Elayne was excited to wear her new green dress for the first time, as this was the fabric she had spent her hard-earned money on at the summer fair. The style skimmed over her hips and hugged her generous breasts. Unlike her work dresses, the gown had a low-cut neckline, which felt strange, but a ruffle of lace around it helped her feel more comfortable.
A knock sounded at their door, and her father admitted Cailean inside. Cailean looked handsome in his liene, kilt, and tartan, with his clan brooch pinned to the sash across his chest. The dirk Elayne had made for him gleamed from his belt at his waist. Cailean studied Elayne from head to toe and smiled at her.
He extended his arm to her. “Ye look beautiful, Elayne. The other men will be jealous, seeing such a stunning woman at my side. Let us join our guests with yer father and Mrs. Logan.” Cailean and Elayne strolled to the castle and into the great hall. As the guests of honor, the two sat at the head table. Bessie’s extensive dinner included roasted venison, salmon, duck,roasted potatoes, and spring vegetables, followed by assorted tarts and sweet puddings.
Family and clan members toasted to their betrothal and happiness. After dinner, a piper played the bagpipes, musicians played instruments, and everyone joined in the dancing and celebration. Elayne especially enjoyed dancing in Cailean’s arms, as he exhibited grace and spirit as a dancer. The celebration went on for hours.
Cailean walked home with Elayne since her father, Mrs. Logan, and Thomas still lingered at the celebration. He took her into his arms and ravished her mouth, neck, and decolletage as he grabbed her hips and pressed her close.
“Elayne, ye have nae idea how ye affect me. I hate to be away from ye. I can’t wait to be wed to ye. I wish we were being married tomorrow instead of in two weeks.”
“Aye, I ken. I wish that too.” She smiled at him and then changed the subject to distract them both. “To prepare for the summer games, I will help my father in the forge. And we need to make items to take to the Grant clan after we wed. There is much to do to prepare.”
“Aye, I ken yer father will be glad of yer help. I will pick ye up in the evening to dine with ye.”
“I will be ready when ye come.”
Cailean kissed her again, not wanting to let her go. “Sleep well, lass.”
“I will dream of ye, Cailean.”
Cailean surprised Elayne at the well the next morning. Not wanting to be away from her for so many hours, he simply kissed her and said, “I’ll see ye later, Elayne.”
Elayne smiled as she carried the last bucket of water inside the forge. She stoked the fire and, putting on her protective clothing, grabbed the pliers and removed the hot iron. With her trusty hammer, Elayne pounded the hot metal on the anvil, shaping it into the beginning of a dirk. One of many she would craft in the next weeks. Elayne returned to the castle each evening with Cailean and met several more times with the seamstress. Cailean’s sisters, Marion, Katherine, and mother asked Elayne about the decorations she envisioned for the wedding.
“Thank ye. A few green boughs and heather would be pretty. The decorations need not be lavish or elaborate. I am just happy Cailean and I can wed.” Later, his sisters met with Cailean and asked for his preferences, and he echoed what Elayne had said. “I plan to pick her a bouquet of wild flowers to give her the day of our wedding. Elayne loves flowers of all kinds.”
Days before their wedding, Laird MacPherson welcomed a few of the Grant clan elders to the castle. The laird introduced Elayne to the noblemen at dinner, and they had subsequent meetings. Cailean escorted the elders of his future wife’s clan to the forge where they could see for themselves how hard their new “laird” labored for the benefit of the clan. Elayne showed them what she had made to bring with them after their marriage. The lass and her work impressed the elders. Finally, the eve of their wedding arrived, and Cailean escorted Elayne to the castle to sleep in a guest room. His family was eager to assist her in preparations for their wedding.
Tomorrow, she and Cailean would wed, and she would be a maiden nae more. Elayne strolled through the gardens and picked heather for Cailean and snuck it into his room, placingit where he would be sure to see it. The light sweet fragrance scented the room.
With a fluttering stomach, Elayne was nervous about being the center of attention at their wedding and celebration. Elayne had rudimentary ideas about what transpired between men and women, since she had seen animals mating. She didn’t want to disappoint Cailean but wished to please him and hoped her husband would teach her what he liked and expected in their marriage bed. Elayne prized his kisses and looked forward to even more pleasurable kisses from her soon-to-be husband. Eagerly, Elayne anticipated her marriage to the man she loved with all of her heart.
The maid assigned to her awakened her early on the morning of her wedding day and helped her bathe and wash and dry her hair—a vision of loveliness. Her maid created a crown of white heather with pale pink rosebuds for her hair. She was delighted when her maid answered the knock at her door and returned with a bouquet of wildflowers including white heather and roses. Holding them to her heart, she inhaled their sweet fragrance. Cailean had picked the lovely flowers for her this morning.
A tray of food arrived with tea, but Elayne felt butterflies in her stomach, making her too nervous to eat. She drank her tea and allowed her mother and Cailean’s sisters to dress her in her wedding gown and style her hair.
Cailean’s sisters remarked how happy they were to have her for a sister and welcomed her into their family. Elayne’s hair shone with luster, her eyes sparkled with happiness, and she smiled at everyone. Breathless with anticipation, her father and Mrs. Logan escorted her to the kirk for her wedding.
Clansmen lined up en route and threw flowers in her path and cheered. Children sat atop their fathers’ shoulders so theycould see the beautiful woman who had transformed from a blacksmith into a radiant bride. The kirk overflowed with well-wishers for the striking groom and his stunning bride. As soon as she entered the kirk, her father led her to Cailean. Elayne had eyes only for him and he had eyes only for her.
Elayne looked stunning, and she glowed with near palpable happiness as Cailean gazed at her when she approached him. “Ye are beautiful and radiant, Elayne. I love ye.”
To Elayne, Cailean had never looked so regal and handsome, dressed in his best Highland kilt. “Ye are handsome, Cailean. I love ye.”
The priest called the attention of those gathered with the first words of the ceremony, and Elayne and Cailean were lost in their own world, gazing intently at each other until they spoke their vows.
The priest announced they were man and wife, and Cailean leaned over to kiss his wife. He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the kirk and to the great hall for a wedding breakfast with their clan. Everyone enjoyed an abundance of food at the wedding feast. Dancing followed, and young and old enjoyed the lively dances. Well-respected, loved and admired, the clan were happy for Cailean and Elayne.
While everyone was deep into the celebration, Cailean took Elayne’s hand and stole her away to his chamber, which had been prepared for their wedding night. Staff had already moved Elayne’s clothes to his spacious room. Cailean locked and barred the door so they would nae have interruptions. The rest of the evening and night belonged to them.
The hearth blazed with a fire. Goblets, mead, fruit, and tarts sat on a table for them to enjoy at their leisure. Boughs ofgreenery, heather, and wildflowers decorated the enormous bed in the center of the room.
Elayne had never seen such a spacious room or large bed. She admired the decorations to their bed chamber.
Cailean poured a glass of mead for Elayne, knowing she may be nervous about the marriage bed and what was to occur on their wedding night. Elayne sipped the mead and felt its warm thrum down to her stomach. She shivered in anticipation as Cailean took her in his arms and kissed her on her lips and neck and began slowly undressing her. He laid her on the bed, laden with flower petals, in her chemise and divested himself of his belt and tartan sash. He removed his kilt and remained in his liene as he crawled into the bed and lay next to Elayne and stroked her legs and her breasts through the thin fabric.
Attentively, Cailean kissed and licked the seam of her lips while he stroked her breasts and pebbled nipples. As she gasped in pleasure, he thrust his tongue inside her mouth to dance with hers. Their kisses became more heated, and Elayne moaned in pleasure and lusty desire as Cailean caressed her. Hastily, he pulled Elayne’s chemise over her head and sat back to admire his naked wife.
