Black Richard's Heart (The MacCulloughs #1) - Suzan Tisdale Page 0,17

the corner. Murderous rage could be seen in the eyes of Garrin and his sons.

David, however, looked pleased. To one of his men he said, “Fetch the priest.”

He told himself his decision was made for the betterment of his clan. For too many years they had been at war with the Chisolms and MacRays. Even though he had successfully wrenched the keep and lands from the hands of his enemies, his clan still suffered. They’d been surviving on little more than a hope and a prayer. The constant raids by the MacRay’s and Farquars did not help matters either. The Chisolms had been eerily quiet since he’d won his lands back from them. Deep down he knew they’d not remain quiet for much longer.

Nay, ’twas a logical decision to make. Marry the MacRay lass and stop the border raids from at least one of his enemies.

The fact that she was beautiful and made his fingers all but itch with desire had nothing to do with his decision.

Nay, he was doing this for his clan.

While the MacRay men cursed and railed against the union, Black Richard went outside to gather Lachlan and the rest of his men to act as witnesses. He left Aeschene standing next to the hearth and was gone naught but a few moments.

When he returned, the first thing he noticed was Aeschene. She was were right where he had left her in the corner near the hearth. Clinging to a young woman he assumed was her maid, the color drained from her face, Aeschene looked horrified and terrified all at once.

The instinct to protect kicked in. He reached her in a few quick strides. “Are ye well, lass?”

She swallowed back tears and nodded her head, but he was not convinced.

Marisse leaned in and spoke low, so only he could hear. “Ye see, her da—”

Aeschene silenced her, “Me da is upset. Naught more, Marisse.”

He had a sneaking suspicion there was more to it than just Garrin MacRay being upset. Before he could ask on it, he heard collective gasps coming from his men, who had just approached the trio. Aeschene burned crimson from head to toe, but Marisse? She rolled her eyes as if gaping mouthed, wide-eyed men were an everyday occurrence. And one she found quite annoying.

Turning, he gave each of his men — who were staring in awe at the visions of beauty that were both Aeschene and Marisse — a hard glare.

“Which one be yers?” Lachlan whispered, his eyes firmly affixed on Marisse.

Black Richard shook his head, embarrassed by his men’s behavior. “Have ye not seen a beautiful woman before?” he hissed.

One hard glower stopped any of them from answering. Once again, he took Aeschene’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. Lachlan and Andrew looked disappointed whilst Rory and Daniel looked relieved. They could not take their eyes away from the golden-haired beauty named Marisse.

David stood near the table and Black Richard could see he was doing his best not to laugh.

Before he could chastise his men further, the priest entered the room. He was a middle-aged man, with thinning hair that he swept over the bald spot atop his head. The man took one look at Black Richard, gave the sign of the cross, and immediately went to David.

Chapter Five

Less than a quarter of an hour after making his announcement, Black Richard MacCullough and Aeschene MacRay were standing before a priest.

“Are ye certain ye wish to do this, lass?” the man asked her for the third time.

If Richard were easily offended — which he wasn’t — he might have been tempted to threaten him with bodily injury should he ask the question again. Believing he’d already angered God so much so that he was now forced to marry the MacRay lass, he did not want to tempt his fate by such an action.

“Aye, I be certain,” Aeschene replied. Her voice, so soft and low, felt like silk against Richard’s skin.

He paid no attention to anyone else in the room for the duration of the ceremony. How could he when the pretty lass next to him shook like a leaf on a tree in a thunderstorm.

He had to give her credit though. Not once did she falter in saying her vows. Nor did she stop to think long on the priest’s question, “Do ye take this man of yer own free will?”

“Aye,” she answered with a smile.

The ceremonial cloth was tied around their wrists, they spoke their vows, the priest blessed