AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ye have never thought o’ marryin’ again?” Fraser asked as he heaved the barrel into the cart.
Donald shook his head. “She was my one an’ only love,” he replied. Then he smiled sadly. “But we had three lovely lassies an’ two big strong lads taegether. I had more blessings in our years taegether than many rich folks. We were poor but we were very content. I hope ye are too.”
“I am happy for ye, Donald,” Fraser said, smiling. “I hope I can say the same when I am yer age.”
Donald smiled. “Evanna is a grand lass.” Then he turned away, and Fraser knew that he was thinking about his dead wife but did not want to weep in front of him. He hoped he would never have to mourn Evanna. He would rather die than have to live without her.
* * *
Donna and Flora had cleaned the tavern until it was impossible for a speck of dust or grime to have hidden anywhere. The tables and the bar had been scrubbed, and the floor was so clean that Donna had offered to serve the wedding feast on it.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Lexie said drily, giving the girl a playful cuff around the ear. “Especially if ye are serving wine. Think of the waste when they start spillin’ it on the floor!”
“Wine?” Donna was delighted. “Real wine?”
“Aye, real wine,” Lexie replied as she picked a speck of lint from Donna’s dark blue linen dress. “The laird brought it over from France and is giving it tae the lovebirds as a wedding present.”
“Ohhh,” Fiona sighed. “How lovely!"
Lexie ran her eyes over both of them, inspecting them from top to toe. They were both pretty women, although neither could compete with Evanna. However, Lexie knew that today the eyes of all the young men in the room would be upon them since the bride was already spoken for.
Lexie rarely felt regret over the choices she had made in her life, but now, as she looked at the two young women who had their whole lives in front of them, she wondered if, in another life, she would have chosen the same path. She sighed. What was done was done, and there was nothing she could do to change it. However, as she looked over at several of the older men among the guests, she could not suppress a tiny twinge of hope. Was there still time?
Presently there was a hubbub as Fraser walked into the room, dressed in a snow-white shirt and his clan tartan kilt, its plaid pinned to his shoulder with a silver brooch bearing his clan crest. He was quite simply magnificent, with his majestic height, the impressive breadth of his shoulders, and his glossy black hair falling to his shoulders. His bright blue eyes swept around the room, searching for his bride, but she had not yet arrived. He sighed impatiently and looked at Lexie.
“Come here,” she beckoned him, and led him into the storeroom behind the bar, then turned to him and clasped his hands. “Do ye have a ring?” she asked.
“Yes, Lexie. The laird gave me money as a present and gratitude towards me. With that money, me an’ Evanna, we can start our new life.” With a move, he showed her the ring he had bought. “I bought it from the goldsmith that Laird Gilchrist introduced me tae. The best in Scotland!” he said, and they laughed.
“Listen, lad, she is as good as a daughter tae me, and I love her more than life itself. And if ye ever hurt her inanyway, ye will answer tae me!” Her voice was grim, and her grey eyes threatening. Then she let go of him and laughed.
“That will never happen, Lexie,” he replied, shaking his head. “I swear it.”
Lexie gave him one last warning glance, then turned away, only to turn back a moment later. “Yer bride is here,” she whispered. “Good luck!”
20
In spite of the fact that he had faced down enemies on the battlefield and chased more bandits than he could count, Fraser was still terrified as he entered the tavern again.
However, the moment he laid eyes on Evanna, his fear evaporated to be replaced by a fierce desire as he beheld his bride in her soft forest-green dress. It draped over her shapely figure, accentuating her curves while revealing nothing of her body. He stiffened at the mere thought of removing that dress later.
Evanna gasped as she saw Fraser in all his glory. This big, handsome stag of a man was hers, now and forever. Part of her was scared to death; he could snap her in two like a twig, after all, but she knew that Fraser McLachlan did not have a vicious bone in his body, and whenever she was with him, she felt safe—no, more than that. She felt cherished.
As her father kissed her and left her at the makeshift altar in front of the bar counter, he gave her the widest smile she had ever seen. “Ye look lovely,” he murmured.
“So do ye,” she replied. Their faces were so close that he could have kissed her, but he saw a warning and a promise in her eyes.Later,it said. Then they turned to face the minister who was officiating their marriage.
Father William Forfar was a tall, sturdy man with bright red hair, twinkling brown eyes, and a happy disposition who was always in great demand for marriages. He and Lexie were the greatest of friends, and he would be the man who would name Fraser and Evanna husband and wife.
Now he said happily, “I love weddings! It is wonderful to see two young people celebrating their love by joining their lives together and marching into the future!” He smiled at each of them in turn before loosely knotting a cord around their wrists so that they were bound together.
“Fraser,” he began, “will you love, honor, and be faithful to Evanna as long as you live? If you are blessed with children, will you be a loving father to them and protect them from all harm?”
“I will,” Fraser replied, gazing into Evanna’s dark green eyes.
The minister turned to Evanna. “Evanna, will you love, honor, and be faithful to Fraser as long as you live? Will you be by his side when the cares of the world trouble him and be a loving mother to your children?”
“I will!” Evanna cried. She felt as if she would like to jump for joy as she and Fraser each took a step backward and the knot tightened to a hard knob, signifying the strength of their union.
