Page 110 of Desire of a Highlander

“Thank the Lord ye’ve arrived,” Bryce said in a low voice only Elodie could hear. “I was struggling to stop him from charging over to the house and carrying ye out.”

Elodie laughed lightly. “Isn’t the carrying bit supposed to happen after the wedding?”

Ronan shrugged. “I was never one for tradition.”

The sunlight was reflecting off his strawberry blond hair and shining in his eyes. He was so handsome that he took her breath away. He was hers. All hers. And after today, he would be for the rest of their lives.

Bryce cleared his throat and raised his voice to carry to the crowd. “I think ye all know why we’ve come here today. We’re here to see these two join together in handfasting. So how about we get started, aye?”

There were cheers all round at this. The ceremony was simple. Bryce spoke of family. Of duty and second chances. He spoke of promises freely given rather than obligations imposed.

When Ronan took Elodie’s hands, his were rough from years at the forge. She loved that. Loved every callus. Every scar. Every reminder of the man he truly was.

When the time came for their vows Ronan said simply. “I do.”

“So do I,” Elodie echoed him. “With all my heart.”

Bryce smiled. “Then before God, and these witnesses I pronounce ye husband and wife!”

Cheers erupted. Bran and Skye barked enthusiastically. Elodie was enveloped in a hug by Faye, Sarah, Morag, and half the village.

Then the celebrations began. There was no grand feast. No cuts of fine meat or mountains of expensive cakes. Just fresh bread, cheese, stew and ale. Yet for Elodie, it was perfect. Around her the people of the Steading let their hair down, celebrating not only her and Ronan’s wedding but a new start full of hope for the future.

Before long some of the tables were pushed back and someone struck up a tune on a fiddle. With whoops and cheers, people began dancing. Ronan, seated next to her at the main table, turned and gave her a grin.

“May I?”

She inclined her head. “Yes, you may.”

He held out his hand to pull her to her feet then led her into the dancing. They spun together while the fiddle played faster and faster and Elodie laughed as he nearly trod on her foot.

“I thought Highlanders were supposed to be graceful.”

“We fight better than we dance.”

From over the far side of the green, Bran and Skye suddenly began barking and went racing off into the trees.

“What are they up to this time?” Ronan said, scowling.

“We’d better go look. They might have stolen the bread again.”

Together they left the dancing and followed the dogs into the shade of the trees. They didn’t have to go far to find them. The dogs were sitting with remarkable politeness beside an old tree stump.

Irene MacAskill was sitting on it.

The old woman smiled at Elodie and Ronan as though she’d been expecting them all along.

“Ah! There ye are!” Irene said, smiling.

Elodie laughed aloud. “Irene!” She hurried forward and embraced the old woman.

Irene laughed delightedly and squeezed her tight. “It is good to see ye, lass.”

Ronan approached more cautiously. He said not a word of greeting and suddenly looked wary.

Irene’s eyes twinkled. “Ye are wondering why I’m here are ye not, Ronan Campbell?”

“I am. To my mind, ye only seem to turn up when there is about to be trouble.”