With a laugh he lifted his head.He dared notkiss her again.Not yet.He knew that this time, once thefloodgates were opened, there would be no stopping the outpouringof passion he felt for her.
Suddenly grasping her hand, he began to runtoward the castle, forcing her to race by his side to keep up.
“Stop.Whatever are you doing?”
“You will see.”
When they reached the great room, he hauledher along beside him as he searched among the guests until he cameto Douglas Gordon.
“I would have a word with you,” Jamie said,interrupting Douglas and Brice as they talked with the queen.Everyone looked up in surprise of his brusque behavior.
“Aye.What is it?”Douglas asked.
“I seek your permission to wed yourdaughter.”
Douglas turned a startled gaze on hisdaughter and saw, despite her breathlessness and disheveledappearance, the dazed expression of love in her eyes.“Aye, Jamie.I have long known how the two of you felt.You know I approve.Butwhy must we discuss this here, now?”
“Because the bishop is her to speak thewords.And the queen is here to give witness.And if truth betold,” he added with a smile, “I do not wish to give your daughtertime to change her mind, my lord.”
Brice threw back his head and roared withdelight.“Spoken like a true strategist, Jamie lad.”
Mary clapped her hands in delight.“A weddingtonight?Aye, I approve.In fact, it is as I had hoped when Iarranged that the two of you be thrown together.You know how Ilove romantic entanglements.”She turned to the bishop.“What sayyou, Excellency?Will you waive the banns and see the lad wed tohis true love?”
Pursing his lips, the bishop thought amoment, then nodded gravely.“If you so command, Majesty, I willsee to it.”
“A gown,” the queen said, turning to Meredithand her sisters.“Lindsey must be wed in a gown fit for such agrand occasion.”
Amid much whispering and giggling, Meredith,Brenna and Megan hauled Lindsey away to their chambers.
At Brice’s command, the servants beganpreparing the chapel for a wedding.Wine flowed, and the guestsbegan eagerly awaiting the surprising ending to the queen’sfeast.
Jamie, for the moment, had been forgotten.Heslipped from the great hall.Like a caged panther he paced theupper hall, waiting for a glimpse of his bride-to-be.Surely goinginto battle was easier than this.
What were the women telling Lindsey?Perhapsthey were advising her against the match.Would they fill her headwith stories of the dangers of marriage to a warrior, or theterrors of bearing his children?
When the sisters finally slipped fromLindsey’s chambers, their faces were unreadable.They kissedJamie’s cheek, then went below stairs to join the others in thechapel awaiting the arrival of the happy couple.
Staring at the closed door to Lindsey’schambers, Jamie could bear the waiting no longer.With a quick taphe entered.For a moment he paused just inside the doorway.Lindseyturned from the looking glass, and he caught his breath at thesight of her.
She wore a gown of dazzling white shot withsilver threads.At her throat was a necklace of diamonds thatburned with the light of a thousand candles.Her hair was wornloose, tumbling in a cascade of curls down her back, and entwinedwith ivy and wildflowers.
On her face was a look so filled with love hefelt his heart stop.
“Oh, my lady,” he said, taking a tentativestep toward her: “You are so beautiful, words fail me.”
“And you, my handsome warrior, make my handstremble.”
He caught her hands in both of his and drewher close.“I love you, Lindsey Gordon.More than my own life.”
“And I love you, Jamie MacDonald.For now,for all time.”
He lifted her hands to his lips and pressed akiss to each palm.And then he gathered her into his arms andbrought his lips to her temple.The fire started, low and deep, andslowly built until they were consumed by it.
“I cannot wait.You must kiss me.”
“I will not be ordered around like aservant,” she muttered against his lips.
His words were warm with unspoken laughter.“Aye, my love.I will learn not to shout orders like a—bully.”Theflames burned higher, until they were a raging inferno.
