Lily sighed and plopped herself down in a chair next to Anna. “I know. Sorry. I just don’t want anything to go wrong.”
Ever since Lily had arrived at Dun Achmore a week ago, she’d been taking her duties as maid of honorveryseriously. Anna suspected it was her friend’s way of trying to make up for not telling her the truth about time travel and the fact that she’d left to come live in the past.
Anna studied her friend. Lily looked the same. Same dark braid falling over her shoulder. Same bright eyes andeasy smile. But therewassomething different about her that was difficult to spot unless you knew her as well as Anna did. She seemed more at ease somehow, as though she was comfortable in her own skin. Obviously being married to Oskar Galbraith and living in this time agreed with her.
Anna found that reassuring. In fact, Lily’s presence was more than reassuring, it was like a balm. With Emeric and Lily by her side, she knew she could overcome anything that this time threw at her.
“You’re doing it again,” Lily said with a frown.
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like I’m some sort of alien.”
Anna laughed. “Sorry. It’s just that I still can’t believe you’re really here. I came so far to find you.”
Lily smiled and took Anna’s hands in hers. “I’m really here.Weare really here. That’s what I can’t believe. I can’t believeyou’rehere. My best friend. When we got Emeric’s message asking us to come to Dun Achmore to see you, I thought either someone was having a joke on us or I’d taken a whack on the head. We came as soon as we could. I think we might have set a land-speed record crossing the Highlands.” She squeezed Anna’s hands. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth, Anna. I wanted to. I really did.”
Anna squeezed Lily’s hands in return. “I know. You’ve already apologized a thousand times. I’m just glad you’re here now. There’s nobody I’d rather have beside me today.”
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Anna’s eyes widened.
“Oh God! Is it time? It can’t be? I’m not ready!”
Lily laughed and rose to her feet. “Anna, you’ve been ready for the last two hours. Now who’s the nervous one?”
Lily pulled the door open to reveal Magnus standing in the doorway. Anna had met the rest of Emeric’s sword-brothers when they’d arrived at Dun Achmore three days ago. Magnus was a huge bear of a man, so tall he filled the doorway. He cleared his throat and bowed.
“If ye are ready, ladies? I know a certain gentleman who is eager for ye to join him.”
Anna swallowed thickly and stood. Her stomach churned and she didn’t know if it was terror or excitement. This was it. It was really happening.
She walked over to Magnus and took his offered arm. Lily gave her a thumbs-up and took up her place behind her. And then they were off, sweeping through halls and passages that had been bedecked with ribbons and late summer flowers.
As they descended, she could hear whispers rustle through the crowd waiting in the great hall like wind through autumn leaves. At the bottom of the stairs, Aislinn and her uncle, both dressed in their finery, stood waiting.
Aislinn wore a dress of spun gold that shimmered in the light. Her hair was pinned up with delicate white flowers intertwined into it and a thin veil cascaded down her back. In her hands, she held a delicate bouquet of wildflowers that Anna had prepared for her. Aislinn looked every bit a highland beauty and more than that: she looked radiant, joyful.
As soon as Anna reached the bottom of the stairs, Aislinn broke away from her uncle and threw her arms around Anna. She was positively bobbing on her feet.
“It’s happening!” she said breathlessly. “Isnae this just perfect? A double Mackintosh wedding! This will be talked about for generations!”
Anna found herself smiling, infected by Aislinn’s enthusiasm. It had been Aislinn who had suggested the double wedding and though Anna had been reluctant to steal her limelight, as soon as the thought had entered Aislinn’s head, there had been no stopping her.
Anna took a deep breath and met Aislinn’s gaze. “Ready?”
The younger woman nodded. “Always.”
“Then let’s get this show on the road.”
Anna lined up next to Aislinn before the doors to the great hall. Magnus stood to her right, whilst Laird Mackintosh flanked Aislinn. The maids of honor, Lily and Sarah, one of Brodie Murray’s sisters, took their places behind.
Then the doors to the great hall were flung open and they swept inside. The hall was resplendent, the late afternoon sun streaming through the tall windows illuminating the faces of those who had gathered there—clanspeople, neighboring lairds, old friends, and newfound family. They rose from their seats as one, the hum of their eager anticipation echoing off the stone walls.
Anna’s eyes were drawn to the two figures waiting at the front of the hall. Emeric looked resplendent in his traditional Mackintosh plaid, his belt cinched tight,displaying his muscular frame to its utmost. His deep eyes met hers, and a soft smile played on his lips. Beside him stood Brodie Murray, fiddling nervously with his plaid.
The room fell silent as Anna and Aislinn began their procession down the aisle. Eyes from every corner traced their path but Anna barely noticed them. As if in a trance, she focused only on Emeric standing at the end of the aisle waiting for her.
He watched her come, flanked by Oskar, his sword-brother and Lily’s husband on the other side. Emeric’s eyes shone with a simmering anticipation that made her stomach flutter. She felt out of breath as if she had run miles and yet she was only walking slowly towards him. Her hand on Magnus’s arm trembled slightly but he patted it reassuringly.
