Page 53 of The Lady of Red River Valley (Ladies of the Wilderness #2)

Eleanor sat beside Arran at the long table the settlers and voyageurs had set up in front of the fur post. There had not been much by way of food, but what the settlers had produced was the very best of what they had left.

Hominy and sea biscuits had never tasted as wonderful to Eleanor as they had that afternoon.

Everyone apologized profusely for their lack of elegance and refinement, but Eleanor could not have imagined any other wedding meal. It was perfect.

Now, after the meal had been cleared away, a settler produced his bagpipes, and two others their flute and fiddle. People had begun to dance and laugh for the first time in months.

Arran held Eleanor’s hand as they watched the settlers. He had not let her go once since they had sat down, and she was in no hurry to be separated from him.

“I haven’t seen this much joy since Pembina,” Eleanor said a little wistfully. “This has been good for everyone.”

“Especially me.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. Pleasure danced in his eyes and a shiver of excitement raced up her spine.

“Canoes!” A cry rose from the gate.

Eleanor looked over the heads of those dancing toward the lake. The sun was just setting on the horizon. Pink tinged the world as Arran stood, drawing Eleanor with him.

“’Tis my men.” He grinned. “With the de Meuron soldiers.”

Arran had already told Eleanor about Lord Selkirk’s mighty little army in bits and pieces, between the festivities.

Everyone went to the shores of the lake once again and welcomed the new arrivals.

Mr. Heden was the first to disembark and his wife, Helena, was there with tears coursing down her cheeks.

She hugged and kissed him and he pulled her into his tight embrace.

Their children gathered around and he took turns hugging them, as well.

“That makes me happy,” Arran said to Eleanor while nodding at Michael Heden.

“And me,” Eleanor agreed. From the little she had come to know Mrs. Heden, she had suspected their marriage was on shifting ground, but it was clear they were relieved to see each other again. Perhaps their separation would help to heal their wounds.

There were greetings all around, and then more dancing and festivities.

Now that all the men were restored to the colonists, along with the promise of Lord Selkirk and his de Meuron soldiers, the mood had grown even lighter and more cheerful than before.

Those who had lost loved ones at the Battle of Seven Oaks, as it had become known, smiled again for the first time.

Even Fiona danced with Mr. Aiken, her merry laughter the greatest gift Eleanor could receive on her wedding day.

After the sun set, campfires were lit to aid in the revelry. Isla and Nicolette had long since brought Miriam back to Isla’s tent to sleep. She had almost fallen asleep on Nicolette’s lap, her day having been full of more excitement than the little girl was accustomed to.

“Are you happy?” Arran asked Eleanor as he watched her, the firelight flickering in his eyes.

She smiled. “Never happier in all my life.”

“And this is just the first day, love.” He wrapped his arm around her as they stood by one of the campfires, the music almost drowning out his words.

Her happiness seemed too good to be true.

He stepped away from her and gently took her hand in his again. He slowly led her away from the festivities toward their tent.

She wrapped her free hand around his arm as they walked, slowly, but with purpose. Her pulse thrummed and her mind twirled with all the things to come. She glanced up and he looked down at her, a smile on his lips.

They moved away from the warm fires and into the coolness of night. Neither one spoke as they climbed the hill toward their campsite. When they arrived, Arran started a small fire of their own. The shadows from the flames flickered on the canvas tents.

Eleanor simply watched Arran, savoring every move he made. His coat became tight as he bent and set the logs on the flames, his muscles rippling beneath the fabric.

When he turned and caught her admiring him, he only smiled and then motioned her to join him by the fire. “’Tis been a long and exciting day,” he said. “I thought we might sit for a minute and visit before we retire.”

She went willingly and sat beside him on an overturned log for that purpose, relieved for a bit of normalcy. The fire was warm, banishing the tremors she’d begun to experience at the thought of being alone with him for the first time.

He put his arm around her, pulling her close. “You dinna need to be scared of me.”

“I’m not scared,” she said, though it was a half-truth. She wasn’t scared, but she was very nervous.

He kissed her temple, his lips smiling against her skin.

She was warm and complete beside him. And slowly, as they just sat there, her nerves began to fade.

This was Arran MacLean, the man she had loved for four years.

The man she’d written about in her journal more times than she could count.

The man she had dreamt about every single day since the day she had met him.

There was no other place she’d rather be than here, beside him, as his wife.

“What will we do now that you and the others have returned?” she asked. “Will we go back to the Red River Valley?”

“Aye. For a time. Lord Selkirk plans to meet us there. We must take back Fort Douglas and restore the colony.”

“And will the de Meuron soldiers aid in this endeavor?”

“Aye.” He nodded, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. “They will settle opposite Colony Gardens on the eastern side of the river.”

His touch was deliriously distracting, but she was able to ask, “And will they stay in Assiniboia?”

“That is the plan.”

“And when might we leave here to meet them in Assiniboia?”

“Within the week. My men will rest from our journey and then we must continue.”

“A week?”

“Aye.”

“And will you rest?”

He made a sound deep in his throat. “Not when you look so bonnie.”

A delicious shiver raced up her spine. “And will we stay in Assiniboia? Or will we go somewhere—”

He touched her chin and turned her face toward his. “We will go wherever you want to live. But we need to aid Selkirk in restoring the colony first. Does that suit you?”

She nodded.

Arran kissed her, slowly and deliberately, making her weak with longing.

“Do you still want to talk, lass?” His voice was low and gravelly, as if it took all his willpower to speak.

He slowly moved aside the shawl she wore to reveal a bit of her bare arm.

The day had been warm enough for the short sleeves, but the evening had become cool.

When he touched her skin, gooseflesh arose, but she did not feel cold any longer.

“Because we can stay by the fire as long as you like.”

Her chest rose and fell in short, breathless movements. She swallowed and shook her head.

“Neither do I.”

The fire had not burned for long, but Arran stood and separated the logs with his boot. He then offered Eleanor his hand.

She took his hand, her arm tingling from his touch.

He slowly reached down and lifted her shawl back onto her shoulder, brushing her bare skin with his fingers.

When he straightened to his full height again, he met her gaze, looking deeply into her eyes.

“I love you, Eleanor MacLean. I’ve loved you for five years, and though I tried to forget you for four of them, you never left my mind or my heart.

” He shook his head, his dark eyes taking her in.

“I dinna ken what I did to deserve you, but I will dedicate the rest of my life to loving you and serving you.”

He lifted her hand to his lips once again and she bent her head, love and affection blooming in her chest. She put her hand on his cheek. “You have had my heart since the moment you took my hand in the garden at St. Mary’s Isle. Do you remember that?”

He smiled. “Aye. How could I forget?”

“You never lost my heart, Arran. It’s been yours, and it will continue to be yours, for as long as I live.

I will dedicate the rest of my life to loving you and serving you, as well.

I could not be prouder to bear the name MacLean, or to wear your mother’s ring upon my finger.

” She looked down at the ring now. It was shiny with age.

“And you’re not sad you dinna marry a lord?”

She put her hand at the back of his head, lacing her fingers through his curls, and pulled his lips to hers. “I want no one but you.” She kissed him then, as thoroughly as he’d kissed her.

And slowly, almost without her knowing, he led her to their tent and drew her into the dark and private interior.