No one else was in the chapel. Callie swallowed as another wave of trepidation ran through her. This was not how she’d dreamed her wedding would be. She’d always thought to be married in the large courtyard behind her home with her family and friends surrounding her.
Aye, there would have been cheers and smiles aplenty with good wishes and warm hugs…
A severe pang of homesickness washed over her. How she wished at least her uncle could be here with her. He had been like a second father to her and it pained her that he would miss this day.
Closing her eyes, she imagined Aster’s kind face, his eyes shining with pride as he handed her over to her husband.
She faltered as she realized he would never smile at Sin. Indeed, it would take much doing for her to get him to not snarl and snap.
Or kill him.
The day would surely never come that her uncle would welcome an Englishman into his family.
Saints above, please let this be the way to peace.
Sin stiffened as he saw the pallor of Callie’s face and the way she closed her eyes as if unable to bear seeing him at the altar. He couldn’t blame her for it. Who wanted to wed the devil’s own?
Since the moment the priest had walked in, the man had done nothing but eye Sin warily. Every time he thought Sin was looking the other way, the priest would cross himself and whisper a prayer to St. Jude to forgive him for what he was doing to the poor innocent lamb who was to be sacrificed to Lucifer.
Sin glanced down at his damp surcoat where the priest had “accidentally” spilled Holy Water on him. No doubt the man had expected him to shriek in pain and explode into a puff of smoke.
His lips twisted cynically as a sudden movement of his hand made the priest start.
As Callie drew near, Sin reached his hand out to her, half expecting her to turn and run screaming for the door.
To his shock, she didn’t.
Instead, she offered him a tenuous smile. She left Simon’s side and placed her tiny hand into his.
Sin paused at the softness of her touch. Her bones were so frail, he could crush them. Her tender skin a soothing balm to his warrior’s calluses. A wave of tenderness tore through him that she would come to him like this. Trust him not to hurt her or her brother.
He was humbled by it.
She looked up and he saw the promise in her eyes and it shook him all the way to his frozen heart. Perhaps there could be hope for them after all.
He listened to the priest begin Mass, but the words meant nothing compared to the foreign emotions welling up inside him. He wanted this woman who held a warrior’s courage. This woman who could be so trusting of a man who knew nothing of trust.
She deserved so much more than this paltry ceremony. Sin knew very little of women, but the one thing he did know was how important such an event was to them. They spent endless hours of their lives with one another fantasizing over every detail.
His sister-in-law Maggie had been a basketful of nerves on her wedding day. He and his brother Lochlan had had their hands full trying to get her to the chapel on time. She’d babbled the entire way there telling them how much young women dreamed of their weddings. How she’d planned her day out carefully and if either one of them let anyone or anything botch it, she would bring down the wrath of plagues on both their heads.
He wished he could give Callie a day like that one had been. Maggie had been surrounded by her brothers and friends. Gifts and well wishes had been piled all around for them. There had been music and dancing, and all manner of happiness.
At least Henry had a reception supper planned for them, but they would be surrounded by strangers. Strangers who cared nothing for either one of them. His heart ached for what Callie was missing and he wished he could make it up to her.
He wanted...
“Sin!” Henry’s voice intruded on his wandering thoughts. “Have you a ring or not?”
Blinking, Sin glanced to the priest who was staring at him expectantly. Callie’s brow was arched and he realized they must have been waiting several moments for him to respond.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small silver box. He’d spent hours at the jeweler’s yesterday trying to find something Caledonia would like.
The task had seemed simple enough at the onset, but the many different choices had confused him. Rings came in any variety of colors and sizes, and it had struck him just how little he knew of his wife.
Still, he had listened carefully to the short, pudgy man about what ladies chose and what most men purchased for wedding rings. Indeed, his ears had rang for hours afterward.
He’d never bought a gift for anyone before and he’d had no idea what Callie would prefer.
