Page 67 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands

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Another ten minutes passed, and everyone was chattering worriedly amongst themselves so that a low hum was all that could be heard. Bella had taken to pacing the floor, still wearing the robe with Bride emblazoned on the back. She’d had her nails done and was trying really hard not to bite the skin around them as she usually did when stressed.

Her phone rang and she almost dived on it, fumbling in a hurry to answer the call as everyone in the room seemed to collectively hold their breath. ‘Harris? Harris, is that you? Are you okay? Where are you?’ she asked in a rush of panicked words.

‘Aye, darlin’, it’s me. I hope you don’t mind me not video calling but I know I’m not supposed to see you before the wedding,’ Harris replied. There was a simultaneous sigh of relief as Bella nodded at the room to confirm it was him. She sniffed and he paused. ‘Hey, are you okay? You sound upset.’

A sob escaped from Bella’s chest. ‘Oh, Harris, I’ve been so worried about you. We saw on TV about the fire on the bridge and I was terrified it was your Jeep. Or that you’d be unable to get here, and we’d have to delay the wedding.’

‘Oh, dammit. I was hoping you wouldn’t see that. I hoped you’d be too busy drinking champagne and listening to my playlist. I knew you’d worry. That’s why I didn’t call you because I knew I’d have to tell you I was stuck. But it’s not my Jeep, so don’t worry.’

‘I was hoping you might have missed it, but you didn’t answer when I called so I panicked.’

‘Aye, I would have missed it if I’d been able to set off when I thought I was going to. The thing is, after the first delay which was a phone call about something that really could’ve waited, I was leaving just as an old guy pulled into the car park at the station. He was driving from Aberdeen to see his daughter who lives up at Waternish, he’s supposed to be spending Christmas at her new house and hasn’t been before, but he’d somehow gone in a circle, taken a few wrong turns and got totally lost, then ended up back in Glentorrin. So, I gave him the directions he needed and drew him a map and sent him on his way, but that meant I was delayed leaving again. And that resulted in me getting stuck at our end of the bridge because the fire had just happened. I heard the sirens and wondered what was going on. I knew the police officers working the cordon at our end so I went to see if I could do anything, more fool me, and ended up helping them to redirect people. Turns out it was an engine fire on an old diesel camper van. Although who wants to spend Christmas in one of those old things? The smell was rancid, and the fumes were travelling for miles, so it wasn’t safe for anyone to cross.’

‘But you’re not injured or anything?’

‘No, I’m absolutely fine, sweetheart. I recognised the firefighter in charge as that woman who came to get you out of the lift when you were trapped with that American numpty, and I was explaining to her that I was on my way to get married. She spoke to her guys, and they gave me some breathing apparatus and then escorted me across past the fire, so I was safe. Anyway, I’ve just pulled over to get a bottle of water because I’m fair drouthy, and then I’ll set off again. I’ll be there at ten to one, which leaves me a few minutes to get a quick wash to rid myself of the smoke. Because I absolutely stink at the moment. Tell Brodie I’ll need to borrow some aftershave. I know he has the good stuff.’ He laughed. ‘But nothing’s stopping me from marrying you today, Bella Douglas, do you hear me?’

Bella laughed as tears of relief spilled over. ‘I hear you. I’m just glad you’re okay and will get here.’

‘Hey, stop crying! I don’t want a blotchy, puffy-faced bride,’ he said laughing. ‘Now go on and get that dress on and get your makeup redone because it sounds like you need to. And I’ll see you as soon as you walk through the chapel door, okay?’

She nodded and laughed. ‘Okay.’

‘I’ll be the one in the kilt that fits this time. And Bella⁠—’

‘Yes?’

‘I love you.’

She beamed. ‘I love you too.’

When she ended the call, the room erupted in cheers and applause. Maeve hugged her, and then her mum and dad and granny followed suit. Everyone was relieved but no one quite as much as Bella.

‘Right! Everybody get yourselves down to the chapel so we can get this bride ready to be wed!’ Olivia shouted and the dining room began to empty, everyone expressing their relief as they left. Once everyone had gone, Bella and her bridesmaids were left alone, they made their way upstairs to Olivia and Brodie’s bedroom where the dresses were hanging, ready to be worn.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were a rich deep green colour with billowy long sleeves, which was very apt for the season, they each had Donaldson tartan shawls on account of the winter temperature, and their bouquets were a mix of seasonal evergreens and berries interspersed with gypsophila.

Bella gasped when she saw them and her eyes welled with tears once again. ‘You all look so beautiful.’

‘Ah ah ah!’ Olivia said, holding up her hand. ‘No more tears!’

Bella’s bouquet had arrived from the florist in Drumblair too and it was stunning; filled with Christmas roses and evergreens, it looked every bit the part for a festive wedding.

‘Let’s get that music back on,’ Olivia said as she hit play once more and ‘Chapel of Love’ began again from the beginning, but this time they all sang along, even Isla, and Olivia retouched Bella’s makeup using her own.

‘It might not look as good as the first time around, but you’ll still look beautiful,’ Olivia told her.

‘Let’s get some champagne down us. I think we need it now, we’ve lost that pre-wedding buzz,’ Skye said, producing a bottle she had brought up with her along with three glasses.

‘Aye, I’ll partake of a wee glass too. That decapitated coffee is fair boggin,’ Isla said with a shudder. ‘I’ll be drinking the proper stuff again when I get home.’

The photographer came in to take some photos of them getting ready, and once Bella was dressed, they made their way to the central staircase for some more pre-wedding shots. Jack Johnson’s ‘Better Together’ was the next song to play as the photographer snapped away and posed Bella, who couldn’t help the smile that had made its way across her face.

* * *

Bella stood in front of Olivia’s full-length mirror and couldn’t believe her eyes. ‘Liv, you are a genius,’ she said as she fought back happy tears. Her lovingly created floor-length lace and satin dress fit perfectly and was finished off beautifully with the Donaldson Clan tartan sash in green, red, blue and black; a very festive-looking fabric. All that was left now was to travel the short distance to the chapel and marry the love of her life.