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“I’m sure he haes. Ye hae been waiting long enough.”

That he had. Gowan’s excitement and trepidation grew in equal measure as they rode through the dark forests and across the rising hills of the Highlands toward the Wallace clan. When he arrived, he knew that a new chapter of his life was beginning. There was no turning back. This woman was going to be his wife for better or worse. No longer would he have to live in the realm of possibility, but also neither would he be able to dream of his perfect woman, someone who was elegant and polite and loveliness personified.

The castle came into view first, a large building that towered above everything else, its grey visage at odds with the green hills and valley around it. A river ran away from the town, a thin winding line that snaked away into the forest. A small village was at the base of the castle. Plumes of smoke rose, and as they approached, the noises of civilization greeted their ears. It was comforting in a way because it was not a world apart from his own home.

Gowan rode into the village and found the people welcoming and prosperous. If they reflected the nature of his future wife then he was going to be a lucky man indeed. When he told them his name, there were murmurs of intrigue and whispers of excitement, but then he noticed that whenever he moved away, a shadow of sorrow descended upon them. He tempered his smile, realizing that while for him this was a happy occasion, it was a time of mourning for them, as they had lost their Laird. Instead of smiling widely, he nodded in respect and made his way to the castle.

It wasn’t his first time here. He had accompanied his family on a tour of the nearby regions of the Highlands when he was younger, around eight years old. The trip had been designed to allow Ewan a chance to meet leaders of the other clans and form connections that would last well into his adult life and give him a sense of their place in the world. Gowan had mostly enjoyed seeing new places, but he hadn’t been interested in the trip itself. He did remember, however, seeing a baby when he arrived here. It was strange to him how that baby had grown into the woman he was going to marry. The threads of fate weaved in an unusual pattern, and he wondered what other surprises were in store for him.

He reached the castle, and a welcoming party was there to greet him. He alighted from the coach, and servants swarmed around him, gathering things from the coach and taking them inside the castle. Karl oversaw this and made sure they were careful with Gowan’s most prized possessions.

“It’s an honor tae welcome ye tae the clan,” a man said, bowing low. “My name is Callum, and I was Laird Wallace’s advisor. I would like tae introduce ye tae Harrison and tae yer betrothed, Maeve.” The man held out his hand, gesturing for Gowan to go and introduce himself. Harrison stepped forward and gripped his hands first. The palms were clammy and the grip was weak, so Gowan did not have the best first impression of the man.

“I’m glad ye are here. I hope that ye can make my niece happy,” Harrison said.

Gowan acknowledged the comment, but in truth, he didn’t have much time for Harrison. He hadn’t come all this way to meet the uncle of his bride, after all, but the bride herself.

Harrison stepped back, revealing Maeve Wallace. She was still dressed in black, still mourning her father. She wore black gloves and a dress that billowed out around her legs. A shroud was pulled over her head, making it difficult to get a true sense of what she looked like. Her face was pale, and her wide eyes were filled with sorrow. However, despite this, he could see the beauty that was evident on her face. Her lips were soft, like two petals from a flower. She was far shorter than him, yet she had the kind of presence that belied her height. There was a strength to her that he recognized immediately.

Gowan had honed a good instinct for other people. It was useful in a fight to know who was going to fight until the death and who was going to flee at the first sign of trouble. It was clear to him that she was a strong woman.

“It’s a pleasure tae meet ye,” he said, bowing before her to show her the proper respect. He took her gloved hand and kissed it, although it was difficult to see the response as her expression was implacable. Her eyes were cold, and there was not a trace of a smile on her lips. Even though she was in mourning, he had hoped she might show some sign of happiness at his arrival.

“I hae brought ye some gifts,” he said, and stepped back while Karl brought the chest forward, placing it in front of Maeve. Gowan opened the chest and presented the gifts. There was a mixture of clothes and jewels and all the finer things in life that his father could spare. Maeve gave the contents of the chest a cursory glance and then nodded her thanks, gesturing to her servants to take the chest into the castle.

“It all looks in order. I thank ye for yer generosity,” she said, although her tone seemed icy and cold. “I hae arranged a dinner for ye. The servants will show ye tae yer chamber,” she said, and then turned away to walk back into the castle.

Gowan had a confused look on his face. He assumed she would have had more to say than that, but she turned her back to him and disappeared back into the castle as though nothing momentous had happened at all. Gowan’s attention was taken by a servant who showed him and Karl into the castle.

* * *

Gowan had changed into more formal wear for the dinner when Karl arrived in his room.

“Sae, what dae ye think of yer bride?” Karl asked.

Gowan frowned as he buttoned up his tunic. “Honestly, I am nae sure what tae think. I was hoping for a wee bit more excitement from her. I know I am only a second born, but I like tae think my reputation haes preceded me.”

“She’s probably still in mourning. Ye know what it’s like for people; they cannae show that they hae moved on from their grief tae quickly, or they are seen as heartless. I imagine she will be more relaxed at dinner.”

“I certainly hope sae. I cannae imagine sitting with her and enduring another conversation where she barely offers anything in reply. If she’s gaeing tae be like this, then how I am supposed tae spend my entire life with her? What is our marriage gaeing tae be like if she’s…if she’s a dullard?” He lowered his voice here, afraid that someone might overhear him offending the lady of the castle.

Karl laughed heartily. “I’m sure ye hae naething tae worry about.”

“I dinnae even know what she truly looks like,” Gowan said, for the woman had been clad in black, and it had been difficult to make out her true figure or even how her hair was styled. It wasn’t a pleasant comparison, but in some ways, she reminded him of the monsters he had been told about as a child, the shadowy creatures who lurk in the forest waiting to steal travelers away if they weren’t careful. It was certainly enough to quell the excitement that had existed in Gowan’s heart, and he was afraid to try and light the spark again. In fact, the idea of sharing dinner with her almost filled him with dread.

“I suppose if she’s nae what ye hope, then ye could always gae back tae yer father and see if he can get ye out of it. It may require a wee bit more money tae smooth over any offense, but I’m sure it’s nae beyond his means.”

Gowan flashed a sardonic smile. “After all these years of me moaning that I hae nae been married off, I dinnae think it’s gaeing tae be received well if I tell him that this lass is nae worthy of me. Am I supposed tae wait another ten years for him tae find me a bride? This might be my only chance,” he said.

“Then let’s hope that this dinner goes well,” Karl said.

Gowan made the final adjustments to his tunic and took a deep breath. This shouldn’t have been a more daunting prospect than going into battle, but it was. At least in battle, he knew his strengths. He had trained all his life to wield all kinds of weapons, and there was never any doubt in his mind that he was the strongest in the land. But at dinner, he would have to rely on his wits and his charm, and now he wished he had paid attention when Declan had been trying to teach Ewan how to be a good dining companion. Gowan preferred meaty feasts rather than elegant meals, but he supposed if he was to be married, then this was going to be his life. He could not simply ride away whenever he liked and live out in the wild world. This veneer of civility was going to have to be embraced if he was to make a good husband of himself and a good father.

But it remained to be seen what the mother was going to be like and if she could be the wife he longed for.

In time, a servant came to fetch him for dinner, and he descended the winding stairs of the castle toward the great dining hall, where everyone was waiting for him.

* * *