Page 56 of A Kilted Marriage of Convenience

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

Aidan shook Ciara gently awake. He was convinced that they had gotten far enough away from the MacNeil riders that were no doubt scrambling after them in pursuit.

Darragh’s outriders had found a grove in the forest with good cover. It also had a stream running through it with clean water. Aidan had selected a spot for the men to camp briefly, while they also rested and watered their mounts.

It was also an ideal location to tie the knot with Ciara. The chances of success in rescuing her had seemed less than none, but he had decided that if they were to succeed, he would marry her immediately. For that reason, the priest had been made to follow them on their mission and wait from afar.

Had it not been for Ciara, who had rescued his sister from the inside, they would never have stood a chance. He had faced the same dilemma as he had prepared for the ride. However, he had been surprised to find out that Darragh and Lillie had come up with a rescue plan already.

“How?” Aidan had only been able to ask that one word in his shock.

“Well,” Darragh had responded, “I figured that it was only a matter of time before ye came to yer senses. I kent that ye would eventually get over yer wounded pride. It was Lillie’s plan actually and I believe it can be successful, if executed perfectly.”

Aidan had looked at his brother, slack-jawed. “Really? Ye kent I was going to change my mind?”

“Well, all I ken is that ye were the happiest ye had ever been ever since our parents died,” Darragh replied with a shrug.

It had hit Aidan then, that everyone else had focused on the way Ciara had made him feel and his love for her, whereas he had chosen to instead focus on things that would not matter in the end. He had felt a wave of guilt as he realized that his short-sightedness may have cost him the love of his life.

It had all worked out, fortunately, and he had Ciara in his arms. He shook her gently again by the shoulder as she didn’t respond the first time.

“Wake up, love,” he said in her ear softly.

She stirred awake slowly, and immediately her body stiffened in his arms. She turned her head sharply to look at him, and he saw her eyes widen in shock and fear. She had started to tremble slightly. As soon as she recognized him, however, her face relaxed in relief, and she let out a shuddering breath. She smiled weakly, as if trying to mask the terror she had felt just moments ago.

He felt his heart rend open as he thought about all she had been through. Beaten and bloodied by your own father. Locked in a cell, bound like an animal. Promised to a beast of a man as wife, with no hope of escape. She had probably assumed she had been taken by Morrison already when I woke her up.

“We have to stop for a moment and dae something very important,” Aidan said, and he smiled back at her warmly.

He vaulted off the horse carefully, not wanting to startle her and the animal. He then lifted her off and settled her carefully on her feet, holding her steady with one arm. Ciara had a puzzled look on her face, and Aidan could tell she was probably wondering why they had stopped at all. He was sure she wanted to be as far away from her father as possible.

Footsteps approached behind them and Ciara looked at Darragh and the priest and then back at Aidan, cocking her head in question.

“Aye,” Aidan said still smiling, “I have wasted enough time already, and it almost cost me everything as a result. I am done wasting time, Ciara. I want to marry ye now, if ye still want me.”

Ciara gasped and held a hand to her mouth.

“I am so sorry for everything,” he said quietly, touching her cheek. “I never should have sent ye away. Aye, I was hurt and felt betrayed. However, I never stopped wanting ye. Loving ye. I havenae been myself since ye went away, and I hated myself to ken what had happened after that. All the things ye suffered as a result I brought upon yer head, and for that I am sorry. But ken this now: I am never letting ye go, ever again. I love ye and I want to spend the rest of my life with ye. So, Lady Ciara MacNeil, will ye dae me the honor of becoming my wife, now and forever?”

Ciara wept softly as he spoke and melted into his arms. By the time he had finished, she had thrown her arms around him, smiling wildly. Aidan felt his heart explode with light at the sight, and he pulled her in close.

“Aye,” Ciara finally replied, wiping her eyes with a ragged sleeve. “I would want naething more in this world than to be yer wife, Laird Aidan MacDonald.”

Aidan smiled and gently kissed her lips. He had thought her lost forever, and yet here she was in his arms. That was all that mattered.

Darragh cleared his throat.

“We may as well get on with it, ye ken,” Darragh said lightly. “Seeing how we are currently on the run from one of the most vicious men in the land.”

Aidan and Ciara turned to Darragh, Ciara blushing slightly.

“Aye, ye are right,” Aidan replied. He turned toward the priest and nodded. “Let us get it on with it, and quickly. Dae well to skip all the unnecessary words if ye can, please.”

The priest huffed in distaste but made no objections, and the ceremony went on as quickly as possible. The priest led Aidan and Ciara through the words, binding them under the authority of God.

“I now pronounce ye husband and wife,” the priest said a short time later, to Aidan’s relief.

Darragh gave the newlyweds a moment alone and went to clear the camp and get the group moving again. They had a good head start, but they had lost some time for the ceremony. Now, they had to race back to the MacDonald castle.