A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,100

like it if she muddled his plans, but neither would he disown her. In fact, he had given her this choice to begin with, as distasteful as it might have seemed, and Elizabeth had chosen to come here of her own free will, in order to help restore a family’s good name. So why shouldn’t she still do so?

Simply because it no longer seemed a matter of charity?

Even as Callum knelt before her, asking for her hand, she knew he would honor whatever decision she arrived at. If she asked him to allow it, he would send her back to Westerham, and he would… what? Return home to face his own dispossession?

And what about her cousin? She knew well enough that the only reason James wasn’t being court marshaled for having freed his charge was because, first of all, until now, there hadn’t been proof. Callum MacKinnon hadn’t yet returned from the dead. Although her cousin was now commissioned to his father’s regimen, and he was under Uncle Edward’s protection, it wouldn’t suit either of them if it became known… unless, James and Uncle Edward had some way to reassure the Crown that its interests were being met. Unfortunately for Callum, it was only their marriage contract that could save him from the gibbet. Eventually, unless he too had her Uncle’s protection, he would answer for his participation at Culloden…

Elizabeth studied his face… handsome, despite the small scar on the right side of his chin. She hadn’t the first inkling what his brother Lachlan looked like, but it didn’t matter, because he was just a boy and Callum was a man…

“Very well,” she said. “I will marry you.”

He grinned suddenly, clearly pleased with her answer, and now, again, he pulled the ribbon through his fingers and took her gently by the hand.

“There’s an old Scot’s tradition,” he explained as he laid the ribbon over her wrist, and then he peered up into her eyes long enough to explain. “A man and a woman pledge vows to remain faithful for a year and a day. At the end of such time, according to our laws, ye would be free tae leave me if it be your choice… However… if ye’ll have me, Elizabeth Louise, I will promise tae gi’ ye no cause tae go.”

Elizabeth’s heart pounded fiercely; she feared he must hear it as well. She nodded, and said, “I will.”

And now, again, his smile unfurled in the most stunning display of startling white teeth as he looped his ribbon about her wrist, then tied it carefully, covering her hand with his own. He said, “As this knot is tied, so, too, will our lives be bound.”

And then he nodded as though she was supposed to say something as well.

“Is that all?”

He chuckled richly. “For now,” he said. “Only one more thing…” He reached up to touch her lightly upon the chin, tapping it gently, and said, “May I kiss my bride?”

Chapter Seven

Elizabeth sucked in a startled breath.

The unanticipated question gave her a dizzy feeling in her head and a warm gush in the pit of her belly that didn’t have a thing to do with the hearth fire, nor the ale she’d drunk, nor even the whisky in her cranachan.

How had she come to this moment so unexpectedly?

She had left home intending to become a wife and mother to a young man, but here she was, feeling like a naive little girl… seated before a grown man… who was asking sincerely for her hand in matrimony. Nay, she corrected herself… they were already “handfasted”—married in the eyes of Scot’s law. Barbaric, perhaps, but simple, honest and sweet—as sweet as the promises he’d made her.

If you’ll do me the honor of becoming my bride, I shall promise to provide for you to the best of my ability and I will honor and cherish you as a man should honor and cherish his wife…

Nodding jerkily, Elizabeth held her breath as he lifted himself up from one knee to press his warm lips against her trembling mouth, and if she feared it would escalate to the marriage bed thereafter, she feared for naught. He drew back, smiling at her, and then rose to his feet, and limped over to the still steaming tub, reminding her again of his injury—not one, but two.

“We’ll make it proper once we’re home,” he said, giving her a reprieve, although truly, Elizabeth wasn’t overly concerned with propriety. In fact, had she been so, she might have run screaming