Kuresh’s laughter echoed around her as she ran away, following the narrow path their footprints had left in the fresh snow. She despised him, and always would.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Helen deserved allthe finery a wedding demanded, but time was short—they needed to marry quickly so he could protect her not only with his body but with his name. Jamie hadna shared that part with her, the lass dinna need any reasons to doubt his love. As his wife, he’d have every legal right to take her wherever he wanted, and if that meant leaving Scotland with her, he would. However,Sands Airgidwould be the first step. Let her sire or Laird Munroe come there if they dared.
“Jamie,” Keely said, both of her babes in her arms. “Ye are a fortunate man. Helen has always been like a sister to me, and now she really will be.”
“Aye. The whole clan seems to approve of our marriage.” He eyed the great hall and all the love and care that had gone in to decorating it with wreaths and dried flowers, the fresh tapers on every table, the generous amount of food Alex had ordered prepared—wild boar and venison, clams and fish, vegetables and dried fruits, bread and pastries, and the best wine. “I doona know how to thank ye for all of this.”
“Love her well,” Keely said. “And the bairn—love him.”
“I already do, Keely.” He kissed John and Rebecca’s heads, then Keely’s cheek. “Makes me verra happy to see the bairns here for the wedding.”
“As ye requested, only close family and the soldiers were invited. I know ye are anxious to get her home, to start yer new lives together.”
Alex joined them. “I just left yer bride,” he said with a smile.
“Are ye satisfied that I dinna force her into marrying me?’
“Tis my obligation in the absence of her family to advise her.”
“And what did she say to ye?”
“That she canna wait to be yer wife and understands the risks. She is a brave lass, and I admire her willingness to stand up to her father. Few lasses would do so. Though I can think of one.” Alex gazed at Keely and grinned.
His wife handed Rebecca off to him. “If I hadna defied my father, we wouldna be here now and these babes wouldna be ours.”
Alex wrapped a protective arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulled her close for a kiss. “Tis yer spirit that will make our children successful in life.”
Father Michael arrived and greeted all the guests.
“Are ye ready?” Alex asked.
“Aye,” Jamie said.
Everyone took their respective places. Alex stood with Jamie, and Nudar and Ramsey were seated at a place of honor by the hearth. Tonight, Jamie would do the two most important things a man could, marry the woman he loved and claim his son before God and his clan. He waited nervously for Helen to appear. Petro and Miran entered the hall first, followed by Helen.
She wore an elegant, green satin gown edged with velvet and ermine. As he’d requested, her hair had been left down, combed to a high luster. A strand of pearls graced her neck and he recognized the Sutherland signet ring on her left hand. It must be her way of keeping her family close, even though she was angry with her father for treating her as nothing more than chattel.
In time, if Jamie could, he’d seek peace with the earl on behalf of Helen and his clan. He dinna care about her dowry, just her future happiness with him and his son.
Petro joined Jamie and Helen’s hands, then kissed her cheek before he stepped away.
Father Michael made the sign of the cross above their heads and said a prayer.
Though Jamie knew what he was expected to say, the traditional vows and the giving of the ring, all he could do was stare at his beautiful bride. So enamored was he, by the time the priest pronounced them man and wife, he nearly forgot to kiss her.
Alex slapped him on the back and whispered, “If ye doona kiss her, I will.”
Jamie did just that, taking her in his arms and showing the world how much he loved her. The passionate kiss earned the delight and approval of the crowd. And when he released her, Father Michael once again prayed and then blessed them.
“May the Lord watch over ye, protect ye, have mercy upon ye, and breathe light and love into yer marriage bed.”
Then Jamie signaled for Nudar to bring Ramsey forward.
The old woman stepped before Father Michael. The priest lifted the child from her arms.
“What child is this?” the priest asked.
