Page 61 of A Highland Family Affair

Dougie kissed his son’s forehead. ‘Aye, son, you’ll have to stop scaring us like this and ending up in hospital, I’m getting on, you know, and my heart cannae take it,’ he teased.

‘Sorry I scared you all. Although I think I scared myself too, to be honest. It all went wrong so fast,’ Brodie said, frowning, his words a little slow and slurred. He reached up to touch Olivia’s cheek. ‘Thank you for sending out the search party.’

Olivia stroked his hair. ‘What happened out there? Was it the weather? Or did you get lost?’

He slowly shook his head. ‘I wasn’t lost. I was done for the day and was on my way back when the rain came out of nowhere. I’m sure it wasn’t forecast. I took a shortcut across the rocks which I now know was a stupid mistake. The rocks were super slippery, which didn’t help. But then there was a flash of lightning that spooked Wilf and he lurched forward, taking me with him. I landed on a sharp rock, and I both heard and felt a kind of snapping noise which was followed by searing pain. I knew it was serious when I could barely move to turn over onto my back. The rain got heavier and the lightning and thunder more frequent. Wilf was cowering by me, bless him, and Marley went shooting off down the mountain.’ His eyes widened. ‘Oh, God, Marley. Please tell me they found Marley. Is he okay? And they got Wilf, didn’t they? I wasn’t dreaming that, was I?’

The heart monitor’s beeping picked up pace with Brodie’s panic, but Dougie reached out and gripped his hand. ‘Aye, lad, dinnae fash, Marley made his way home, the brave wee soul. We think he might have been trying to alert us to there being a problem. And Wilf came down the mountain with you.’

Brodie exhaled a deep sigh and closed his eyes. ‘Thank God for that. Poor Marley. And Wilf must be traumatised. I was crying out and shouting for help and he was licking my face. I was in and out of consciousness due to the pain and I couldn’t keep an eye on them.’ His chin trembled. ‘I was trying to reassure Wilf and trying my damnedest to hang on to his lead, but I think I eventually let go when I became unconscious again. It was bloody awful.’

‘Hey, it’s fine. Wilf wouldn’t leave your side and even tried to fight off the rescue team until he realised they were helping you.’ Olivia chuckled; her vision was slightly blurred again with tears.

‘I’m so glad they’re both okay. I don’t what I would do if…’ He looked pale and exhausted after hours of lying out in the cold and rain with such a terrible injury.

Olivia smoothed her thumb across his face. ‘You don’t need to worry now. We just need you to rest and get better, that’s all that matters now.’ She took a deep breath, knowing her next words would be hard to say and possibly hard for Brodie to hear. ‘I’ve decided I’m going to start contacting everyone to say we’re postponing the wedding until your leg is healed. I’m sure people will understand and⁠—’

Brodie strained to lift up his head and glared at her. ‘You’ll do no such thing, Olivia MacBain. I’m marrying you on Saturday as planned and that’s that. I’ve waited all these years for this, and I won’t wait any longer. Do you hear me?’

Olivia was a little stunned by his forcefulness but thoroughly delighted that he still wanted to go ahead. She kissed him and said, ‘Okay, okay, that’s fine.’

He gave a deep sigh. ‘Good. Good.’ A crease appeared between his brows. ‘Unless you’ve changed your mind?’

Olivia scoffed. ‘Changed my mind? Absolutely not. I’m not letting you go ever again, Brodie MacLeod.’

He smiled. ‘Phew! Although, I was thinking… maybe we could miss out the whole cathedral aspect? I’m not sure I could hobble on crutches all that way down the aisle. I’m sure if I spoke to Bishop Latham, he would be fine about it.’ He winked. He knew full well that she hadn’t wanted to get married at the cathedral, preferring the intimacy of the little chapel by the loch, in the castle grounds, like the wedding Dougie and Mirren had, and this really was the perfect out. Not the best reason admittedly but a genuine reason, nonetheless. It also helped that Brodie had worked with the bishop at the cathedral doing research on their documents so he knew him quite well.

Olivia tried to stifle her grin. ‘That’s a very good point, Brodie. I think we should perhaps contact all the dignitaries and such and explain the situation. It’s for the best.’

Dougie chimed in, ‘But isn’t that going to upset a lot of people? Admittedly people that you don’t really know but still…’

Brodie turned to his dad. ‘If it does kick off, I’ll take the blame, Dad. But I actually do think I’d need a wheelchair to get me down the aisle at the cathedral with it being so far, and I have no idea where we would get one from at such short notice. At least at the chapel the aisle is shorter. Less hobbling distance. All the fancy folks are invited to the evening reception at the castle anyway and they can wear their posh gear for that. And all the people we know personally are coming to the chapel service anyway.’

Dougie frowned. ‘Wheelchairs are fairly easy to come by, son, if that’s your only concern.’

‘Yeah, but it would have to be a decent one that’s in really good nick if I’m having it at my wedding and it seems silly to buy a new one just to use for the day.’

As if the penny had dropped, Dougie held up his hands. ‘Well, it’s your wedding. You’ve got to do what’s right for you. I’m off to call Kerr and get him to come and pick us up so you can get some rest, son. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone for a few minutes.’ He squeezed Brodie’s hand and left the room.

Olivia gazed at Brodie. Even with a gash and a bruise on his forehead he was still the sexiest, most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on.

‘What?’ he asked with a smile. ‘You’re looking at me funny.’

‘I love you so much, Brodie MacLeod,’ she said with a sigh, the relief of seeing him alive flooding her veins.

‘And I love you. I can’t wait to marry you.’ He fidgeted. ‘And I can’t wait to come home. This bed’s a bit like a plank.’

Olivia laughed. ‘You think that’s bad; I fell asleep in the waiting room and when I woke up I looked a bit like Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice.’

He laughed but held his stomach. ‘Ooh, ow, my ribs. It’s a great movie, though.’

‘Well, I knew you’d love it, it’s an eighties movie. I suppose I had better go. I don’t want to leave you, but you do need to rest.’

‘Aye and so do you. Thank you for sleeping on an uncomfortable sofa in a waiting room for me. It means the world.’ He smiled.

‘You’re welcome. I know you’d do the same for me.’ She kissed his lips, pausing for a moment to relish the feeling.

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Weeeell, I’m not sure…’ he teased.