The two released their grip one another with a slight shove on Charlie’s part.
Duncan joined them, alarmed. “What is it? My parents? Has Jenny been hurt?”
“Nay, but if we dinnae hurry, you’ll be addressing her as Mrs. Tavish MacLean,” said Charlie.
Alex, still angry with Charlie, rolled his eyes. “Clumsily put, but ‘tis so.”
“But the wedding was not until tomorrow.”
“It was until Tavish saw you with Jenny.”
“God’s teeth. Saw us where?”
Alex gave a somber nod, confirming the worst.
“It will take more than God’s teeth to help you out of this one,” Charlie muttered.
Alex gave Charlie a swat on the arm with the back of his hand.
Duncan, too preoccupied to notice, said, “But then, surely he broke off the betrothal.”
“I wish I could say it was so,” answered Alex. Gravely, he added, “But he is determined to marry the lass.”
Charlie said, “Let us ride as we talk. Every moment will count.”
The two others agreed. Charlie said, “Duncan, leave the cart here.”
Alex surprised himself by agreeing. “We can come back for it later.”
They concealed the cart behind some brambles, and Duncan mounted his horse. The three rode as fast as the rain and the rough road allowed, but the horses needed water and rest, so they stopped on the way.
“She could have been married by now.”
Alex nodded. “Had they had a priest there, they would have been. To your good fortune, Jenny’s father had to send someone to fetch one.”
“But this happened–”
“Thursday,” said Charlie.
Duncan’s dark eyes clouded. “But it’s Saturday. How far away can the nearest priest be?”
“Let us hope that he was farther than you were.” Alex met Duncan’s eyes frankly. “I made a promise to Jenny that we’d bring you back to her, and that we will do.”
*
Jenny stood at the door to the chapel. Her father’s stern look and firm grip propelled her down the short aisle toward the priest and, beside him, Tavish. He watched her with barely checked longing as her last step brought her to his side. His was not the smile of a man for the woman he loved. It was desire to complete the purchase of a coveted possession. With smoldering eyes, he surveyed her. A warm glow of triumph shone through his half grin. Some would mistake it for adoration. He turned to the priest, who appeared a bit worse for wear, and not only from travel.
The priest squinted and swayed just a bit, but enough to draw a bitter glare from Tavish. “God’s teeth, you’re three sheets to the wind. Where did they find you, holding mass in a tavern?”
The priest shot a cold look at Tavish, but gave up the thought as his stomach nearly got the better of him.
Tavish spoke through his teeth. “Well? Get on with it, father!”
The priest swallowed and steadied himself. Jenny barely heard the priest’s voice as she listened for horses outside. There were none. Soon the time to exchange vows would come. She would have to wed Tavish. Everything that she loved about life would be gone.
They knelt at the altar. The hilt of Tavish’s sgian dubh touched the floor. The quiet clink of metal to stone startled Jenny. The priest cleared his throat and continued. Jenny faced him obediently. Where was Duncan? Her whole life had led her to this point. She had always done what she was told, and this was her reward. She would be forced to wed a man whom she loathed.
Tavish moved. It was time to stand up. Jenny did, but as she rose she slipped Tavish’s sgian dubh from the sheath on his stocking. Jenny took a step back and threatened Tavish with the scallop-edged blade.
The guests gasped.
“I’ll not wed you! I’m sorry. I cannot,” Jenny said, inching away from her groom.
“Jenny!” Her father stepped toward her, but Jenny took another step back. “Nay, I will not. I tried to tell you, but no one would listen.”
“Girl, dinnae be a fool.” Tavish stepped toward her and reached for the sgian dubh, but as she evaded his grasp, the blade sliced into Tavish’s hand.
“God’s blood, you’ve cut me!” With the back of his good hand, he struck her across the face. The force of the blow knocked her down to her knees. She lost her grip on the sgian dubh, but she scooped it up and said, “If you touch me again, I will cut you again!”
With one swift motion, he kicked the knife out of her hand. Jenny scrambled for it, but Tavish put his boot on her wrist. She was hopelessly pinned to the floor as she struggled beneath his foot. Tavish grinned and said through his teeth, “My love’s a wild beastie.” He reached down and grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her to her feet. With his arms clamped about her waist, he barked for the priest to go on.
The priest said softly, “If the bride is not willing, perhaps–”
“Hold your tongue. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can get back to the flask you’ve got tucked in your robe.”
The words struck their target. Humiliated, the priest cast his eyes down to escape Tavish’s menacing scowl. He meekly resumed his recitation.
The oak doors to the chapel swung open as three swordsmen took command of the chapel. Tavish glanced back, and then said to the priest, “Go on!”
Duncan’s voice rang through the chapel. “It cannae go on, for the lady is already married.” Alex and Charlie each took a side at the rear of the chapel.
When Jenny’s eyes widened, Duncan’s dark eyes warmed her. “Have you not spoken vows before?”
Stunned as she was, her eyes shone. “Yes, I have.”
Jenny’s father spoke up. “If this is that handfasting nonsense, you’ve no proof that it happened.”
“But it did,” Duncan said. “I was a fool to let this go on for so long.”
“Go now, lad.” Andrew stood tall with a resolute gaze. “Or, by my troth, I will cast you and you parents from your home.”
“I will take care of my parents.” Duncan tamped down his anger.
Andrew said, “Go and take care of them now, for I’ll not give you my daughter–handfast or not.”
Ignoring Andrew, Duncan strode over to Tavish. “Release her.”
Tavish laughed. “The devil take you and your handfast. I’ll not let her go.”
Some wedding guests gasped. The priest said, “You cannot speak like that in Lord’s house.”
Tavish let his smug smile descend upon the priest. “And yet I just did.” The smiled quickly faded to a weary gaze. “Now, pronounce us wed and be done with it.”
In a quiet voice, the priest said, “But the vows must be spoken.”
Tavish had just raised a brow and taken a breath to reply, when Duncan interrupted him. “Jenny, I vow to be your husband. Do you vow to be my wife?”
Jenny said, “I do.”
Duncan smiled, “There. The vows have been spoken. If the handfast was not enough, we’ve now spoken our vows before a priest and witnesses. So that makes us married. Does it not, father?”
Slack jawed, the priest said, “Well, it is highly irregular.”
“But is it legal?” Duncan waited, confident of the answer.
The priest’s eyes darted to Tavish, and then turned back to Duncan, brow raised. “Under the law…”
Tavish said, “The law? So you’re a barrister, too?”
The priest turned away.
Duncan said, “He is not, but a man that I spoke to in Inverlochy was.”
Alex spoke up. “I heard vows. Did you, Charlie?”
With a grin, Charlie answered. “I did. That makes twice they have spoken them.”
Nodding, Alex said, “Aye, so it does.”
“But the banns!” Andrew cried.
The priest said, “If I may, the kirk prefers them, but they are not required.”
“Och! Have you all gone daft? This isnae a proper wedding!” Andrew looked about. Everyone was as astonished as he, except Jenny’s mother, who stared at he
r hands as she hid a smile.
No one moved until Tavish turned back to the priest. “They cannae just say that they’re wed.”
The priest shrugged. “I usually play more of a part in a wedding, but these two have made a vow before God. I’ve no power to undo what has been done here.
“You cannae be serious!” Tavish cried out with disdain.
Duncan took a step closer, sword still drawn. “I am. And now, let her go before I prove to you how very serious I am.”
Tavish eyed the sword, inches from his face. If he held onto Jenny, he could not fight Duncan. If he chose to release her to fight back, his sword hand was cut. Even on his best day, he was no match for Duncan. He glanced at the red stain that bled from his hand to Jenny’s dress. Tavish lifted his chin and met Duncan’s steely gaze. “No.” With his good hand, he pulled a dagger from his belt and held it to Jenny’s throat. With that Tavish fainted.
Duncan swept Jenny into his arms. “Darlin’ Jenny, my wife.”
Jenny stared. “Is it true?” She looked to the priest to confirm it.
With a gleam in his eye, the priest said, “It is if I say so.”
Duncan kissed Jenny, and whisked her away down the aisle, stopping first to face Andrew. “Here’s the money that’s owed.”
Andrew fumed. “If you think this absolves you, you’re wrong.”
“Sir, I am paying a debt, that is all. As for Jenny, I love her. I seek no absolution for that.”
Jenny’s mother stood and grasped Duncan’s arm as he swept Jenny past. “Be good to our Jenny.”
“ She will be safe and cared for. I promise.”
Rowena took Jenny’s face in her hands, and kissed her on the forehead. “Now go! His wound isnae fatal, but his anger could be.”
Alex and Charlie leaned against the door, grinning. Charlie said, “I suppose they’ll be needing an escort.”
They all ran to their horses. As they had done many times growing up, Jenny circled her arms about Duncan’s waist, and away they rode into the crisp Highland wind.
Chapter 10
Callum slid his hands along the carved oak arms of his chair and leaned back. “You stole a bride from her wedding?”
Charlie chimed in with a glint in his eye, “But he married her first.”
Callum looked to Alex for confirmation, and received a wry nod.
Jenny slipped her hand into Duncan’s and waited for Callum to speak.
As he stared at the fire, Mari handed some ale to him and winked. “Who would do such a thing–stealing a woman away from her family?”
He lifted dark eyes to meet Mari’s. “That was different, and you know it.”
“Callum, they’re in love. Would you deny them?”
“No, Mari, I would not. But this presents difficulties.”
“Difficulties?” Duncan made no effort to hide his anger. “Watching the woman I love getting wed to another was a difficulty I chose not to suffer. And saving your arse from a shipwreck was a wee bit difficult for me, as well, but I did it.”
Callum’s anger was the quiet sort that brought a profound hush to the room. Softly, he said, “I havenae forgotten that I owe you my life. If you’re asking for payment–”
The chair scraped the floor as Duncan rose to his feet, followed closely by Callum. The two stood face-to-face, barely checking their wrath. Alex drew closer to Duncan and put a hand on his shoulder. Duncan shook it off as he said to Callum, “I would never ask that, and you know it.”
Callum’s ill temper faded. “I do. As you should know that I would help you in any way that I can. At the moment, I dinnae know what that is, though. So let us see what’s to be done, and we’ll do it.”
With a sharp nod, Duncan sat down. The tension in the room eased.
Callum said, “I was thinking aloud, that is all. Tavish willnae be pleased that you’ve stolen his bride.”
Duncan sneered. “Nor was I when he stole mine.”
“Aye, well, you kept that wee fact to yourselves.” Callum turned to Jenny. “And what of your father? What will he do?”
Jenny said frankly, “I dinnae know what he’ll do, but he has threatened to throw Duncan’s parents out of their cottage.”
“Has he? And when was that?” Callum asked her.
“Months ago, when I told him I loved Duncan and wanted to spend my life with him. But he told me I had to agree or he’d cast Duncan’s parents from their home.”
“She kept silent for us,” Duncan said.
Callum’s eyes softened. “I see.”
Jenny said, “I dinnae know what else to do.” Duncan turned, and she met his warm gaze.
Callum took note. “Duncan, your parents will need somewhere to live, then.”
“They will.”
Mari smiled gently as she recalled. “There’s a croft by the sea. ‘Tis a wee bit remote, but I once found it quite pleasing.”
“Aye, so did I.” With a gentle smile, Callum gazed at his wife. “It is not mine to offer, but I know it is not being used. I will speak to my father about it. Will that do for your parents?”
“It will.” He swallowed back emotion. “Callum, I dinnae know how to thank you.”
“You are my friend. There is no more to say.”
Charlie asked Duncan, “Where will you two live?”
I suppose that we’ll live in the croft with my parents.”
Charlie grinned. “Well that sounds very snug.”
With a glance, Duncan warned Charlie. “We’ll manage.” Turning to Callum, he said, “In truth, I dinnae know how they’d manage alone.”
Jenny said, “They won’t have to. I love Duncan’s parents as if they were my own. We will all work together to make it our home.”
Alex said, “We can build a new croft of your own close to theirs.”
Duncan was stunned.
When he started to thank him, Alex said, “Wheesht! Would you nae do the same for any of us?”
“Well, aye. But–”
Alex broke in. “Of course you would.”
Charlie said, “All I ask in return is a dram of your father’s whisky at the end of the day.”
“Now that is a brilliant idea,” said Alex.
“Getting Charlie drunk?” said Duncan with a raised brow.
Alex said, “Your father’s whisky sells well enough. Could you not learn to make it as he does?”
Duncan nodded. “I could.” He turned to Callum. “If your father is willing, perhaps we could stay there and pay him in whisky.”
“Callum said, “I dinnae see why he would not. Your father makes a fine whisky. No doubt he and his guests would enjoy it.”
“There. Then it’s all settled, except for one thing.” Mari put her hands on her hips. “Have you all forgotten something?”
She was met with blank stares.
“We’ve a wedding to celebrate! All of you, arise from your chairs. You, too, Jenny.” Mari dragged them to the center of the floor. “Charlie, sing. Callum, go fetch everyone you can find to play music. I’ll have a room made ready. Of course, you’ll bide here.” She looked at Duncan and Jenny. “Dinnae stand there like you’ve nothing to do. Let’s have a merry dance.”
Duncan smiled at his bride. “You heard her. Dinnae stand there, my Jenny. Make merry with me!” He pulled her into his arms and spun her about. After planting a kiss on her lips, the dancing began.
*
Hours later, Duncan and Jenny went up to their room, leaving the music and laughter behind them. Duncan closed and bolted the door and pulled Jenny against his warm body. Jenny pressed her softness against him and buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent. “We’re married!”
“’Tis true. ‘Though your parents may never forgive me, I am yours forever. Poor you!” Duncan laughed and scooped her up into his arms and walked to the bed. There he set her down gently and leaned over her. A deep look clouded his eyes.
“What is it?” said Jenny, alarmed.
“You’re so bonnie,
and I love you so.”
Jenny reached up and brushed the hair from his face. Her eyes filled with mist, which she would not permit, so she grinned. “Come here, husband. You’ll have to convince me.”
He did his best to do just that, beginning with her soft lips and working his way down the curves in her neck. She inhaled as he unlaced the ties of her shift at the neckline and tugged at her bodice. He set her free from her clothing and found every inch of silk skin he had longed for.
Jenny slid her hands up Duncan’s powerful legs. “Take off your trews. Let me feel you against me.” He did, eager to pull away every garment.
He moaned in her ear. “How I’ve missed you.”
Their breathing grew ragged as their bodies sought to be closer. Her legs wrapped about his and she moaned. With teasing touches and greedy clutching they sought to be one. Jenny cried out and Duncan covered her mouth with his palm to muffle the sound, as he buried the rest of her cries with a ravenous kiss. Jenny gripped him and hungrily pulled him close as he plunged further into her. Desperate panting gave way to bliss as they held on, reluctant to part. Together, tangled as one, they lay still but for their rising and lowering chests and the breathing that slowed as their hearts beat together.
*
Duncan lay sleeping, his arm stretched across Jenny’s waist. Jenny awoke. There was shouting downstairs. Had an argument broken out below? Footsteps bounded down the hall to their room.
“Duncan!” It was Alex.
Jenny shook Duncan’s shoulder, but as she did, he leapt out of bed and reached for his dirk. He flung open the door as Jenny clutched the bed clothing to her neck.
Alex ignored Duncan’s state of undress and said, “There’s a fire. It’s your home.”
With haste, Duncan pulled on his trews as he glanced back at Jenny.
Waving him on, Jenny said, “Go! I’ll catch up with you.” Duncan nodded and left with Alex. When Alex had gone, Jenny hurried to dress, and followed after. She rode a horse from Callum’s stable and arrived to find the cottage a smoldering pile of charred planks in the midst of the stone walls.
Duncan met her as she rushed to him and asked, “Where are your parents?”
Highland Soldiers: The Betrayal Page 8
