Page 28 of A Wife for the Highland Wolf (Lasses of Clan Clyde #4)
28
Lochlann Castle, Two Weeks Later
T he gardens were a riot of colorful blooms and the weather was perfect, with not a cloud in the sky. As far as Murdoch was concerned there could be no better day to have a wedding.
Today he would marry Lydia Knox and officially make her Lydia Nairn, Lady of Clan Lochlann. Unlike his first wedding, which he’d approached with detachment and resignation, this event filled him with nothing but joy.
The garden was full of guests. His council was there, as were his two cousins and Finn, watched closely by Wilma. Hector was also nearby, having become as devoted to guarding the Lochlann heir as he was the woman who would soon be Finn’s mother.
Murdoch’s gaze skimmed across the rest of his guests, the men and women he’d only recently come to know; his soon-to-be kinfolk by marriage and his new allies.
He’d met Nora Barclay nee Knox and Isobel Rothach nee Knox, before, but it was only yesterday that he’d met Lydia’s third sister Emma, as well as the husbands of the three women.
Laird Hunter Murray was a quiet man, and he knew from his betrothed that Laird MacRoss preferred being outdoors. It was one of the reasons Lydia had wanted to have the ceremony in the garden if possible. Despite his taciturn nature he proved to be a well-spoken man.
Laird Leo Barclay was a stern man with a sharp, sarcastic tongue but an appealing sense of humor. He was very protective of his wife, but also courteous, when the situation demanded. His son was a quiet but cheerful youth.
Of all Lydia’s kinfolk, Leo had been the most understanding of Murdoch’s actions. –After first politely threatening to thrash Murdoch to a pulp if he harmed Lydia, Leo admitted that he’d also had a son by his first wife and had done some foolish things of his own with regard to Nora.
Then there was Alex Rothach, who was far too similar to his wife Isobel for Murdoch’s peace of mind. At their first meeting, Alex had punched him for upsetting Lydia and causing Isobel undue stress while she was heavy with child.
After the punch that left his gut aching and the rest of his guests staring with mingled apprehension and appreciation, Alex Rothach had opened their meeting with “So ye’re the unruly bastard who upset me wife dragged me sister-by-marriage into the problems of yer clan.”
Murdoch swallowed, wondering if he was about to be challenged to an honor duel. “Aye. I cannae claim otherwise. In me defense, I dinnae expect it to end the way it did. Me uncle was a good actor.”
After a moment of tense silence, Alex sighed. “Och, well, I cannae say much. Me faither was a proper bastard in his own right. Sold me to pirates to ‘toughen me up’. At least ye dinnae kidnap Lydia. Tis better than Leo’s tactics.”
Leo snorted. “I dinnae kidnap Nora for a bride. I’d kidnapped her for a healer. The rest came later.” Leo smirked and elbowed the man beside him. “Unlike Hunter.”
“I dinnae kidnap anyone. Emma walked into me castle of her own accord .”
Murdoch sighed. “Lydia came to me home by choice as well.”
“Aye. But ye did threaten her kinfolk.” Alex clapped him on the shoulder and Murdoch felt the weight of his muscles. “Do it again, and I’ll pound the foolishness out of ye.”
“If I ever do it again, I’ll deserve it twice over, for bein’ a fool and for harming Lydia.”
“Good. Ye understand. Just so ye ken, tis the same deal we all have with each other.” Leo held out a hand. “Welcome to the family lad.”
That conversation, as well as the ones that had followed over cards and whiskey, convinced Murdoch that all three men were good men, and he believed he might have a chance at becoming good friends with them all, as well as being kin-by-marriage.
With this marriage, Clan Lochlann would be the most prosperous and peaceful it had been in years, if not decades.
That fact was only one among many that made Murdoch happy these days.
Laughter sounded from the courtyard and he looked over to see yet another group of villagers and clanfolk entering the gates, laden with food, drink and gifts.
That was another thing that had changed since Lydia had returned to him. At her urging, he’d spent more time among the nearby villages, talking to the folk there.
As she’d predicted, the clanfolk were mistrustful at first, but as he made it more of a point to interact with them, and as the story of his uncle’s actions spread, the air of cautious, wary hostility faded.
They now fully accepted him as their laird. They were welcoming when he moved among them. Instead of shying away, men sought him out for conversation, or to share a glass of ale and local gossip. The women would smile and offer up things to him if they happened to have something they felt he or Lydia might enjoy.
Thanks to his lovely betrothed, he had become the laird he’d always hoped to be. His beautiful betrothed, who would soon be his wife.
“Come cousin. Tis time to get to yer place.” Gordon’s voice drew him out of his musing.
The ceremony would be starting in a moment. Murdoch nodded and moved to the head of the long aisle that had been laid amidst rows of flowers, terminating at a wedding arch that Lydia’s sisters and Wilma had created. The priest was already waiting for him. Murdoch took his place, with Gordon and Wilma standing in for his family.
As the bagpipes began to play, the guests arranged themselves on either side of the aisle . A hush fell over the crowd and Murdoch turned to see his bride, radiant as she walked gracefully toward him.
Lydia adjusted the fall of her emerald green wedding dress, intricately embroidered with golden flowers to compliment her eyes, one last time before she took Alex’s arm. Hunter was technically the eldest of her male siblings-by-marriage, but Alex was the laird of Clan Clyde, which was why she’d chosen him to escort her in her father’s place.
Isobel was too far advanced with child to stand for long, but Nora and Emma would stand at her side and that was fine. Her entire family was here. Soon she would be wed to her beloved Murdoch.
Lydia took Alex’s arm as the bagpipes played and began her slow walk up the aisle. Her breath caught in her chest as she spotted Murdoch, his cousin’s at his side.
Murdoch looked breathtakingly handsome, his dark hair brushed back and confined by the laird’s coronet on his brow. He was wearing the same kilt he’d worn the night he’d come and invited her to dinner with himself and Finn, and he had donned a shirt decorated with green and gold embroidery to match her gown, though it was an intricate pattern of knotwork instead of flowers.
His face was open and shining with joy, and it transformed him from a handsome man into one that was breathtaking to behold. It almost made her wish she could drag him somewhere private.
Almost. But this ceremony would make her his wife and join their clans and their lives together. She could wait a little longer, knowing that they would eventually have their wedding night.
The thoughts of what they might do with that night made her blush.
“Come on lass.” Alex tugged her forward gently. Lydia blushed deeply once she realized that she’d stopped walking, too caught up in staring at her groom to approach him.
A small, teasing grin played on Murdoch’s mouth as she traversed the last few feet to his side. It was clear he knew what had distracted her.
Alex laid her hand in Murdoch’s and they turned to the priest.
“Friends, kin and clanfolk, we gather here today to witness and bless the union of two hearts. Who comes this day to ask for the blessing of God upon their union?”
Murdoch spoke first. “I, Murdoch Nairn, laird of Clan Lochlann, do come for a blessing upon me marriage to this woman.”
Lydia swallowed and managed to bring forth the words. “I, Lydia Knox, daughter of Clan Clyde, do come for a blessing upon me marriage to this man.”
“And who stands witness to present these two for the ceremony of holy matrimony?”
“I, Gordon Nairn, first cousin and advisor to the Laird, do present this man for marriage.”
“I, Alex Rothach, laird of Clan Rothach and acting laird of Clan Clyde, do present this woman for marriage.”
The priest intoned his blessing as Alex and Gordon stepped back. More words were spoken, but Lydia was too busy watching Murdoch to pay much attention until the priest said “Ye may now recite yer vows.”
Murdoch looked into her eyes. “Lydia Knox, ye’ve brought light and joy into me life. With ye beside me, I’ve become the laird I always wanted to be. More importantly, I’ve become the father, and the man, I’d always hoped I could be. Ye’re the sunshine in me world and the magic in me life. You are everything beautiful and wondrous. I swear that I will love ye, body, heart and soul, through good and bad, joy and sorrow, health and illness, from now until the stars crumble or the world ends, whichever comes last.”
Her throat was tight and made it difficult to talk, but still she managed. “Murdoch Nairn, I had never kent what passion was until ye taught it to me. I iced me life in me books, protected from the world, until ye claimed me hand and brought me forth to yer world, to experience all the things that I’d only read about. Ye gave me the life I’d always longed for and helped me become a better woman for it. Ye’re the pillar that gives me strength, the gift I never imagined receiving, and I’m blessed to be with ye, and to love ye. I swear that I will love ye body, heart and soul, through good and bad, joy and sorrow, health and illness, from now until the stars crumble or the world ends, whichever comes last.”
Gordon and Emma came forward with their rings, while Alex solemnly removed the Clyde tartan from her shoulder and replaced it with the tartan of Clan Lochlann.
The priest intoned another blessing, then spoke the words she’d been waiting to hear. “Ye may now kiss the bride.”
Murdoch’s lips claimed hers in a fiery kiss that made her melt against him. She would happily have stayed like that for the rest of the day, had they not been nudged apart by discrete bumps from Gordon and Emma.
As they turned together to face the assembled guests, the priest called out “I give ye, the Laird and Lady Lochlann!”
As they walked toward the doors of Lochlann Castle to begin the wedding feast, Lydia knew she’d never been happier.