Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6) - Paula Quinn Page 0,92
her now.
She wasn’t afraid. She remembered his hardness when he kissed her. Perhaps she was a bit afraid. Suddenly, she wanted to do what she could to postpone it. No. She wasn’t going to say her vows because she loved this man. She was happy to be his wife.
They reached the church and held hands as they entered.
Silene smiled when she saw Father Timothy. He was fast becoming her dearest friend.
“Did Galeren explain how this is possible?” he asked after their warm greeting. “He made his vow at midnight exactly six years ago. It ended tonight.”
Eager to get on with it, Galeren took her hand again and led her before the altar.
Father Timothy smiled and went with them, with a Bible in his hand. He began with loving looks at them from under his fuzzy gray brow and reading from the Holy Scriptures.
“Silene Sparrow, d’ye consent to becomin’ Galeren’s wife? To love and honor and obey him till death d’ye part?”
She smiled. “Aye. I do.”
He smiled lovingly at her then turned to Galeren. “Galeren MacPherson, d’ye consent to becomin’ Silene’s husband? To love, honor, and protect her till death d’ye part?”
He consented with a wide, dimpled grin.
A few more words were said, that Silene didn’t remember later, and then Father Timothy told them to kiss.
“In the sight of the Almighty, I pronounce ye husband and wife.”
That was it. She was Galeren’s wife. She thought the ceremony was a bit short and smiled at her husband’s eagerness. She wondered if she would still be smiling in the morning.
They thanked the good priest and Galeren handed him Daffodil for the night.
“We are not going to the manor house?”
He shook his head and led her up the hill toward Jamie’s cottage.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The cottage was simple in design. There was a small table and chair near the hearth that was built within the wall. Dried, garden herbs hung from the low ceiling. A curtained wall separated the kitchen area from the sleeping quarter, which consisted of a separate room with a bed and some trunks. There was a shepherd’s crook hanging on the wall. A larger hand-carved chair was set opposite the bed.
There were fur coverings on the bed, and it looked able to accommodate two people.
“The night is finally here,” he said, coming up behind her and kissing her earlobe. “I thought I would go mad yesterday when I couldna see ye.”
She trembled a little when his arms slipped around her waist and he buried his face in her nape.
She lifted her arm and ran it through his dark golden locks. She expected to feel Daffodil there. She smiled and drew in a quick, deep breath to calm her nerves. She loved him. She just promised her life to him. Truly, there was nothing to be frightened of.
“Silene, I love ye, love. I will be gentle.”
How? She wanted to ask him. How would he be gentle when he was so eager for her? When he’d been chaste for so long? What if she disappointed him?
“Galeren,” she turned in his arms to say, “I do not know what to do to please you.”
His eyes roved over her face, her red waves falling to her brow. “Love, lookin’ at ye pleases me.” The catch of his breath proved his words.
Somehow, she, with her plain, freckled face and shorn, bright red hair had won the heart of Galeren the Bonny. She didn’t have to do anything to please him. She already did please him. It made her want to please him more.
She took his hand and led him to the bed, her heart banging so loud in her chest she was sure he could hear it.
He followed, a willing subject.
She released his hand when they reached the bed and turned to face him. She untied her cloak and let it fall around her ankles, her gaze fixed on his while she stood before him in her thin chemise.
He took her in as if he had waited his whole life for her.
She was emboldened by the power he was giving her by not throwing her onto the bed and taking her like a savage. Though she was not always opposed to savages, this was her first time.
He was patient, as always, in tight control of himself, letting her move at her own pace. She had never touched a man before him. She wanted to take her time and explore him. She began with his léine, pulling it free from his belt. She could feel his eyes on