Grant knew he should protest, knew he should escort her inside, but she was already gone. Dazed, he turned to Damien, about to demand that his friend tell him what the hell was going on.
But Damien was gone, and Grant heard the thundering hooves as his friend tore into the countryside.
Well met, me arse.Wait until I tell Emma.
As it was, Grant forgot about the whole strange business of Damien and Helena thanks to the whirlwind of the day. Beforehe could go out on a ride, the steward had come to inform him that Matthew and Lavinia needed to speak with him. He’d dreaded it, but when he’d walked in and seen Leo giving him an ironic look, he’d relaxed.
Ach, I bet Queen Marianna told Matthew to give us gifts.
And indeed, she had.AndHer Majesty sent her own.
By the time he concluded that business, Grant barely had time to go upstairs, scrub himself clean, and get dressed for his wedding. His hands were shaking a bit as he adjusted his kilt and tied his tartan sash. Finally, he threw on his furred cloak, strapped on his sword, and then stepped into the hall, where his mother waited.
“I am so happy for ye, me son,” she said. “Are ye ready?”
“Aye, I cannae wait a moment longer.”
They walked together downstairs, then outside, where a carriage waited. Already, there was a line of people streaming out of Banrose Castle and heading to the church sitting on a hill overlooking the loch, right before the village.
Snow fell from the trees as they rode along, but the frozen and hard ground made for a smooth ride.
Still, it seemed to take forever, and then Grant was walking down the aisle and nodding at people, before taking his place.His heart fluttered with anticipation, each moment taking longer than the next, and then a lone fiddle started up. He saw Damien slip in, then Agnes and Leo, Matthew and Lavinia, and finally, Emma.
She walked toward him, veiled in soft blues, and he saw nothing else. When she took his hands, trembling all over, he did not know how he would restrain himself from taking off her veil.
Somehow, he managed to stay his hands, perhaps by holding hers. But as soon as they were pronounced man and wife, he lifted her veil and kissed her hard, his heart leaping with satisfaction and triumph.
“I missed ye,” he murmured when they finally parted.
Grant thought she might tease him, might point out that it had been less than one day, but instead, she cradled his face and whispered, “I missed you, too.”
And he kissed her again to the sound of cheers and applause.
There was feasting, dancing, and toasting. It was a blur of handshakes, greetings, hugs, and good music. But all Grant wanted was a moment alone with his wife.
Finally, when they were dancing together, he murmured in her ear, “I am stealin’ ye from this damn crowd for a bit, wife.”
And Emma turned her face up to his, beaming. “Please do.”
The two of them managed to sneak off, hand-in-hand, and were nearly caught by another couple.
Only the couple was Helena and Damien. They were deep in a heated conversation, gesturing wildly with their hands, before Damien all but dragged Helena to the dance floor.
“What was that?” Emma asked.
Grant laughed. “I dinnae ken, but I have a feelin’ we will soon find out.” He then told her about that morning.
“Oh, I do wonder…” She stopped, realizing where he had brought her. “This is our place.”
“Aye,” Grant said. “Where I should have told ye I loved ye and never wanted to let ye go.”
Emma’s blue eyes were shimmering with tears and laughter as she reached for him. “I should have done the same. I love you, Grant.” She cupped his face in her hands. “My husband.”
“Me wife,” he murmured and bent to kiss her. “How I love ye.”
And standing together in their place, warm despite the cold, Laird and Lady Ronson knew that finding each other was all that mattered.
The End?
