Page 11

She was a remarkable woman. After spending time alone with her, he had seen her good humor and found her easy to get along with. Her talent with a bow matched her skill with a sword, and it was unusual to find anyone who could beat him, let alone a woman.

A marriage with her was going to be intriguing indeed. He assumed she would not give him an easy life, but then again, who wanted an easy life? He would much prefer one that was filled with challenges and excitement and adventure, and Maeve had those qualities in abundance.

Now that the wedding had been fixed, word had been sent to his brother and father, who journeyed from his home to attend the wedding. In the meantime, he spent time with Karl and learned more about the history of the village. He helped where he could with menial tasks that required a strong man, and he entertained the children by taking them on his back and lifting them high into the sky. They had never seen a man as big as him before.

* * *

Gowan was in his chamber sharing a drink with Ewan.

“Here’s tae ye and yer new wife,” Ewan said, raising a glass. “I hae met her before, and I know she is gaeing tae be a good match for ye. She is a…spirited lass.”

“Aye, I am beginning tae see that for myself,” Gowan said with a smile.

“Father originally wanted ye tae marry this waif of a lass from the Montgomery clan. A noble clan they are, but I knew ye would never be happy with her.”

“Sae this is yer daeing then?” Gowan asked.

Ewan nodded. “I couldnae hae my wee brother lost in a marriage with a lass who would nae challenge him.” He sighed. “I dae envy ye. Ye get tae to be with a woman ye want tae be with.”

“I thought ye loved Elise?”

“Oh I dae, in a way…” Ewan took a long gulp of his drink and furrowed his brow. “I love her because it makes my life easier tae dae sae, and over time I hae seen qualities in her that are appealing. However, she is nae the woman I would hae chosen for myself. Take taeday, for example. She should be here with me, yet she claims illness again. All the time, she is weak and frail. I could never take her riding with me, but because she is from a reputable family, I haed tae put my own desires aside and dae my duty. That is all my life is: duty, duty, duty,” he said sadly.

Gowan pursed his lips before he answered. “I always used tae be envious of ye for getting Father’s attention and love, but I hae been daeing a wee bit of thinking over the last few days.”

“I’m glad ye hae. I would switch places with ye in a heartbeat, Brother. But what can a man dae when duty calls? We all must dae what we must, and I’m just glad that ye hae found a good place here. I am gaeing tae miss ye, though,” he said.

“Whenever ye need a break from yer duties, ye will always be welcome here,” Gowan offered. Ewan smiled broadly.

“I hae been wondering, though, how are ye gaeing tae cope with leaving yer life of violence behind? Ye are gaeing tae learn what it is tae be a Laird.”

“Except I’m nae the Laird, just the lady’s husband. But I dinnae want tae my life tae be defined by violence anyway. I fought because it was the right thing tae dae and because I’m good at it. But there are few old warriors. If I was nae getting married, then perhaps I would be happy tae die a glorious death that would be spoken about for centuries afterwards, but I want a family. I want tae teach a wee lad or lass all I know. I am ready tae be something different now, Ewan.”

“I’m glad tae hear it. Life would be a dull thing if we never changed,” he said, and Gowan sensed a deep sadness behind the words, for Ewan would not be able to change. He had been born to be the Laird, then trained to be the Laird, and now he was sharing the duties oflLaird with Declan. In time Declan would pass on, and Ewan would be the sole Laird with an heir beside him, and the cycle would begin anew. It was an inescapable certainty, and Gowan was grateful that he could turn away from it and live life as he wished. He could have stepped away from this marriage, of course, even though it would have angered his father. The important thing was that he still had a choice, while Ewan had none.

Neither did Maeve, for that matter. She was the lady of the clan, but this had been her father’s final decree, and she wasn’t about to go back on it. He just had to hope that she would feel the same way about him as he did about her, rather than the way Ewan felt about his wife.

* * *

The wedding day arrived, and Gowan found himself as nervous as when he went into battle, or perhaps even more so. The entire village was crammed into the great hall. Gowan stood with the priest. Callum was near him as well, the advisor keeping a close watch on everything to ensure that nothing went wrong. Gowan had his hands clasped beside him, and he drew strength from the company of his family and his friend. This was the moment when his life was going to change inexorably. There was no coming back from this. Their marriage to each other was going to last for the rest of their lives. No longer would he be able to ride away whenever he liked. No longer would he be free to roam the land and be a traveling warrior, seeking out danger in all manner of places. No, he would be a husband, rooted in a single place, with the ties of family holding him steady. Some men he had known over the years spoke of family as a burden, as a weight around their necks keeping them from all the things they enjoyed. Gowan was not such a man. To him, a family was a thing to nurture, to see grow, to create something new in the world.

And he was going to do it all with Maeve.

He turned to the doors as they opened and watched as Maeve walked in, led down the aisle by her uncle. ‘Walk’ wasn’t the best way to describe her, though. She seemed to glide as though, on this hallowed day, she had been blessed with the power of the gods. Gowan’s lips parted when he saw her, in awe of her beauty. Her red hair was vibrant, and it fell down her body in soft curls, framing her beautiful face. Her blue eyes were wide, her lips full and sensual, and the dress was fitted in a way that accentuated everything feminine about her body. His gaze drifted down her figure, and he felt something stirring inside.

She came up to him, and her hand was placed in his. Her fingers were slender, her skin soft and warm. There was a sweet scent lingering in the air around her as well, as though she brought joy and comfort to everything in the world. Harrison kissed her on the cheek and then stepped back while she turned to face Gowan. He smiled and whispered that she looked beautiful. She smiled too and blushed. Now that he saw her again, all he wanted was to take her in his arms and feel the heat of the kiss, a heat that had only been teased a few nights before. He gazed into her eyes, and everything else melted away. All the people, the building itself, everything was meaningless compared to her.

In fact, the priest had to clear his throat to get Gowan’s attention. There was a titter of laughter, but eventually, Gowan had the presence of mind to repeat the vows that were being spoken to him. His voice was deep and rolling, while Maeve’s was soft and light, but their words were the same. They continued to hold hands as they made the vows that would bind them together for the rest of their lives. They promised to honor each other and protect each other. As Gowan spoke, he felt some kind of energy pass over him in a wave. It was as though some magic spell had been conjured over him, and he wondered if these vows were, in effect, magic.

Once the vows had been spoken, the priest wrapped rope around their wrists, tying a knot that was a symbol of their union, and how it had brought them together. Gowan leaned forward and kissed Maeve. He could feel the trembling nerves in her kiss. It wasn’t the same impulsive girl that had kissed him near the archery target, and he wondered if this was simply because of all the people around or if regret lingered in her mind. As they broke apart from the kiss, he searched her eyes for meaning, although he found it difficult to distinguish anything that would give him a clue.

But all around them there were cheers and applause. The marriage had been settled. Gowan was now a husband, and Maeve was his wife.

8

Maeve found it difficult to quantify the feelings that were careening through her heart and mind. For the past few days, she had been unable to stop thinking about the brief kiss she had shared with Gowan and if she should regret it. When the time for the wedding came, she had been entirely consumed with nerves and was trembling so much that the servants found it difficult to dress her. She was weeping for many reasons, but mostly because she regretted the fact her parents could not be here to witness the special moment.

However, Harrison was still present, and while he hadn’t been the most empathetic person throughout her life, he had some kind words for her on this occasion. He told her that he had no doubt her parents were with her in spirit and that at least they still had each other. He promised her that he would always be by her side because they were family, and family took care of each other. He said that he was certain the clan would go from strength to strength, and she didn’t need to worry about anything other than being a good wife. It helped to ease her nerves, and she would never have thought it, but she was actually glad he was the one walking her toward her husband as she was able to use his strength to keep her upright.