Page 32 of A Highlander's Vow

“’Tis me, Megan,” Gregory said. “Open the door.”

She moved closer to the door. “Nay. I am ready to take my bath.”

“I need to check yer injury.”

“Emma has already looked at it. She said it looked as though it is healing well.”

Silence for a few minutes, so Megan assumed Gregory was gone, and put her foot into the water.

“Be sure to keep yer injury out of the water.”

Megan huffed. “Gregory. I doona need ye telling me what to do all the time, or telling everyone else what they need to do for me. I am a grown woman and I can make decisions for myself. Right now, I intend to enjoy my bath. So please leave me be.”

He mumbled something she couldn’t hear followed by the sound of his boots as he walked away.

With a sigh, she climbed into the tub and settled herself, careful to leave her bandage out of the water, something she would have done anyway, even if the arrogant oaf hadn’t ordered her to do it. She huffed.

*

Two days hadpassed since Megan and Gregory had reached the Castle Leod. Father Matthew had arrived the night before and the wedding and celebration following the event had finally arrived. Poor Beth had been racing around the keep, meeting with the cook and seeing to all matters having to do with the celebration.

If Megan had any reservations about getting on with Beth, they had vanished. She found Beth very easy to deal with. After hearing about the sisters Beth was raised with, she understood. Never having had a sister, she found it very pleasant to have another woman to share chores with and time in the solar in the afternoon while they sewed, embroidered and chatted.

Gregory had not been in the best of moods when he saw her as they met during the day in the keep and at the meals they’d shared with the family in the great hall. He continued to grumble about Beth’s declaration that he could not enter his own bed chamber.

Megan was suffering from nervous jitters. Even more so than when she married Robert. Then she had no idea what to expect and was, if she was honest, later disappointed. She’d heard some of the maids speaking about activities in the marriage bed and she knew she was not feeling what they had.

Many times she’d considered asking Beth about the marriage bed, then felt silly since she’d been married for almost two years.

The only thing she knew for sure was that it was hard, being barren.

After a soft knock, the door to the bedchamber opened and Beth—literally—danced into the room. “My dear, ’tis time to get ye dressed for yer wedding.”

A few other women followed, one carrying a beautiful gown, another the Mackenzie plaid which would be draped over her shoulder and anchored with a brooch to show her acceptance of the Mackenzie clan.

Since she’d already had her bath, the women began to dress her, and then one of them started on her hair, weaving ribbons throughout her tresses. When she stood in front of the looking glass she was stunned.

She was pretty!

Did Gregory think so?

She brushed off the silly thought and picked up the flowers someone had found for her and had fixed into a small bouquet. Placing her hand on her futtering stomach, she looked at the women grinning at her. “I’m ready.”

It was a short distance from the castle to the kirk. She and Beth walked with the other women who chatted excitedly. The air wasclean and fresh, a typical Highland day with signs of winter’s approach.

Questions filled her mind as they drew closer to the wedding site. Would this marriage make her happy? Had she made a mistake in agreeing to a vow that was made when her husband was merely no more than a lad?

Would Gregory grow to resent her because any choice he might have had for a wife was taken from him?

Megan smiled at Apex who shook his head at her, seeming to stand guard as they arrived at the kirk. Then Beth took her hands in her ice-cold ones and squeezed. “I can hear yer thoughts as we walked. I ken Gregory verra well. He is good, honorable mon and will do all that is necessary to make ye happy.”

Feeling somewhat eased by Beth’s words, Megan entered the kirk where she looked up the aisle at Laird Daniel Mackenzie and Father Matthew, and then to Gregory. After that, she had eyes for no one else.

The man was stunning.

She’d seen him every day for some time, but now, standing there dressed in his formal Mackenzie attire, his wavy black hair pulled back, and with shorter hair falling onto his forehead as he stood and spoke with the laird, she could not take her gaze off him.

After a few words from Daniel, Gregory turned and looked at her with those deep blue eyes and she almost stumbled. Most likely knowing her thoughts, he grinned.