Page 93 of How the Belle Stole Christmas

It took three days for the snow to melt.

Catriona and Will spent those three days naked in her bed.

Well. Catriona supposed that wasn’t entirely true.

They had to go downstairs from time to time so Will could cook for her.

They also brought food and water to Mort and Humphrey, not that they much deserved it.

And Will insisted that they clean up the worst of the booby traps so nobody would be injured when they returned to the castle.

But they spent the vast majority of those three days naked in her bed.

During that time, they tried out quite a few of the poses from Duff’s book of prints.

At first, Catriona was dispirited to discover that, no matter which angle Will thrust into her, she didn’t have the magical experience described in The Curse of the Wicked Vicar where a veritable parade of women found rapture from the hero’s magical penis.

No matter. Will was earnest in his desire to make the act good for her, too, and they found what she did like easily enough—being fondled on that little spot on the outside.

Sometimes they would take turns seeing to each other’s pleasure, and they were also able to find a few positions where Will was able to pleasure her—or she was able to pleasure herself—while he was going about the act.

And when they weren’t busy making love, they would lie around, discussing the artifacts, or their favorite episodes from history, or all the places they would travel together once this infernal snow saw fit to melt.

Talking to Will was just as good as exchanging letters with Xenophon.

Better, because she didn’t have to wait weeks on end to receive a response.

For all that she’d known the man for less than a week, Catriona was convinced that their hasty marriage hadn’t been a mistake. Some things were meant to be.

As they drifted off to sleep on the third night, Will confirmed that he was feeling much the same way. “I love you so much,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “You know that, don’t you?”

She smiled at him sleepily. “I do. And I love ye, too, Will Marley.” She snuggled into his chest. “I think we were meant to find each other.”

On the third day of their marriage, they woke to find that the snow had melted overnight.

Word had apparently spread about Doreen’s early labor, and the fact that Catriona had been left to mind the castle all alone, because by noon, the servants started to return several days ahead of schedule.

They were startled to find Humphrey and Mort in the basement, and just as startled to learn that Catriona, of all the McCallister children, had married!

Mrs. MacDonald insisted on sending to Teangue for the priest and holding a slightly more official wedding ceremony, Humphrey and Mort not being regarded as the most reliable of witnesses.

Catriona and Will had no objections, and so, they repeated their vows, this time before a priest, a dozen servants, and Morrigan, who gave a hearty, “Yo ho ho!” upon the ceremony’s conclusion.

That night, Catriona and Will were just about to tuck into the special supper Mrs. MacDonald had ordered in honor of their marriage when the doors to the castle were flung open, and who should come streaming in but her family.

As usual, they were shouting and bickering, a sharp contrast to the silent, snowbound castle Catriona had grown accustomed to in a few short days.

It took a few minutes for anyone to notice Catriona standing in the doorway to the great hall.

It was Meaghan who finally spotted her. “There you are!” she exclaimed, voice dripping with exasperation.

“You always have to ruin everything! Mama told you what time the carriages were departing, yet you somehow managed to…” She trailed off as she noticed Will looming behind Catriona’s shoulder.

“Viscount Templeton! I did not observe you there.” Pressing a hand to her heart, she laughed.

“How I hope you were not forced to spend your Christmas minding my sister.”

Will stepped forward, taking Catriona’s hand. “I was not forced to do anything. And this was the best Christmas I’ve had in many years.” He cast Catriona a fond smile. “I even got a bride out of the bargain.”

Meaghan took a staggering step back, clutching her heart. “A bride? Surely you don’t mean…” Her gaze flew to Catriona, eyes slightly wild.

Catriona grinned. “That’s right! We had the ceremony earlier today. The second ceremony, that is. I’m now properly known as Viscountess Temple…” She squinted up at Will. “What is it again?”

“Templeton,” Will supplied.

“Templeton. That’s right.” She shrugged. “I’ll learn it sooner or later.”

“But…” Meaghan laughed nervously. “You could not possibly be a viscountess.”

Will tilted his head. “Whyever not?”

Meaghan gestured to her sister. “Isn’t it obvious? She doesn’t even know her new title!” She dropped her voice to a hiss, “She obviously isn’t viscountess material.”

Will waved this off. “Oh, as to that, I’m not viscount material, either. Neither of us puts much stock in titles and the like. But it turns out that your sister and I have been corresponding for some months.”

Catriona leaned forward. “Will wrote to me because he was interested in the artifacts! Ye’ll recall I said I needed my writing desk. It was so I could continue exchanging letters with him from Paris.”

Will smiled at her fondly. “I came to Skye wanting to see the artifacts, of course. But also hoping that I might meet my new friend.” He squeezed Catriona’s hand. “It all turned out better than I could have hoped.”

Meaghan’s gaze traveled from Catriona to Will and back again. “You’re not having a jest,” she said slowly. “He actually married you.”

“That’s right,” Catriona said.

“Which means,” Meaghan said, her voice rising, “that not only did you manage to catch a husband before me, but you’re a…” She broke off, stomping her foot. “I can’t believe this! It’s not fair. Not fair! I’m the one who’s supposed to be a viscountess! Me. Me!”

Catriona tutted. “Not a very noble sentiment.”

Meaghan, who was busy throwing a fit in the middle of the entrance hall, did not appear to have heard her.

But she elbowed Will to make sure he’d noticed her terrible pun.

She found him looking down at her with concern. “I’m sorry she said that to you.”

Catriona waved this off. “I’m not. Honestly?” She gave Will a wicked grin. “Watching the person who kicked me out of the carriage in favor of her hat boxes get some well-earned comeuppance was the second-best Christmas present I could have received.”

Will threw back his head and laughed. “What’s the best present? I’m late, but there’s bound to be some shops when we get… wherever we decide to go.”

“Ye already got it for me.” She leaned in close and whispered, “It’s ye, Will Marley.”

It was adorable, the way his cheeks went ruddy. He was opening his mouth, probably to respond in kind, when her brother, Duff, appeared before them. “What’s all this the servants are saying about a pair of thieves descending on the castle? Is it true?”

“Aye,” Catriona confirmed. “They’re down in the dungeon as we speak.”

Duff gave her an incredulous look. “And ye held them off? Just the two of ye?”

Catriona lifted her chin. “Aye.”

A grin split Duff’s face. “That was bang up to the mark. Well done, Catriona.”

Catriona found herself smiling in return. “Thank ye, Duff.”

Duff wandered off. That was when Catriona noticed her mother standing nearby. She held her hands clasped before her stomach and had a pained expression on her face. “Catriona?” she asked hesitantly as she stepped forward.

Catriona braced herself for the inevitable lecture about how she had delayed their trip to Paris by failing to be in the carriage at the appointed time. “Yes, Mother?”

To her shock, her mother surged forward and enveloped her in a hug. “I’m so, so sorry! I cannae believe we forgot ye.” She pulled back, wiping an eye. “I’m ashamed to say that we didnae notice ye were missing until the ferry had already departed. That’s why it took so long for us to return.”

Catriona tamped down the surge of emotion that rose in her throat at this rare show of affection from her mother. “’Tis all right.”

“It’s nae all right,” her mother said firmly.

“The truth is, I should have shut down that nonsense about yer sister’s hat boxes as soon as she mentioned it.

” She sighed. “’Tis not always an easy thing, being a parent.

When ye have a difficult child, sometimes it’s easier to let them have their way and force the more tractable child to fall in line. But that doesnae make it right.”

Catriona could scarcely believe her ears. “Wait… Ye’re saying the difficult child is Meaghan. And the tractable one is—”

“Ye. Of course. Ye never asked for anything from yer father and me. Ye went out the door and looked after yerself, from the time ye were seven years old.” She shook her head. “I know there’s been times I’ve harped on ye about yer appearance. About the need to be more ladylike.”

Catriona bit her tongue so she wouldn’t retort that it had been more than once or twice.

Her mother continued, “I hope ye know that was only because I wanted ye to have the kind of future ye wanted, with a loving husband and a family of yer own. I was afraid ye wouldnae find it on account of yer interests being so unconventional.” She gestured to Will.

“I see now that I was the one who was wrong. That every pot has a lid. It seems that, by being yerself, ye’ve found yer perfect fit. ”

Now, Catriona was burbling like a tea kettle. “I have.” She drew Will forward. “Ye’re going to like Will, Mama. He’s even a viscount!”

She had been sure that, as far as her mother was concerned, marrying a viscount was the best thing she’d ever done.

But Katherine McCallister gave Will a stern look.

“That’s all fine and good. But the most important thing is that ye’re kind to my daughter.

I expect ye to treat my Catriona like a queen, young man. ”

Will bowed. “Believe me, ma’am, I intend to.”

“Good.” Her mother gave him a crisp nod before turning and walking away.

Catriona shook her head. “That was the strangest conversation I’ve ever had.”

“At least it was strange in a good way,” Will noted.

“To be sure.” She smiled up at her new husband. “In light of recent events, maybe we should make the crossing to Paris with my family. That will give ye a chance to get to know them a bit before we start on our own adventures.”

Will nodded. “I think that’s an excellent—”

“Catriona!” Duff’s angry shout echoed from the top of the landing. “What have ye done to my golf clubs?”

Catriona shot Will a guilty look. “On second thought, maybe we should leave for Pompeii immediately.”

Will glanced over her shoulder, then blanched. Taking her arm, he began hustling her toward the door. “At a minimum, perhaps we should spend tonight in the gamekeeper’s cottage, in order to give your brother’s temper a chance to cool.”

As they stepped outside, Catriona nudged her husband with her elbow. “At least we have some experience defending our home against invaders.”

“True.” Will offered her his hand. “Ready for our next adventure?”

Catriona accepted his hand and squeezed. “I do believe I am.”

Heads bent together, they headed toward the cottage, ready to take on the world together.

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