Mysty McPartland (6 page)

Once the children had run of
f, she turned to Donald and smiled sadly. “Leaving my family, my home and my friends ‘tis going to be the hardest thing I will probably ever have to do.”

Donald stood beside the young laird as they watch the lass playing happily with the children in the field only when the silent man left did he go and fetch his sweet mistress. He smiled sadly and nodded his head. “Aye ‘tis a sad day and all of us will surely miss ye, lassie. However, ‘tis a new family, new home and new friends that ye are going to and I am certain they will love ye as much as we do.” He didn’t want her to go, nobody did, but no one not even the lass herself could prevent it from happening and he was sure if they tried, Laird McCain would not stand for it.

Reluctantly she wandered back into the hall, she could not help but be relieved that the man she was about to wed wasn’t present. Her footsteps dragging, she unenthusiastically went upstairs to her room, in no hurry for the ceremony to begin. She saw the tub of steaming water and the dress that had been made for this day lying ready on her bed.

She felt a huge boulder
of fear sit like a heavy ball in the pit of her stomach, the next few hours were going to be a tremendous strain and then there was also her plan that she would have to make sure worked. She could feel the anxiety inside her intensify with each passing second.

A knock sounded on her door and she turned to open it, she was surprised to see four of the household women standing there and sighing in defeat, she stepped aside and let them in knowing that
they were here to help her prepare for the wedding ceremony and her doomed future.

Numb
in mind and body it was easy to ignore the titters from the women as they bathed and dressed her. Now alone she stood staring at herself in the mirror and wanted to weep. Today should be one of the happiest in her life instead it was a terrifying nightmare. If only it was Robert who was waiting downstairs to make her his wife, but it wasn’t. It was the loathsome foul despot.

When a knock came at her door
again, she blinked the tears away and stiffened her shoulders knowing it would be her father. It was pointless to cry because at this late stage nothing was going to change her papa’s mind. Slowly, she turned away from her image and watched him come into the chamber.

Kevin opened the door to his daughter’s room and felt the tears sting his eyes, seeing his beautiful, adorable daughter. He cleared the emotions clogging his throat and smiled tenderly at her. “Ye look like an angel, my sweet child. My heart is breaking knowing that ye will be leaving tomorrow. Nay longer will we hear ye laughter lightening our hearts or see ye bright shining smile lift the worries from our souls.”

Eyes filled with moisture
, knowing it would only upset her father even more if she let the tears fall. She met his gaze as he continued to speak.

He grasped hold of her hands and found it nearly impossible not to weep at the sadness reflecting in her eyes.
“Though it pains me greatly to let ye go we both knew this day would come. Laird McCain is a good man, lass. Just give him a chance.”

When he finished speaking, she pulled her hands free and wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, papa, do I really have to do this? Canna ye nay find a way to stop it before it’s too late?”

Remorsefully p
atting his daughters shoulder, Kevin wished with all his heart that there could be away to stop his daughter from marrying. “We have both kenned this day would arrive, lass, now put a smile on your pretty face. Everyone is here to witness ye wedding and will be most upset if they see ye looking so sad.”

Tearfully m
oving out of her father’s embrace, she forced a quivering smile on her lips and lifting the veil over her head; she picked up the bouquet of flowers and took her father’s arms. “Before we go down, papa, promise me that if he is mean to me or hurts me in any way that I can return home.”

Astounded at her request he hid his shock. Bending down, he kissed his daughter’s cheek through the veil. “Aye, love, but I dinna think that Laird McCain would be such a man.”

Only a little relieved at least having gained the promise, she let her father take her down stairs. She knew that there wasn’t any way she could stop the inevitable, but still her heart was breaking knowing that Robert and her love for him were now beyond her.

* * * *

Tarrel stretched and came awake, he groaned softly over the aches he felt from sleeping in such and uncomfortable position. Once he finished stretching, he swept a glance towards the bed. “Damn it to hell; where has the bloody woman gone now?” He shouted when he found it empty, jumped to his feet, and raced out of the room.

As he sped along the passageway, he noticed a door standing open
and stopping, he shoved it wider and glanced inside and the only thing he saw was the white nightgown pooled on the floor.

“I am going to beat her senseless when I find her.” He spoke harshly and hurried down the stairs and outside. Noticing the gates shut, he turned to his
right and headed for the cottages. If he did not find her there he would gather his men and start searching for her. And by God when he found her he would beat her. Damned if he wouldn’t.

He found the wench
playing in a field of flowers with the children. Silently standing on the small knoll, he stood watching the woman he was going to marry today, her gay laughter filled his heart and he did not think he had ever witnessed such a happy and carefree scene as this, the lass was like a fairy spirit. He stiffened when someone stepped up beside him.

“We are all going to miss our
lady; she fills all our hearts with joy.” Donald said sadly, as he watched his young mistress playing with the little children.

All
he did was grunt in reply, he was too mesmerized by the sight. After watching the scene a few more moments he turned away when he felt a stab to his heart. He did not understand why the scene of his betrothed playing so happily affected him or why he felt envious. Frolicking and laughter had never been a part of his life in the past and he doubted it would in the future.

Shaking the odd feeling away, he stalked back to the keep wanting to put the
vision out of his mind. It was nearly time for the ceremony and he would bath and dress in his best clothing befitting the occasion. He would do his dead father and clan proud, entering the hall he ordered a tub of hot water and told the servant to deliver it to an empty chamber.

An hour later he was thoughtfully pacing his room, dressed in his best kilt, a white ruffled shirt and with a silver trimmed, black jacket for his wedding, he was thinking that in a very short time he would be married to a woman he barely knew, a lass that took away his senses by just a single glance and he could hardly wait to bed.

He had planned on waiti
ng until he returned home to claim his husbandly rights, but now after having a small taste of her passion, he could not wait and that fact annoyed him. This was the only time he could ever remember that he could not control is lust. Once he bedded the wench, he was certain that whatever it was that affected him would be finished. He would not let any woman and especially this one interfere in his life. He grunted in annoyance when someone knocked, he squared his shoulders and gave permission to enter. He watched a frowning Duncan step into the bedchamber.

“Tis time
, Tarrel, the priest has arrived and everyone is waiting.”

With a heavy sigh of resignation, he gave his friend a nod. “Then let us nay keep them waiting.”

“Are ye sure ye want to do this, ye dinna seem too happy about it.” Duncan asked his friend
.

Though he knew very little about the woman he was going to commit himself to for life, he grimaced knowing it didn’t matter. All he knew was that he wanted her and he was going to have her. “Dinna worry yeself over it, Duncan, I am sure everything will work out just fine, now come along.” He gave a quirk of his lips and slapped his friend on the shoulder before he opened the door and headed downstairs.

He had no idea what the future would hold
, but he doubted that he could ever let this woman go, she seemed to have some invisible hold on him. He did not like it and it infuriated him and he was going to find some way to untangle himself from it. Now though he was going to be the one to possess this woman for eternity.

The angel would be his until time ended.

Nerves churning his stomach, he followed Duncan outside and rapidly understood why the ceremony was being held outdoors. Every man, woman and child of the clan was present and he scoffed when noticing most of them were weeping, even the blasted men. He grimaced in disgust, they were certainly an unhappy bunch and emotional as well. He had to admit, though, at least they weren’t senseless when they gazed at the wench.

A snort at himself, he set his mouth in a grim line and strode towards the
priest. He stood tall and proud while he waited for his bride to arrive. He would not let his thoughts dwell on what would happen later tonight. Good Lord, if he did there would be no way he could hide his erection under his kilt and every person young and old would certainly know how much he lusted after his bride.

At the sound of all the loud gasps, he spun around watched his bride step outside, he lost his breath, his thoughts and he didn’t know it then, but also his heart. With each step she took towards him, his heart thumped against his chest when she finally reached his side, he vowed that no matter what happened he would never let this woman go.
She would be his forever.

He took her hand and through the filmy veil, he saw her beautiful
, big copper eyes were filled with fear and something else; he could only guess that it was loathing. He didn’t know why it should matter that she disliked him, but it did. Well, not for long he was determined to find some way to change her feelings towards him. He had no plans to spend the rest of his life with a wife that detested him.

Chapter Seven

Within moments, Della knew she would be joined to the odious, rutting goat for life and all her dreams of a happy, loving marriage with Robert would be gone forever. As her father led her towards the man that would now own her, she promised herself that if he hurt her or treated her cruelly, if he ever took another woman to bed she would do whatever it took to return home. Up ahead she could see the large powerful figure of the man she was about to spend the rest of her days with. With each slow step she took in his direction, her fear and animosity grew.

The only thing that kept her from lifting up her dress and fleeing to find somewhere to hide was her father’s promise that if she was unhappy she could return home. She desperately hung on to that thought as the distance between
her and the despot was shortened.

Her limbs trembling
, she shifted her gaze and noticed the large crowd gathered to witness her marriage. She was humbled and when her eyes returned to the man standing tall and proud beside her, the first thought she had was how handsome and powerful he looked. She felt a fluttering in the pit of her stomach as she remembered the strange and wonderful things he made her feel when he kissed her and she needed to firmly remind herself just what sort of man he really was.

Now as she stood
facing him and he stared down at her, she let him see how much she detested him and when he gave her a crooked smile, became confused. She ducked her head, turned to face the priest, and prayed that the next few hours would go quickly and that her plan would succeed. She trembled at the thought of what would happen to her if it didn’t.

A disappointed sigh passed his lips when his bride turned away, Tarrel also moved to face the preacher. Once the ceremony started
he said his vows loud and clear. He peeked out the corner of his eyes and watched this woman commit herself to him forever. When she hesitated, he stiffened only when she started to stumble over the words of commitment did he let himself relax.

It was over, relief and possession filled him, it was a unique feeling and it disturbed him slightly, but it soon passed. Eagerly he gathered his wife in his arms and lifted her veil; he kissed her with heated passion and ownership. Only when he felt the congratulatory slaps on the back did he reluctantly lift his mouth from her.

For a few heartbeats
, he immersed himself in her delicate beauty, but when he started to lose his thoughts, swept his gaze away and grinned broadly. He kept his arm around her waist keeping her tucked up at his side while her clan and his men came up to pass on good wishes to them.

Dalla’s lips still tingled from the kiss she received from her husband, though she wanted desperately to escape the crowd and their well wishes she was forced to rem
ain until finally everyone drifted away. She let out a heavy sigh and when her chin was gently cupped, she raised her head and sneered. “Well ye have what ye want. Ye best hope ye willna live to regret what ye have forced on me this day.”

A grimace curled his lips,
he had hoped for something a little friendlier. “Ye make a beautiful bride, wife. And ‘tis doubtful that I will in anyway be disappointed.”  He grunted at her un-lady like snort. “It does neither of us any good if ye keep up this animosity, lass. There isna any use fighting what canna be changed. Ye life and future are with me and ye best accept that fact now.”