Ceann waited impatiently for her answer.Whatis she thinking about? Would it be so bad to be my wife? I will see her wed to me whether she wills it or no, I won’t lose her again. He moved to look down at her. “Ella?”
“Aye, Ceann.”
“Aye what?”
“I will be your wife.”
A grin split his face, “We will be wed tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Aye tomorrow. I don’t want you to have time to change your mind.”
She smiled mischievously and slipped out of his arms, rising from the bed and reaching for her clothes.
“Where are you going? Come back here now!, I’m not nearly done with you.”
“I’m going to my own chamber tonight, Laird. It’s bad luck to see your bride before the wedding.” She laughed when his face fell like a disappointed child. “Good night Ceann.”
Chapter 19
Scant hours later, Ella was being bathed and fussed over in her chamber. There seemed to be women everywhere, and Maggie couldn’t stop sobbing. Fiona said she would get tear stains all over the lovely gown she had chosen for Ella.They washed her with rose-scented soap, dried her off and dressed her and put flowers in her hair and finally pronounced her ready to be married; most fit to be the bride of a great laird. Her wedding day. Strange, but although she had always assumed she would marry one day, she had never once imagined her wedding. Nor had she ever imagined she could be this happy.
As she went down to the great hall behind her entourage, Ella felt unaccountably nervous.It must be that everything is happening so fast, she thought. When she saw Ceann standing there, watching her, her heart did a flip. He looked incredibly handsome, clad in a crisp white shirt and his best dress plaid, and polished knee-high leather boots. His hair was combed back into a neat queue, but a few silky waves escaped to frame his face, giving him an appealing roguish look. He stepped forward and reverently took her hand, kissing it, then leading her to stand before the priest, who smiled indulgently. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a young man so eager to be wed, but then not many a bride is as lovely as you, my dear.”
Her hands shook just a little as Ceann clasped them in his and they said their vows. She realized in that moment that these formal vows of the church were meaningless. She had been bound to this man already, and by a power much stronger.
Maggie’s loud weeping echoed in the small chapel, and Ella turned to offer the woman a smile. Maggie gave her a wobbly smile in return and a nod, and Ella felt Ceann slip something onto her finger. She looked down at her hand. It was golden ring, the likes of which she’d neverseen before. The wide band was carved in an intricate design, and in the center, the symbol of eternity. She looked up at Ceann in surprise, and he smiled. “Forever, my love.”
After the wedding feast, which was remarkably elaborate considering it had been ordered at the last minute, there was music and dancing. All of the village was there, even some people from neighboring estates.Ethan took Ella’s arm to lead her to the dance floor. He grinned unapologetically at Ceann. “You have won the hand of the fair maiden, but I will have the first dance.”
Ceann glowered at him, but at Ella’s smile, let them go. Ethan swept her into his arms as the spun around. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ceann rise out of his seat to come after them, but Gregor held him back with a word and a grin.
She smiled at his possessiveness. “It seems I have married a very jealous man.”
“You have married a man who has waited far too long for what you have brought him, and he has no intention of losing you.”
“Will you tell him now, Ethan? He needs to know… everything.”
“Aye, but not tonight, it can wait until tomorrow.”
“I suppose now you are my brother.” She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad of that, Ethan, you are a good man.” Her smile turned devilish. “Now we will have to get you married off so that I can have the sister I’ve always wanted.”
Ethan pretended to look horrified. “Never! I am an avowed bachelor.”
“Aye, and so was my new husband.” Ella peered over his shoulder. “Watch out, Ethan.”
He turned just in time to see Ceann closing in on them with a glare. “That’s enough dancing.”
“You never were good at sharing”, Ethan groused.
Ceann scooped her up in his arms and headed for the stairs, to a cacophony of shouts and laughter. He didn’t care. No power on earth could keep him from bedding his new wife and sealing their union, and he couldn’t wait another moment to do so.
***
They lay there together in the candlelight, face to face, the lengths of their sated bodies pressing together. He stroked her hair softly and placed a kiss on her brow. She held up her hand, and the gold ring he had given her reflected the soft light. “It’s beautiful. Where did you get it, on such short notice?”
He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. “I had it made, during the time you were at Iona’s, and I was searching for you. I knew then that when I found you, you would be my wife.”
