Page 82 of The Ruthless Laird's Virgin
He seemed thoughtful for a moment before letting go of her hand and placing his hand on her hip. “If ye will have me, macree, I should like to make ye me wife.” His words hung in the air like the blast of a cannon that had unexpectedly been fired. “But only if ye agree. I daenae wish to marry ye if it is nae somethin’ that will bring ye joy. I want ye to be happy, and if bein’ by me side will make ye happy, then I shall be the luckiest man in the world.”
Tears of joy spilled down Eleanor’s cheeks as she sought the right words. “Callum, I wouldnae be happy if I wasnae at yer side. I daenae ken when it happened, but ye became the very breath in me lungs. I daenae think that I could face another day without ye. Earlier today, when I didnae ken if ye would come, I wasnae sure how I would face tomorrow.”
Tears of gratitude welled in Callum’s eyes, and he quickly kissed both of her hands again before drawing her closer to his chest. “Does that mean that ye will marry me, lass? I need to hear ye say the words or I will scarcely believe that it is true.”
Eleanor’s heart felt as if it would burst as tears of joy streaked down her cheeks. “Aye, Callum, I will marry ye, in this lifetime and the next!”
Lifting her by the waist, Callum swung her away from the tree and around his body in a circle. The mist swirled around them like a blanket, causing a chill to rise in the air, but neither Callum nor Eleanor seemed to care. Things were being put to right in the world, and the cold of the evening was the least of their concerns.
He placed her down again and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply until the sound of footsteps hurrying in the distance drew them apart.
Eleanor quickly fixed her skirts and stepped away from Callum as if they had been caught red-handed in the act. Her face flushed with color when Iain suddenly appeared around the corner.
“Me Laird, I was wonderin’…” His voice suddenly trailed off when his gaze landed on Eleanor. “Oh, beggin’ yer pardon.” He began to back away, but Callum called him back.
“What is it, Iain?” His voice returned to its normal authoritative pitch.
Coughing into his hand, Iain looked at his boots. “The council needs ye, me Laird. Two more of the men have come forward to confess their alliances with Donald Kincaid.”
Callum looked from Iain to Eleanor with a strange glint in his eyes. “Tell the council that I will meet with them in the mornin’. The future Lady Fraser and I have matters to discuss.”
Eleanor’s heart leaped into her chest at the words, while Iain’s head snapped up.
“Does that mean…” He seemed stunned as he looked from one to the other.
Walking toward her, Callum took her hand in his and faced his trusted man-at-arms. “It means that Miss Whitacker and I willnae be disturbed for the rest of the evenin’. There is a weddin’ to be planned. I shall deal with the traitors in the mornin’. Have them placed under watch until then.”
Iain’s face brightened as he stood up straight. “Aye, me Laird. I shall see to them meself.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Standing at the entrance to the castle, Eleanor took a deep breath as she looked down at the bunch of heather in her hands.
I cannae believe that this is happenin’.
Her heart fluttered in her chest as the soft fabric of her cream and gold dress fluttered in the wind. It had been only a week since Callum had asked her to marry him, and she still could not believe that it was happening. The past few days had blown by in a blur of planning as she now stood ready to make her way to the tiny chapel on the side of the castle, prepared to exchange her name for Callum’s.
Her blonde curls had been pinned at the back of her head, and the vibrant color of her dress made the gold flecks in her hazel eyes sparkle.
“Are ye ready, lass?” her father asked from beside her, his eyes shining brilliantly with pride.
“Aye, I am ready, Father,” she said in a soft voice as her heart leaped into her chest.
Taking her arm, her father hobbled alongside her, using his cane for support as he led her down the steps and toward the side of the castle.
The sun was bright above their heads, an uncommon, good omen for that time of year in the Highlands of Scotland.
Eleanor’s heart felt as if it would burst as they reached the tiny chapel in no time at all. She was about to nod to the servants to open the doors when her father suddenly held her back. “Is everythin’ all right, Father?” She quickly turned to him and searched his face in a panic, fearing that his health had gotten the better of him again.
Shaking his head, her father smiled at her. “Nothin’ is the matter, lass, that healer of yers has all but healed me chest. I just wanted to get rid of this darned thing before I walk me daughter down the aisle.” He lifted his cane from the ground and handed it to one of the servants before taking her arm once again. “Now I can walk ye down the aisle with pride.” She smiled in relief and utter joy, not expecting this moment to be more perfect than she had ever imagined.
There had been a time when she had not even thought of getting married after her brother had died, but she now knew that shewas just punishing herself for something that was never her fault.
The doors to the chapel opened, soft light streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting colors across her dress as she stepped into the aisle.
Beloved faces smiled at her from every side as she took her time to soak in the moment. The wooden pews were full, almost as full as her heart was in that very moment.
Her brother stood in the front pew along with Iain, while Fiona, Marion, and Freya stood at the back with warm expressions of love. The two girls seemed to have mended their fences over the past week and had even worked together in helping Eleanor plan her wedding.
