by Jane Stain
Of course Luag just made a joke of the whole thing, "Leave it tae Leif tae find a way tae be in charge nay matter what."
Taran asked, “Does this mean ye are moving intae Father and Mother’s room?”
Senga's question was for Jessica, and she found that reassuring: "Are ye gaun'ae put in that braw stove ye spoke on? That sounded grand indeed. And the rugs? And the fabric ower the windows?"
They were in the village now, and they drew more of a crowd with people yelling out about the spectacle until the entire village crowded around the small church. There was a party atmosphere, with the villagers chiding and teasing Leif about it being his wedding day.
But no one made any snide remarks about Jessica at all. In fact several of the women patted Jessica on the back or squeezed her hand. Two who were much younger than she even curtsied to her.
Jessica's heart warmed. This was the only reservation she had about marrying Leif — and it hadn't been keeping her from doing it. Leif was her number one desire, but her second want was to be a part of things here.
The feeling she got from helping these people improve their town exceeded anything she'd done back at home. Perhaps it would've been different if she worked in the hospital actually helping patients. The job at PenUlt had seemed glamorous when she accepted it a year ago, but now she realized it had been a mistake. Oh, she was glad she'd gotten to know Katherine. And it had been fun to spend more time with Lauren. And let's face it she never would've had this adventure, nor met Leif, had she not taken that job. So all had worked out well in the end.
Katherine spun Jessica around and showed her how she had hidden her phone in her shawl, then leaned forward to whisper in her ear, “Don’t worry. You’ll have wedding photos, and I’ll make sure your parents get copies.”
At long last, Father answered the door. Sure enough, he was wiping his mouth from eating the stew the wives took turns dropping off for him. His eyes twinkled with merriment at the sight of Leif and Jessica standing before him with all the townspeople gathered around.
But he had a reputation to uphold as the disciplinarian among the children of the town, and so he put a stern tone in his voice as he addressed them, careful not to let Amena and the other children see how happy he actually was for the couple.
"What makes ye disturb my supper, ye heathens!"
Devaney met Jessica's eye and winked.
Gilly pursed his lips to keep from laughing.
But the children sure were taken in by Father’s stern act. They grabbed their parents’ hands and hid behind them.
"Can we just dae this right here?" Father said with false disgust. "My stew is getting cold."
"Aye, if ye think we be close enough tae the holy presence, Father," Leif said with false fear in his voice.
Jessica enjoyed this game, stealing a glance at him sideways. The love and eagerness and respect in his eyes were too much for her. She felt herself melting toward him, irresistibly drawing near to him.
Before she reached Leif, Father jumped in and said the necessary words.
"Dae ye take him for yer husband in front o’ these witnesses?"
"Aye,” was all Jessica could say, so mesmerized she was, so drawn to the man she loved.
"Dae ye take her for yer wife in front o’ these witnesses?"
"Aye," said Leif. His face showed amusement at her drawing uncontrollably near, but also love, desire, respect, and that consideration that had drawn her to him in the first place.
Father barely got the words out before the two of them collided.
"I pronounce that ye are husband and wife. Ye may kiss the bride."
Jessica wanted it to be a long passionate kiss, but she remembered just in time that these people didn’t show public displays of affection, not even if they were married. So a chaste kiss it had to be.
She slowed her progress toward him just enough so that their lips barely touched. It was enough. Warmth swelled into her from the touch of his lips on hers, a warmth like no other. The warmth of love and belonging, of a life planned together, of the future they would share.
Chapter 23
Life had settled into a very pleasant routine at Cresh Manor. Leif and Jessica moved into the master bedroom, of course. All of Leif's mother's things became Jessica's things. Amena now had Leif’s old room, the windowless one. Lauren, Katherine, and Amy had settled in Amena's old room, with the shutters nailed closed and the bar firmly in place against would-be druid intruders.
They all ate together downstairs in the great room, playing games of charades and enjoying conversation. In the afternoons the men drilled the militia and the women helped Senga with the chores and set about creating all the improvements Jessica envisioned.
It was a lovely routine indeed.
And Galdus hated it.
He constantly berated Lauren for not leaving to search out the artifact, reminding her time and time again that finding the artifact was why he had brought her back in time to begin with. He made her so angry!
One day the two of them were alone in the kitchen. Lauren was doing the breakfast dishes while everyone else helped Senga outside with the laundry.
Lauren scrubbed furiously at a pot with porridge cooked onto it.
"There is na way I am going all by myself on a journey across the wild Highlands in the wintertime. ‘Twould be the death o’ me for certain."
Galdus continued his infuriating argument silently, in her mind.
"I will na let ye die. Na afore ye deliver the artifact."
Lauren scrubbed a particularly difficult burnt-on piece.
"Not afore ye hae the artifact! What dae ye take me for, a fool?”
"Verra well," said Galdus in her mind, "I will na let ye die until I hae the artifact an ye are back home."
Lauren threw the pot in the sink with a loud clatter.
"I dinna want tae die at all! Na once ye hae the artifact and na when I get home. Either I dinna die in yer bargain, or there is na bargain!"
"Ye ask tae be immortal?" Galdus's tone was amused rather than incredulous.
He obviously had no intention of granting her that. It was just his way of keeping her temper up, saying ridiculous things and mocking her reactions. It was working. She was seeing red.
"O’ course not, " she seethed. "Just dinna mention my death in oor bargaining at all. I ken how those Celtic folktales go. Ye hae tae be verra careful what ye agree tae."
Galdus laughed. He cackled, in fact.
"Verra well. Ye go and get the artifact, and then I will send ye home."
"Nay!" Lauren spat. "I will na go oot in winter questing for yer precious artifact, I telt ye already. And Katherine has tae be taken home as wull!"
Lauren heard a voice just outside the kitchen door.
And her blood ran cold.
It was Senga’s voice, and from the sound of it, the old cook had just breezed in from outside. That wasn't the disturbing part. The disturbing part was who she spoke to. And what she said.
"Taran! what are ye doing pressed against that door? Ye should be doon with the other lads, practicing with yer swords!”
Afterword
Taran’s book is available now! There’s a link on the next page. If Amazon kicks you out of my book, please hit the back button to get to the link.
Jane
Also by Jane Stain
Tavish, Seumas, Tomas
Time of the Celts, Time of the Picts, Time of the Druids
Leif, Taran, Luag
Meehall, Ciaran, Baltair
RenFaire Druids (the back story)
As Cherise Kelley
Dog Aliens (a cuddly dog story)
High School Substitute Teacher’s Guide
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