Page 34 of Transporting a Ruthless Highlander
He turned to look back at Struan. “Are ye sure ye want tae marry this lassie, son?” he asked, his eyes twinkling. “She is no’ just a handful, but an armful!”
“I was just thinking exactly the same thing myself!” Struan laughed, then moved as another pillow narrowly missed his head.
As they walked into the village of Lochnaig, many heads turned at the sight of the large handsome man and the old hobbling one, each holding the hand of a tall, beautiful woman. Apart from their red hair, Struan and Gavina looked nothing like the short, round tenant farmers and crofters but almost like foreigners from another land.
Struan looked extremely intimidating, but when a little girl of around five years old fell over in front of him and hurt her knee, then began to weep sorely, he belied that image by picking her up and tenderly wiping away her tears.
“There,” he said, softly, smiling at her. “I don’t think you have hurt yourself. What is your name?” He patted her curly blonde head while Gavina and the captain looked on, enchanted.
“My name is Chrissie,” she said shyly, her little face breaking into a smile. “What is yours?”
“I am Struan,” he replied. “And this is Captain Hunter, and this is Gavina.”
The little girl’s mother rushed up to them, carrying a baby in her arms and looking extremely flustered. “Thank ye, sir!” she cried in relief. “She just ran away an’ I couldnae catch her.” She tutted at the little girl and shook her head in exasperation.
“No harm done,” Struan said kindly. He took an apple out of his pocket and gave it to the little girl, whose blue eyes widened in delight. She smiled at Struan and murmured a “thank you” before burying her face in her mother’s skirts.
Gavina looked at the tenderness in Struan’s face as he waved goodbye to her, then in that instant, she made a decision. “I want to be married,” she declared firmly.
“There is no gettin’ away now, son,” the captain said, smiling at the villagers, who had heard Gavina’s words.
“But we will be married soon,” Struan pointed out, laughing. “In a few days.”
“That is no’ soon enough for me, Struan.” Her tone was decisive. “Come. Let us go tae the church.” Then she stopped and looked at him, assailed by a sudden doubt. “Unless ye have changed yer mind?”
“Now that is the most absurd thing you have ever said!” he laughed, pulling her into his arms. “After all we have been through together? Of course I want to marry you! I will marry you now.”
“Then I am yers,” she said, relieved. “Because I want to marry ye too! Right now!” She turned to haul him away, but at that moment, there was a cheer from the little crowd that had assembled around them, drawn by what they thought might be a good gossip-worthy argument.
“Congratulations!” they cried, then each of them clapped, laughed, and patted the happy couple on the back. “Tae a long an’ happy life taegether!”
Gavina looked at Struan, mystified. “Why are they congratulatin’ us?” she asked, looking around at the happy little throng.
“Because ye are married, milady,” the captain answered, his wrinkled face beaming at both of them. “By declaration.” He indicated the townsfolk around them. “We are yer witnesses!”
Struan began to laugh, shaking his head. “Of course! Gavina, they are wishing us well because we are now husband and wife,” he told her. “You have not lived here long, Gavina Gilchrist, or you would know that we have just told everyone that we are married, and that is all we need in Scotland. It is called ‘Marriage by Declaration.’ It is done, but we can still go into church and have a formal wedding if you wish.”
“You mean, go intae the church in a dress that I am goin’ tae wear once an’ never again?” she asked in disbelief. “Then say a whole bunch o’ silly words in front o’ a crowd o’ strangers an’ watch them a’ gettin’ drunk an’ stuffin’ themselves wi’ rubbish after that? I dinnae think so, Struan. This will dae fine for me. No fuss an’ bother.” She turned to the captain, beaming at him, and kissed his cheek. “I have a’ the guests I need right here. Ye are the only men I love.”
And so it was that Gavina McCartney, wearing a simple light blue summer dress with mud stains all over it, married Struan Gilchrist, the laird who was never meant to be a laird. It was a bright cloudless day, the noonday sun was shining on them like a blessing, and the sweethearts had married without even realizing they had done so. The wedding that never should have happened was celebrated with a crowd of commoners looking on, and neither Struan nor Gavina would have had it any other way.
When Gavina’s bright green eyes met his, Struan felt as though he had been given all the riches in the world. Gavina was his, and nothing could stop them from being together now. He smiled widely. “I love you,” he whispered, and there was a small cheer as he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He gave the older man a wicked grin. They understood each other perfectly.
Gavina felt as though her whole life had been leading up to that moment, and as she looked up into his dark eyes, she could see Struan and herself holding hands and walking down the road into the future together. It would be glorious. “I love you too,” she whispered.
“We are beginning a long journey together, Gavina,” he said huskily. “And I cannot think of a better traveling companion.” His throat was almost choked with emotion, but his shining eyes said everything for him. He took her hand and kissed it, then he smiled, the widest and most joyous smile he had ever bestowed on her. He could have died of love.
Gavina felt herself throb with delight in her secret place, hardly able to contain the urge to kiss him passionately in front of everyone. She gazed in awe at the man to whom she had just committed her life—this big, beautiful man who had given up so much for her.
“I am the luckiest woman alive,” she whispered.
20
Struan startled her and everyone else around them by sweeping her into his arms and running into the Black Sheep Inn. Both of them were whooping with laughter while the crowd behind them broke into a round of applause and a chorus of cheers.
The landlord, Iain Stuart, jumped in fright as they stopped in front of him. “Can I dae somethin’ for ye, M’Laird?”
“Can we have a room, please, Landlord?” Gavina asked from her rather awkward position in Struan’s arms.
