Page 24 of The Dark Highlander’s Heart (Thorns Of The Highlands #2)

EPILOGUE

T he wedding was set for the following month, and in the weeks leading up to it, there were many preparations to make. Invitations were sent to the heads of all clans allied with the Oliphants, and though the wedding bells were not ringing for a true-born member of that clan, or one of noble birth, they were still greatly encouraged to attend and make merry.

Lady Romilly McGregor wrote to say that although she sincerely wished she could come immediately and assist in planning the event, she needed to spend as much time at the McGregor Stronghold as possible. There was much to oversee in the wake of Laird Angus relinquishing his hold over the clan, and she needed to be there to supervise as much of it as she could.

However, Romilly promised to be there in time for the ceremony itself, and she was every bit as good as her word: The procession of McGregor carriages arrived three days before, for Romilly was able to leave her mother in command of the clan’s affairs. Lady Annabel was proving to be a dab hand at resolving disputes and seeing to the day-to-day responsibilities of leadership.

“Ye should see her at it.” Romilly laughed as Katherine led her to her guest chambers. “I dinnae know where it comes from. She has been listening tae father conduct his affairs longer and more closely than we ever might have guessed, and she has a tremendous talent for all of it.”

“All this time she’s spent locked in her room, I’d have thought it might take some doing tae remind our clan who she is and why they ought tae listen tae her,” Katherine giggled.

“There was a bit of that at the start, aye,” Romilly admitted. “But once they came tae realize that she has their best interests at heart, as our father has not for many years, why, they welcomed her solutions tae their problems with open arms! Now come, let me have a look at yer wedding gown, Sister. From the way ye’ve described it in yer letters, it must be a wondrous thing tae behold.”

And indeed it was: A snow-white cascade like a waterfall frozen in wintertime, with draped and elaborate ribbons that rippled and flowed as she moved. Romilly’s eyes were wide with astonishment.

So were Bryan’s on the day of the ceremony, when he stood in a kilt bearing the tartan of the Oliphant Clan and saw Katherine being led up the aisle toward him.

In lieu of Angus, Romilly guided her to the altar, where her husband-to-be waited.

There were hundreds of guests in breathless attendance; not as many McGregors as Katherine might have liked, only because the members of the clan were still recovering from the poverty and desperation that they’d endured under Angus. Those had their own affairs to tend to. However, a preponderance of them sent along missives with their good wishes, and those who could afford to sent gifts as well. They were largely meager, but entirely heartfelt.

Laird Alex presided over the hand-fasting ceremony, and as he wrapped the cloth around the wrists and forearms of the happy couple, he spoke of loyalty. Not just Bryan’s many years of service to the Oliphant Clan, but also Katherine’s willingness to sacrifice all that she had held dear in the name of peace and prosperity for the Oliphants. He welcomed her warmly into their clan, and said that her sense of duty was equal to that of any sworn or true-born Oliphant.

They were kind words, to be sure. If Bryan or Katherine had heard most of them, there is little doubt that they would have appreciated them greatly.

At that moment, though, the two of them inhabited an enchanted world consisting of nothing but each other.

When the time came for them to kiss, Katherine fell into Bryan’s embrace and he cradled her tightly. Their lips came together and everyone at the ceremony rose as one with thunderous applause and cheers.

Now, at last, the long rivalry between these two clans could come to a happy end.

The festivities lasted well into the night. Naturally, the members of the formerly feuding clans were a bit wary around each other at first. There were McGregors who rode with the raiding parties that sacked some border farms and villages, and the grudges from those skirmishes ran deep.

The music and dancing and sense of fellowship all bewitched the guests equally the hours passed, though, and so did the toast offered by Kirk, who had imbibed quite a lot of wine.

“I believe we all owe a great deal of thanks tae the true hero of tonight’s celebration; me!” he cackled, raising his goblet grandly.

There were some scattered laughs and groans from those assembled.

“Nay, nay, think on it!” he drawled, taking another long drink, and spilling a fair amount of it down the front of his tunic. “If Lady Katherine had found me at all desirable as a prospective mate, why, perhaps none of this joy might have unfolded at all! But I, very intentionally, mind ye, made myself as unpalatable tae her as possible, knowing in my infinite wisdom that in doing so, I would vouchsafe a happy end for her and our wonderful captain. So here’s tae that!”

Kirk gamely clanked his goblet against that of the man sitting next to him, then guzzled down the rest.

“Guffaw all ye wish, Cousin,” Alex said quietly, giving him a wry smile. “But soon enough, it shall be yer turn tae do yer part by marrying some lady of noble birth. Perhaps ye had best study the flower arrangements around us and consider how they might compare with the ones that will be displayed at yer ceremony in the days tae come.”

That gave Kirk rather a lot to consider, and he largely kept his mouth shut for the hour that followed. At some point, he passed out face down upon one of the banquet tables, and had flowers weaved into his hair by some lasses at the festivities while he snored.

By the end of the night, it seemed as though everyone had danced with everyone else at one time or another. The musicians had long since retired, but those who had once been sworn enemies now eagerly exchanged stories and drank toasts in each other’s honor. There were even a few McGregor lads who found themselves quite taken with Oliphant lasses, and vice versa.

Of all the love matches that night, though, only one was consummated; that of the bride and groom, who managed to sneak up to their marriage chamber while the last of the revelers continued to make merry.

Hand in hand, they crept into the room and shut the door behind them, giggling like a pair of capricious children.

As they kissed and undressed each other, both of them recalled, and silently marveled at, the peculiar circumstances that had brought them there. He had been sent to abduct her; he had been charged with guarding her while she was with the Oliphants; he had become her confidante, then her unlikely rescuer; and now he was her husband.

Had the world ever witnessed such a strange courtship?

Neither of them knew. They only knew that the world was about to witness the long-overdue consummation of it.

Bryan gently cupped the back of Katherine’s neck with his hand and kissed her; on the mouth at first, then down the side of her neck, relishing her soft sighs and moans of delight. He nipped and nuzzled her exquisite collarbone, his fingers busying themselves with the ribbons on her wedding dress. She put her hands over his, guiding them patiently; the fasteners on the dress were somewhat elaborate, and tying them in the first place had taken some time.

At last, the dress relented and crumpled to the floor around her ankles in a heap. The bride and groom looked at each other and laughed softly, and as she stood nude before him in the light of the candles, he saw that she was even more glorious to look at than he could ever have imagined. The way the illumination painted the dimples and contours of her body transformed her into a breathing work of art before his very eyes, and the sight took his breath away.

Her soft and slender hands carefully undid the fasteners on his tunic and peeled it away from his muscled frame, then slid down to release him from his ceremonial kilt.

Now both were naked and vulnerable before each other, their chests heaving with excitement and desire.

Bryan reached around Katherine and lightly caressed her back, allowing his fingertips to slowly dance from the nape of her neck down to the cleft of her buttocks and back again. Goosebumps broke out across her delicate skin, and their lips were inches apart, their breath tickling each other’s faces.

She was shivering with desire for him, and he loved her all the more for it.

Bryan took her hand and led her to the marriage bed that awaited them. Katherine slid onto the soft fur blanket, smiling up at him invitingly. He reclined next to her and held her close with one arm, his burly frame comfortingly enveloping hers. She nestled against him, and with the fingers of his other hand, he traced intricate patterns down her neck and shoulders and breasts.

Katherine arched her back, her toes curling from the giddy sensation. His mouth was at her ear now, nibbling tenderly at her earlobe. Meanwhile, his thumb roughly brushed against one of her nipples, then the other, making each one painfully and perfectly hard in turn.

She had never known such bliss in her life, and these new sensations brought her close to swooning. Her fingers hooked and dug into the bedclothes, so she could anchor herself to his moment, these feelings.

Otherwise, she worried the lightness she felt within her would lift her off the bed and carry her off into the night sky, to shine among the stars.

As Katherine clung to the blanket tightly, her muscles tensed and ached, waiting for the next touch from Bryan. He moved his hand lower and rubbed the delicate delta of her sex, finding her dewy and welcoming. The sensual musk that rose from them beckoned him further.

Bryan lowered himself so that his face was between her legs, and then his mouth met Katherine’s most intimate place. She gasped, uncertain of whether her body could possibly contain so much sheer ecstasy. It was as though a flock of bluebirds was singing restlessly within her, bursting to fly free.

As his tongue caressed her, his fingers explored her gently, lovingly, finding places within her that she never knew existed before. She cried out with pleasure, feeling the beautiful birds inside of her suddenly burst into flight all at once. Bliss poured forth from her; she was slick with it, glistening, dripping and desperate.

She did not even fully know what she needed. Only that she needed it now, right now, or else she would perish without it.

Bryan rose again and positioned himself atop her, holding her tightly. He looked deep into her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. It told her more than words ever could about how safe and loved she was with him, how he would never harm her, how he would cherish her always and forever.

The quivering hardness of him touched her soaked softness, the tip of him pushing against her slowly. He was gentle yet confident, not hesitant. He paused briefly, as if to give her one final chance to object, but she could no sooner do that than she could object to breathing.

Every fiber of her being cried out for him, and she would not be denied.

She unhooked her nails from the blanket and reached up, digging them into his shoulders. He breathed in sharply and gritted his teeth, but did not break eye contact with her.

He knew that she was clinging to him as a way of pleading with him: Never, ever let go of me .

And he never would.

He was as sure of that as he was that the sun would rise upon the morrow.

Katherine took a deep breath, and he knew that she was ready for him. He entered her slowly, with a gentleness that made every inch of her flutter inside and out. She felt something stretch strangely within her, followed by a sharp, wet snap that traveled straight to her brain and almost robbed her of consciousness with its intensity. Everything within her soul seemed to crystallize, like sand turned to glass at the touch of lightning.

Then he was moving back and forth, as soft and even as the comforting sway of a heavy branch rocking in a rainstorm. She matched his rhythm with her hips, hugging him even more tightly. Her nails were dragging across his skin now, drawing thin rivulets of blood.

But she did not notice, and he did not care.

Bryan thrust deeper and deeper inside her. Their bodies were taut against each other, each shaking and building to a thunderous climax. Her hands moved to squeeze the sculpted muscles of his arms, then down to his hands. They took hold of hers and gripped them tightly, the thumbs pressing against her palms, holding her in place, so the passion could surge through both of their forms as one.

Waves of lust crashed and foamed through her, washing away all but her most primal impulses, and her ferocious adoration for him. She felt that same ocean rage and rush through him as well, and their churning seas collided and merged until neither knew where their bodies ended nor began anymore.

Both knew that the force of these torrents would reshape the coastlines of their lives forever. Sweeping away all the loneliness and uncertainty of two people who had come from families that rejected them.

Re-forming those sad inlets into high and noble cliff sides that would stand side by side for an eternity to come, or longer.

Bryan looked into her eyes, love written all over his face, “I love ye, and always will.”

Katherine simply looked at him and nodded. “I’ve loved ye ever since I laid eyes on ye,” she admitted, and kissed him with all the love and ferocity she possessed.