“They can wait a few minutes.”
I bend down and scoop her into my arms. I hear laughter from our guests—Kaled included.
“Isn’t the tradition to carry me over the threshold later, when we arrive at the castle in the Highlands?” She almost sounds cheerful now, though not with her usual enthusiasm.
“We can do whatever we want,” I say as I carry her into the library, then remember my resolve. “That said, I can follow every tradition if you want. Even the four-day wedding in Rheadur.”
God, help me.
No sacrifice is too great if it makes her smile.
“Why?”
“I don’t want you to feel like you’re missing anything.”
“I’m fine.”
“And that’s exactly what’s wrong. You shouldn’t befine; you should behappy. I think I can fix that.” I activate the panel to the safe again.
“What are you doing?”
“I was already planning this, but I don’t have a chest, unfortunately.”
“A chest?”
“Yes.” I start taking out the jewelry boxes belonging to my family—not just my mother’s but those of past generations as well.
She stands up. “Why are you doing this?” she asks when I decide there are enough boxes on the table in front of her, now completely covered in velvet cases of various sizes and colors.
“I’m giving you yourmahr.Mahr?Is that how it’s pronounced?” She stares at me without saying a word, and I’m nervous as hell. Did I mess up again? Did I offend her? “Um . . .anyway, if you don’t like something, I—”
She throws herself into my arms so fast she almost knocks me over. It takes me a second to steady us both.
“I didn’t want to offend you, but I know it’s customary in your culture . . .”
“You looked up my people’s traditions?”
“Yes. I got a little mixed up, though. It was supposed to be given during the ceremony.”
“I don’t care. Just the fact that you thought about it . . .”
“What?”
She cups my face. “Don’t make me fall in love with you if you don’t want me permanently in your life, Rodrick.”
I hold her tighter, certainty cutting through me like a blade.
I do want you. I just don’t know if you’ll want me on the day you truly discover who I am.
Wedding Night
“Don’t be offended by what I’m about to say, but I like this castle better. It’s so cozy . . . and when we come here, we won’t need many servants.”
“How do you know you like it when you haven’t seen anything yet?”
I’m carrying her in my arms again, this time honoring the tradition of carrying the bride into our home—symbolically speaking, of course. I own so many properties around the world, and even here in Scotland, that following it literally would be impossible.
“Can’t you feel the vibe of this place?”