Page 87 of The Ruthless Laird's Virgin
“Beggin’ yer pardon, me Lady, me Laird.” She curtsied to them both and smiled at Fiona. “We daenae mean to interrupt, but we were wonderin’ if we could have a word with ye both.”
“We?” Callum asked with one eyebrow raised.
Color flooded her cheeks as Marion averted her gaze. “That is, Iain and I wanted to have a word with ye,” she said quietly.
“And that would be me sign to leave the lot of ye be,” Fiona said before stepping away and walking back toward the castle.
Marion waited until they were alone before looking over her shoulder and nodding toward Iain, who had been training nearby with some of the younger men in the castle.
He took his cue and laid down his sword, instructing the men to take a break for some ale before striding toward the small group.
“I hear there is a matter of great importance that ye wish to discuss with us,” Callum asked as he gently drew Eleanor to his side.
Eleanor had wondered when the announcement would come; it had been a long time in the making, but none of them had wanted to press the matter until the time was right.
Taking Marion’s hand in his, Iain smiled at them both. “Marion and I wished to ask yer blessin’ on our marriage. We have waited until all of the matters in the castle were settled, but we now wish to be wed.”
“With yer blessin’, that is me, me Lady. I would still like to stay on as yer maid, and Iain would like to keep his place as well, but we want to solidify the love we have built over the past year.” Marion gazed up at Iain, her eyes filling with so much love and adoration.
“Of course, ye may have our blessin’, we wouldnae have wanted it any other way,” Eleanor answered for Callum before he could say a word.
“Aye, we are both very happy for ye.” Callum placed his arm around Eleanor’s shoulders.
The happy couple beamed with pride as Iain did the same, drawing Marion to his side. Their reunion had been difficult at first after the battle, but with some encouragement from both Fiona and Eleanor, they had managed to find each other in the end.
Taking their leave, Marion and Iain set off, leaving Eleanor and Callum to themselves once again.
“I am happy for them,” Eleanor said and slipped her arm around Callum’s waist. “It has been a long time comin’.”
Callum nodded. “Aye, I am happy for them, but I wonder if ye will be happy for yer brother as well?”
Cocking her head to the side in a question, Eleanor looked up at him. “Me brother, what does he have to do with Marion and Iain gettin’ married?”
“Nothin’,” Callum conceded. “But I daenae think that he will want to wait much longer if he meets a lass of his own. Just the other day I saw him speakin’ with Freya.”
Turning fully toward him now, Eleanor narrowed her eyes. “Ye stay out of that, do ye hear me, Callum Fraser? I am grateful that ye gave me father and brother a place to stay as well as places on yer council, but I willnae have ye meddlin’ in affairs of the heart. If Andrew is to choose a bride, he must do so of his own accord.”
Lifting his shoulders, Callum shrugged. “Why is it fine for Fiona to interfere, but I am nae allowed to speak me mind?” he complained.
“Because Fiona is a wise old witch, while ye are just a laird, me Laird.” She tilted her face up toward him and smiled, teasing him with her lips as her gaze dropped to his mouth.
“I see where yer loyalties lie,” Callum teased her back and drew her against him, claiming her mouth as his own with a kiss.
Pulling back, Eleanor felt slightly flustered as she looked around to see if anyone had seen them. “Me Laird, ye cannae take suchliberties in the middle of the courtyard!” she scolded him when she saw that nobody else had been looking.
“And why nae? It is me castle. I should be able to kiss me wife wherever I like,” he said nonchalantly.
“Ye may kiss me wherever ye like, as long as nobody else is lookin’!” she retorted, but allowed herself to be pulled against him again.
Callum laughed this time, enjoying the embarrassment that was creeping over her cheeks. “Will ye ever get used to the highlander ways, or will ye always be that lass from Edinburgh?” He gazed lovingly into her eyes.
“I, me Laird, will always be the lass that ye fell in love with. Or would ye have me be anyone else?” She raised her brows before placing her hands on his chest and pretending to push him away.
“Nay, lass, I wouldnae have ye be anyone but yerself.” He planted a chaste kiss on top of her head and pulled away just as Bran came bounding toward them.
Eleanor laughed. “Ye see, me Laird, even yer dog kens when ye should make better decisions.” She scratched the top of Bran’s head and allowed him to lick her hand once.
Callum bent down and petted his head as well. “Away with ye, ye silly beast,” he said half-heartedly. The battle had taken its toll on Bran, and Callum had since retired him, but the dog stillinsisted on tagging along wherever they went. He slept outside their door on a cushion every night and stayed by Eleanor’s side wherever she went.
Things seemed more than just perfect as they watched him bound away once again. Love abounded in the castle along with trust and a slight penchant for mischief.
Gone were the days when Eleanor had wondered if love had been something that only fools believed in. She now believed it with every fiber of her being.
Drawing her to his side, Callum rested his cheek on top of her head as she placed her hand against his side. “I love ye, macree.”
“I love ye too, Callum,” she said softly, knowing in her heart that all would be well for the future.
The End?
