Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new adventure, and Jamesy was nothing if not a man who lived for the next adventure. With the security of both Castle MacGahan and Tordenet now assured, he was free to join his friends Finn and Alex in settling the problems that plagued the MacKillican clan.
Tomorrow the three friends would set out, beginning their journey with a short side trip to see Mathew and Eleyne safely returned to their home at Castle Glenluce. Once that task was out of the way, they would head for Alex’s family home, where his friend would inform his father of his intent to join Finn and Jamesy in their search for adventure.
With the English rattling swords at the border, he doubted his peace and quiet would last long. A good thing, too, since, to his way of thinking, peace and quiet were highly overrated.
Lady Danielle’s laughter drew his attention and she waved her hand in his direction, his signal to join her outside the entry doors so that he could walk Brie the length of the great room to present her hand to Hall O’Donar.
His wait was over.
CHRISTIANAMACDOWYLTNOBLEhurried through the great hall toward the kitchens to fetch a sprig from the rosemary plant Cook kept there. Dani had insisted that Brie must have something new to carry on her walk down the aisle. Apparently the old, the borrowed, and the blue items weren’t satisfactory on their own.
Though she’d grown exceptionally fond of her sister-in-law, Christiana was utterly grateful to Chase for having insisted upon a quick, quiet, private exchange of vows when they wed. All this attention would have been far too much for her taste.
Brie, on the other hand, appeared to be floating through the whole experience, allowing others to set the terms and rules of her wedding, her eyes focused on the prize at the end of the day.
Christiana had known from her first meeting with Brie that she was an extraordinarily strong woman. Her good grace in the face of these festivities only served to solidify that opinion.
Ahead of her, Chase stood on the raised dais next to his friend and brother, Hall O’Donar. According to Dani, Chase served the purpose of best man in this ceremony.
She couldn’t agree more with the title. Her handsome, wonderful Chase, the light of her life, was indeed the best man she’d ever met.
She could hardly wait to travel with him next month to take possession of Tordenet. Malcolm’s home was a wonderful place, and everyone had gone above and beyond in their efforts to make her feel welcome. But returning to Tordenet was a dream come true. There she’d be close to Orabilis and surrounded by the things she loved.
Chase snagged her arm as she attempted to pass, and pulled her close.
“I canna dally, my love. The bride is waiting on my return,” she said.
“She’s waited all day. Another minute isn’t going to kill her.”
He dipped his head to kiss her, and for an instant, transported away by the feel of his lips on hers, she forgot that anyone else shared the hall with them.
Hall’s pointed clearing of his throat brought her back to her senses, and her face heated rapidly as she realized the groom wasn’t the only one who’d been watching.
By the old gods, Chase had the ability to steal away what little sense she’d been given.
“Save me a seat,” he called after her as she raced away on her mission.
As if he thought he’d need to remind her to do such a thing. He was such a part of her now, she couldn’t imagine not having him at her side. Thanks to him, and the Faerie who’d helped her find him, her life was every bit as wonderful as the charred runes she wore around her neck had foretold it would be.
HALLO’DONAR ALLOWEDhimself a wide grin as Christiana hurried from the dais. His debt to his old Faerie friend was settled well and good. Chase was safe and sound and, from the looks of it, couldn’t be happier.
That this was due in part to Syrie’s intervention only proved that what he’d done this morning in tricking her had been the right thing to do in the long run. Granted, it would take some time for the Magic to run its course for everyone concerned, but in the end, everyone in this room would benefit.
Even the hot-tempered little Faerie herself.
It was shaping up to be a banner decade for weddings at Castle MacGahan.
A hush fell over the crowd as a lone piper picked up the strains of a song unlike any Hall had heard before. All heads turned to the back of the room, toward the great entrance doors where Jamesy MacCulloch entered with the most beautiful woman Hall had ever seen in his life on his arm.
“Here we go,” Chase whispered next to him. “Come on in, the water’s fine.”
Hall couldn’t answer, could hardly breathe. All that was left to him was to stare at the woman walking toward him, her face adorned with a smile to match his own.
By some frippery known only to the fairer sex, Bridget’s hair had been piled upon her head and surrounded by a garland of dried flowers.
She wore a dress of pale yellow, similar in color to the frock the Tinklers had given her, but the similarities stopped there. This garment had been fitted to his woman, baring her shoulders, hugging her breasts, and flaring over her hips.
A thin strip of rawhide circled her neck and disappeared into the lace and ribbons that contained her breasts.