Page 23 of A Highland Bride Taken
When she had thought of marriage, she had felt nothing but apprehension because the suitors her parents had paraded her in front of her were nothing out of the ordinary. Their bravado was feigned, and none had stirred anything within her other than numbness.
But even before the Laird had said a word, one look from him had ignited flames underneath her skin and a warmth in her heart, which was threatening to burst now as she looked at him.
She knew without a doubt that she wanted to be his wife, and the certainty almost knocked the wind out of her. If her parents didn’t give their blessing, she would still stay with him. It would take an army to drag her back to the life she had lived before him.
“Maither, Faither,” she added, “I would verra much like to marry the Laird. I have never wanted anything as much. Dinnae take me away from him or me godchildren.”
Her words surprised them, she knew. She had never asked her parents for anything or shown any passion towards anything other than her books.
“Ye surprise me, Mabel,” Lady MacLennan murmured. “Ye have never…”
Tears shimmered in her eyes, and the smile she gave brought tears to Mabel’s eyes.
“I wish ye had told us about the children before leaving,” Laird MacLennan said quickly. “But I understand why ye had to leave the way ye did. Ye’re most noble, me daughter.”
Had he been standing, Mabel would have run into his arms.
“Ye will give us yer blessing?” she asked.
He nodded.
“How could we stop ye when ye seem happy with the match?” He smiled. “‘Tis better than we could have hoped for.”
She tried not to grimace at his words.
Her parents needed to learn not to voice all of their thoughts, but until then, she was happy her father had at least agreed to the marriage. Her one fear evaporated.
She smiled and turned to the Laird, who had a calm look on his face.
“We shall make the arrangements quickly then, as I intend to be married in a few days,” he announced. “Until then, ye may stay as guests in me castle.”
They nodded, voicing no objections.
It was a better match than Mabel could have hoped for, and now that it was finalized, uncertainty burned in her belly. But she swallowed the bitter emotion down.
“Well,” Laird MacLennan said, “we would like verra much to meet the boys who have so captured me daughter’s heart. If ye will allow it, Laird Muir.”
“I see nay reason nae to,” the Laird answered. “If ye will excuse me, I must begin the preparations for the ceremony.”
Mabel watched him leave. She wanted to thank him for defending her the way he had, but he hadn’t even spared a glance when he stepped out of the room.
Her heart sank into her stomach, but she couldn’t afford to show her disappointment.
“Well, Mabel, take us to the bairns.”
“Aye, Maither.”
10
Mabel could scarcely believe that her parents had not protested the marriage and that they had been able to elicit a reaction from the boys as well.
Ollie had taken to her mother, and Connor to her father. It seemed Ollie had a soft spot for bonny women. He would no doubt grow into a heartbreaker.
Mabel turned onto her side, remembering the scene with her parents and the children, and wondered if she would ever have bairns with the Laird.
Would they have her hair and his eyes?
She really liked his eyes. They were expressive and so deep that she often felt like she was drowning when she looked into them.
