she makes a couple of attempts at speech and ends with a sort of a gurgle. “This is…”
“This is most unexpected,” the Chieftain finishes her thought.
Now, Marabout Badis seems deeply disappointed. “We are a small and ancient sect. Our wedding ceremonies are not like a traditional Muslim wedding, but they are just as binding and holy. These vows were made under the new moon and with the blessing in the name of Allah. This union can’t be dismissed lightly.”
“Please send the certificate to me,” I say, “I’ll text you my address.” I dinnae know what to think, but I must have the options available to know what to do. This is all too conveniently timed.
Cat dinnae need more surprises.
“How would one get…” Shite, why is this so painful to ask? “How would we get a divorce?”
Her head shoots up and she glares at me, jade eyes blazing.
“It would require a year as husband and wife before you can approach me for a dissolution of your vows.” Badis reeks of disapproval, I can nearly smell it through the phone.
“It seems we have a lot to talk about, aye? Badis, can we speak later?” The Chieftain takes over again, ending the call with the usual pleasantries before leaning back in his chair. “A kidnapping, an extraction, and amarriage?”He shakes his head. “This dinnae go to plan.”
Mala’s shock is fading and she’s looking a bit pleased. “I didn’t expect it to happen like this, sudden and abrupt, though that does seem to be the MacTavish way.” She shoots a bit of a glare at her husband. “Iamvery pleased to call you my son-in-law.”
Cat lets out a little gurgling sound and that’s my cue, putting my arm around her. “I think we should talk in private, aye?”
She looks up at me, pale and wide-eyed, but she steps closer to me, close enough for her arm to brush mine. “Uh-huh.”
***
Feart - Scottish slang for afraid.
Si- an Arabic term of respect for important or high-ranking people.
Chapter Twenty-Four
In which there is Goodfellas, The Godfather and additional consummation.
Catriona…
“Do ye want to go to yours or mine?”
Lucas’ hand lands on my thigh, a warm, reassuring presence, grounding me because I’m light headed and feeling like I’m flying away.
“Uh…” I do miss my flat, I love it. Now, though, I want cozy, I want something away from the half dozen of my cousins who live in the same building. “Yours.”
The smile he gives me is pure light. Unguarded, one I’ve not seen before.
“Every time I think this last week canna get any dafter, it does.” I’m pacing Lucas’ kitchen, which is wonderfully rustic with its stone walls, blending into modern with green gleaming granite countertops and a huge eight burnerWolf stove. Turns out my man likes to cook.
My man… Myhusband.The words dinnae feel as hard to say as I’d expected.
“Ye haven’t eaten much today, lass. Sit, we’ll have dinner. Then we’ll talk.” He’s got a dishtowel slung over his shoulder and domesticity looks braw on this man. He puts a plate in front of me, Scottish langoustines, and mussels, hot and fragrant and dripping with butter with a loaf of crusty bread to go with it.
“My mother dropped off food the moment she heard I was back,” he smiles wryly. “She’s very much like Mama Amato, never happy until she’s fed ye until you’re on the verge of exploding. I just had to heat this up.”
