“This belonged to my mother,” he said tenderly, “and now it belongs to you, my Caitie, as a token of my love. I know I said we only had the pendant as a reminder of her, but I saw no point in bringing up the ring. As I became more fond of you, I realized that I wanted so much for you to have it. You accepted me before, so I hope you have not changed your mind.” He sounded a little nervous, but she smiled and drew him to his feet.
“I am afraid that you are now my prisoner,” she said lovingly, “and will be for the rest of your life, for I have not changed my mind, sweetheart.”
“Then I am your willing captive and your slave,” he breathed, smiling. “Shall we seal the bargain with a kiss or an argument?”
She laughed softly, then pulled his head down to hers and kissed him till they were both dizzy.
21
The Wedding
“He is going to be enchanted,” Ava cried excitedly, clapping her hands and jumping around with glee. Indeed, the dress that had been made for her brother’s bride was the most beautiful creation she had ever seen.
“The color is just right,” she said happily as she prowled around her friend. “And the fabric! I would die for a wedding dress like this.”
Caitlyn laughed at Ava’s innocent excitement. “I doubt you will have to do anything so drastic!” she said, as she looked at Ava in amusement. “You will be betrothed and married before too long, my friend, and then you will have an equally lovely dress!”
She turned back to the mirror and looked at the beautiful woman before her. The dress was made of apple-green crushed velvet that shimmered in the sunshine streaming through the window, and was an exact match for her green eyes, now luminous with joy. It was trimmed with cream lace at the neck and cut in a deep V, which showed just a hint of the cleavage of her generous breasts, and it molded itself around her tiny waist then flared out in a bell shape to curve into a beautiful circular train at the back.
The sleeves clung tightly from her shoulders to her elbows, then widened to accommodate the gathered cream cuffs of the muslin undersleeves. There were daisies threaded in Caitlyn’s bright hair, which flowed in loose waves down to her waist, gold teardrop earrings hung from her earlobes and she carried a posy of tiny cream roses.
She looked like the epitome of spring, a spotless, innocent girl going to meet her first and only love who would take her into the summer of her life as a wife and hopefully, a mother.
“I cannot believe that my daughter is being married today,” said Eileen, coming up behind her. “And looking like Dana, the Goddess of Spring herself!” There were tears glittering in her eyes. “The best years of your life are before you, my treasure. You remember what I told you about the wedding night?” She paused delicately, raising her eyebrows in a question.
“Yes, Mammy, I remember!” She flushed, and smiled at her maternal concern. “We will be fine.”
“I know,” she replied, sighing, “but you are my only child, and I worry about you.”
“My betrothed may look fierce, Mammy,”—Caitlyn took Eileen’s hands—“but he is gentle and kind, so do not worry.”
“I am your mother,” Eileen whispered huskily. “It is my job to worry.”
Caitlyn was about to say something else when there was a soft knock at the door. “Come in!” she called, then her father entered.
John stood stock still looking at his daughter while his mouth dropped open in amazement.
“Caitlyn,” he breathed. “My darling. I have no words to describe how lovely you look.”
“Thank you Papa,” she replied, smiling nervously. “I hope I don’t trip!”
John kissed his daughter’s cheek. “I will hold you, and then I will pass you into the capable hands of your husband. You will never fall, my darling.” He offered her his arm. “Now, are you ready to step into the wonderful land of matrimony?”
“Yes,” she replied, smiling. Then she took a deep breath before leaving the sanctuary of her bedroom for the church, and her new life as Lady Duncan.
Alastair too was suffering from an attack of nervous tension so bad that he had been almost unable to fold his kilt properly. It had been the most terrifying day in all of his twenty-eight years, and although he was looking forward to seeing his beautiful bride, he wished heartily that the ceremony was over, so that they could be alone together. It was all he had thought about for the last month, since the rainy, chilled, and murky day since she had said yes.
Of course at the time he had been scared to death, but now it seemed as if that had been a step on a very long road, one that led right to the steps of the Castle Mullach chapel where today they would be joined by the church. However, tonight they would join as man and woman in the most natural and loving ceremony of all. He felt his body tighten at the thought of it; he could not wait to have her in his arms.
At that moment he saw the guests looking towards the back of the church, and he turned around. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life. She was as fresh as the first snowdrop after a long winter, as bright as spring sunshine, and when her father put her hand into his, her green eyes were alight with love. He smiled at her, enchanted, spellbound, bewitched by her sheer loveliness.
The priest, Father Lawrence, began the nuptial Mass, but neither of them heard much of it, so eager were they to get to the vows.
Eventually the moment came, and when the priest invited Alastair to begin, he realized that he was no longer nervous. He took Caitlyn’s hands in his.
“Caitlyn, you are the love of my life,” he began. “But it was not always so. You and I had a rocky road to travel to get here, but here we are at last, and I have never been so happy. I would do anything for you, and give you all that I have. I would give my life for you, and I vow to you that I will be the best husband, and if God wills, father I can be. Will you honor me by being my wife?”
“I will, Alastair,” she replied, then looked into his warm brown eyes as he slipped the gold ring inscribed with their initials onto the third finger of her left hand. Then she began her vows.
