Tall, Dark and Wolfish (22 page)

A few feet away she heard Alec MacQuarrie mutter something under his breath, and Ben's eyes shot to his friend. "I warned you about that, Alec. It's not

what you think." Then he looked back at Elspeth. "Do you feel up to seeing the vicar, love? I don't think MacQuarrie wil rest until I'm legal y leg-shackled to

you."

Elspeth couldn't hide her smile. "Aye, I'd like that."

Behind her, Sorcha gasped. "Today? The vicar?"

Elspeth glanced over her shoulder. "Ye're welcome ta join us."

When her friend's gaze fel to the ground and her shoulders slumped forward, Elspeth draped her arm around Sorcha. "I wish ye'd come with us."

"Cait'l kil me one way or the other. So I might as wel ."

Elspeth patted her arm, then looked up to Alec MacQuarrie. "Did ye see Caitrin? How is she?"

He frowned, as though trying to sort out a puzzle. "You'd never know anything had ever happened to her. She looks perfect. Of course, Mr. Macleod won't

let her out of bed. That's why I came to check on you. She's worried about you."

Elspeth moved from her spot to slide her arm around Ben's waist. "Wel , as ye can see, there's no need ta worry."

They found Mr. Crawford sitting at his desk at the back of the vicarage, flipping through his Bible. His balding pate was tilted down, and he hummed a

hymn to himself. How the man failed to notice a hoard of people standing in his doorway, Ben would never know. To get the man's attention, he rapped

loudly on the door.

The vicar looked up and smiled at the four of them, but his eyes landed on Elspeth. "Ah, Miss Campbel , are ye here ta settle yer account?"

Before she could reply, Ben drew her close to his side with an arm around her waist. "I'l be taking care of Miss Campbel 's accounts, Mr. Crawford." The

man's eyes widened at the pronouncement, so Ben stepped forward. "We have another matter that needs your attention, sir."

"Oh?" the vicar asked, rising from his seat. "How can I help you today, my lord?"

Ben smiled at Elspeth, glad she returned the gesture. "I came to visit my dear friend Alec and found something here in Scotland I can't live without."

The vicar inclined his head, waiting patiently.

"I'd like for you to marry—that is, Miss Campbel and I would like for you to marry
us
."

"Indeed?"

Ben nodded. "Can you do so today?"

"I—um—Wel , it would be an irregular marriage."

"As long as it's legal," Ben shrugged, "that's al we care about."

The vicar looked from Ben to Elspeth and back again. "I supposed I have the time, but I'm a bit unprepared for such an endeavor. Can ye wait in the

church while I gather my things?"

"We'l be happy to."

"Oh!" The vicar's voice stopped them. "Sign my registry first so I have yer names."

Ben watched as Elspeth's hand shakily fil ed in the vicar's book, then he took the quil from her and did the same. This was one of the ways Scotland

was more advanced than England; it might be the only way, now that he thought about it. No waiting three weeks for the banns to post. No spending a

smal fortune on a special license. Just whisk your intended down to the church, sign your names in a book, and marry her. No need for al the fuss.

As soon as they entered the church, Ben led Elspeth to a pew in the front row and they were quickly fol owed by Alec and Sorcha.

Thunder clapped overhead and Sorcha gasped. Elspeth turned her head to face her friend.

"Rhiannon," she whispered. "Cait must've seen this."

Elspeth glanced up to meet Ben's gaze. "Doona worry. I'm sure she'd never hit the church."

"Hit the church with what?" Ben asked, looking around the chapel. As if to answer his question, lightning lit up the sky, the flash filtering through the

stained-glass windows. "She can make it storm?" he whispered.

"Or stop," Elspeth replied quietly.

Good God! The faster he got her away from these harridans, the better.

Mr. Crawford entered from a door at the front of the chapel. "
Havers!
It looks bad out there. Al right, Lord Benjamin, Miss Campbel , are ye ready?"

Ben squeezed Elspeth's arm. "After you, lass."

She stumbled to her feet and met the vicar at the altar, Ben right behind her the whole way. He took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. Desire raced

through his body. It wouldn't be long before she'd be his.

"
Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh
," Mr. Crawford cal ed over the thunder that continued to boom above them.

"It's just a blessin'," Elspeth whispered, loud enough for only him to hear.

"Have ye got a ring, my lord?"

Ben pul ed his pinkie ring from his waistcoat pocket. "Yes, sir."

"Then we'l begin." He read a bit from Galatians, then looked at Ben. "Repeat after me, my lord. I, Benjamin Farrel Jonathan Westfield, take ye, Elspeth

Muriel Campbel , ta be my wife before God and these witnesses."

Ben repeated the words, staring into Elspeth's eyes. She was perfect in every way. He couldn't wait to get her back inside her little cottage. They might

not come out for days.

Mr. Crawford turned his attention to Elspeth, "And now it's yer turn. I, Elspeth Muriel Campbel , take ye, Benjamin Farrel Jonathan Westfield, ta be my

husband before God and these witnesses."

Elspeth swal owed, and Ben squeezed her fingers. Thunder cracked over head, but she ignored it. "I, Elspeth Muriel Campbel , take ye, Benjamin

Farrel Jonathan Westfield, ta be my husband before God and these witnesses."

The vicar smiled. "Wel , then, my lord, ye may kiss yer bride."

Ben didn't waste one moment doing so. He slid his arm around Elspeth, pul ed her against him, and lowered his lips to hers. She giggled against his

mouth, "Ye're crushin' me."

"Sorry," he whispered before releasing her.

Ben looked behind them. Alec's mouth hung open, as though he hadn't real y thought they'd go through with it, and Sorcha blew her nose, loudly, in a

handkerchief.

Twenty-eight

"If he looks at ye like that for one more minute, I'l expect ye ta go up in a puff of smoke," Sorcha mumbled quietly from Elspeth's side, where they stood

together in the kitchen.

Elspeth glanced at Ben, who leaned casual y against the doorjamb, talking with Alec MacQuarrie. But beneath Ben's outside veneer of calm, there was

a storm brewing behind his eyes. He caught her gaze before al owing his eyes to linger slowly over her body.

"What did ye say?" Elspeth asked, fighting the flush of warmth that crept up her cheeks at his gaze.

"Yer new husband," Sorcha said, nodding her head toward Ben. "He looks like he wants ta have ye for dinner."

Elspeth giggled lightly. He did look like he would consume her at any moment. "I suppose it would be terribly offensive ta send everyone home?" Elspeth

whispered back.

"Aye, but it would be worse if he lost control and stripped ye down before we're al gone." Sorcha giggled. The hair on Elspeth's arms stood up. What a

lovely thought.

She forced herself to stop looking in his direction. "How long do ye think everyone wil stay?" she asked as she fought to keep from glancing back in his

direction.

"Surely ye can control yerself long enough ta celebrate yer weddin' with friends?" Sorcha gasped, slightly affronted. "We took the time ta be with ye

durin' yer nuptials."

"Like ye would have stayed away," Elspeth snorted. Then she bumped Sorcha's shoulder with her own.

Rhiannon, Blaire, and a few friends from town had found their way to Elspeth's cottage as the news had spread. El was sorry to say she wanted nothing

more than for them al to leave.

She raised her teacup to her lips and glanced at Ben over the rim. He stil leaned against the threshold, talking with Alec. But his regard was completely

for her. His eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath, his chest expanding slowly. "You want me," he mouthed in her direction.

Elspeth sputtered in her teacup.

"Are ye al right?" Sorcha asked, clapping her on the back.

She gasped out, "Fine, Sorcha. Ye can stop beatin' me, now."

Sorcha's clapping slowed and came to a stop. Elspeth turned to take a towel from the rack behind her and found Ben blocking her path. How had he

moved so fast?

"Speed," he whispered before his lips pressed to her temple. "It's one of our traits."

"Do ye do everythin' that fast?" she asked.

One eyebrow lifted. He smiled as he brushed a lock of hair from her face. "No. There are some things that should be done slowly."

"I've half a mind ta throw a bucket of cold water on the both of ye," Sorcha mumbled as she stepped away. "Pure nauseatin' how much ye want each

other."

"She knows nothin' of want," Elspeth said quietly.

"And you do?" Ben asked as he rol ed the lock of her hair between his fingertips. "Tel me what you know of it?"

A chal enge lit her eyes. "I know I want ye, Lord Benjamin," she said as she lifted on her tiptoes and kissed his chin. The light tickle of her lips along his

jaw nearly drove him mad.

"Not nearly as much as I want you, Lady Elspeth." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "I'm glad no other Lycans are here. The scent of you when you

are aroused is enough to drive a man to distraction."

"What does desire smel like, Ben?"

"It smel s like you, but stronger. Your body warms up and heat radiates from you. The perfume I know you apply between your breasts and behind your

ears gets stronger." He wondered how much he should tel her. She was an innocent after al . "And the
other
perfumes get stronger, too."

She colored under his gaze. She did know what he meant. His heart warmed.

"I need to be alone with you."

"We canna ask them ta leave," she whispered back, her brow knit with concern.

"They can stay," he chuckled as he tugged her fingers, pul ing her toward the door. "Let's sneak away."

"But they'l know what we're doin'."

Ben real y didn't care at that point. He simply wanted to get her beneath him. He could pick her up and carry her from the room. Or he could persuade

her. He very lightly brushed across the mark on his lower bel y.

Elspeth gasped, her gaze immediately rising to meet his. "Ye doona play fair."

"Al 's fair in love and war," he chuckled. He tugged her fingertips again. When she didn't fol ow, he reached to brush his mark. But she deflected his hand

from his body and clutched it tightly in hers.

"I'l go with ye. Ye doona have ta tease me." Her eyes glanced around the room. Indeed, everyone was deep in conversation. He pul ed her through the

doorway and into the night. But they had taken only two steps when he felt her brush across her own mark.

If Ben truly thought she would be an unwary foe, he'd been sorely misled. His jaw clenched before he grabbed her tightly to him. He took her hand in his

and pressed it against his hardness.