let me hear yervoice,
fer yer voice issweet,
and yer face islovely.”
Silene lifted her hand to her mouth.Song of Solomonwas one of her favorite scriptures.
“Open the door, my love.”
She did as he bid her and opened the door a crack. When she saw his beautiful green eyes, she opened it a little more.
“What are you doing here at such a late hour?”
“I have come to wed ye, lass.”
Daffodil meowed from beneath his hair falling loose to his nape. Her heart flipped and she couldn’t help but smile at him. “The morning approaches.”
“’Tis after midnight. ’Tis tomorrow and the end of my vow. Father Timothy awaits us in the church.”
“Father Timothy?”
“Aye, he is the one who reminded me that I took my vow at midnight. Now, come quickly,” he whispered, and his eyes glittered in the torchlit hall. “I want to be yer husband.”
“Now?” What was he saying? Marry now? “Let me get my cloak.”
He smiled as if England just broke off and floated into the North Sea.
“Will everyone be there?” she asked, leaving the door open and reaching for her purple gown.
“Just us tonight, my love. We will have Father Timothy do it all over again tomorrow with our kin and yer gown. Aye?”
She smiled, nodded, and grabbed her cloak.
“Come,” he beckoned, “tonight, I am chaste no more.”
His words along with his low, whispered voice dripped down her spine like a flame igniting her blood. She was going to be his wife. Now. Her belly tightened. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. He hadn’t been with a woman for six years. He was hungry for her now.
She wasn’t afraid. She remembered his hardness when he kissed her. Perhaps she was a bit afraid. Suddenly, she wanted to do what she could to postpone it. No. She wasn’t going to say her vows because she loved this man. She was happy to be his wife.
They reached the church and held hands as they entered.
Silene smiled when she saw Father Timothy. He was fast becoming her dearest friend.
“Did Galeren explain how this is possible?” he asked after their warm greeting. “He made his vow at midnight exactly six years ago. It ended tonight.”
Eager to get on with it, Galeren took her hand again and led her before the altar.
Father Timothy smiled and went with them, with a Bible in his hand. He began with loving looks at them from under his fuzzy gray brow and reading from the Holy Scriptures.
“Silene Sparrow, d’ye consent to becomin’ Galeren’s wife? To love and honor and obey him till death d’ye part?”
She smiled. “Aye. I do.”
He smiled lovingly at her then turned to Galeren. “Galeren MacPherson, d’ye consent to becomin’ Silene’s husband? To love, honor, and protect her till death d’ye part?”
He consented with a wide, dimpled grin.
A few more words were said, that Silene didn’t remember later, and then Father Timothy told them to kiss.