Debra Kay Leland (12 page)

His men glanced at him with a frown and a sigh as they reached the outskirts of the village, the people had already begun the celebration, laughing and jesting as they waited for the bride.  They dismounted glancing around at the happy crowd as they took their swords from their sides, leaving them with their mounts along the far ridge; each casting one another uneasy looks as they did so.

Thomas scowled as he mumbled. 
“I feel nigh naked without my sword at my side.”

William nodded, feeling the same way as his friend did as he glanced at the other unarmed men in the crowd not far from them.  “Aye, as do I, but we have little choice…  Come, let’s find Alden and see this day well and done.”

It wasn’t hard to find Alden Blair, he was near the table of food that had been set out talking to a few of the other villagers; the older man smiled when he saw him and clasped him on the back hardily. 
“Ah, English, so ye have come!  I feared ye would yet refuse my gracious invitation.”

“I almost did...”  He said as he glanced around at those who talked happily, noting that no one so far had seemed to have taken offence to the fact that they too had joined them
there.

“Come, the bride is almost ready!”
  He thrust a cup of ale in his hand and motioned him towards the clearing aside the village that had been decorated with wild flowers and torches.  Neither he nor his men drank the cup of ale they were offered; though they were more than glad just to have something in their hands.  He cast them a look that told them not to get drunk or he would have their hides for it!  And each man returned it with a solemn nod.

The villagers began to gather around the place where the groom now waited nervously.  The young man was shorter than his brother by a head, with a softer look to him that took William by surprise.  Beside him, stood his father and brother; looking stiff and imposing as usual. 
He nodded cordially, and was acknowledged; but it was only an acknowledgement, nothing more, and nothing to ease the worry that still pressed down on him.  He and his men found a place near the edge of the crowd, and waited; keeping to themselves mostly, not wanting to be the cause of any trouble on this happy day. 

He glanced around again and took a meager sip of his ale, noting that he had yet to see Miranda; and he couldn’t help but wonder where she was.  He had just only thought it, when he heard a joyful shout and spotted her and the rest of the beautiful young girls come out of one of the huts.  His eyes followed her as she walked towards them in a soft flaxen colored dress that graced her thin frame, her soft golden cheeks slightly blushed, her lips a delicate pink, her deep blue eyes seeming to dance with light.  Her hair was long and loose like she always wore
it; not braded like an Englishwoman would have worn theirs—instead it lay in soft silken ringlets to her waist while a wreath of delicate wild flowers encircled her head.  She looked like a dream and he couldn’t stop his heart from beating faster in his chest at the mere sight of her.

The six girls walked two at a time, hand in hand towards the meadow, a beautiful Celtic song on their lips as they went; yet through it all his eyes were only on her…  She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, or ever would…

M
iranda peered out from behind the curtains again as she had done since she’d arrived, wondering if he would truly come at all this day...  She’d heard her father tell that he had invited the man, though he was sure that he may yet refuse him.

She caught herself again and turned back with a smile to those in the crowded room.  The bride was with her mother and aunts, the girls whispering and giggling together about the young men outside—but all the while she herself was waiting and hoping, glancing out the window though she knew she should not.  It wasn’t long after that she finally caught a glimpse of a tall man with dark hair as he walked through the crowd; and she knew it was him!   Somehow, he seemed even more handsome than she’d remembered.  Tall and strong, his dark
hair shone in the bright morning light, his strong frame walked with the grace of a lord and her heart skipped a beat. 
He had come
—but would he bother to even acknowledge her this day?  She sighed to herself and moved away from the curtain again remembering the last time she had seen him, and how he had overlooked her...  She swallowed the heartache that swelled in her chest and glanced around again; glad no one else had noticed her teary eyes with all the merriment in the room…

The bride was finally ready, she smiled softly and nodded to them, and then they turned and stepped out of the hut with a bridal song on their lips as they walked towards the decorated meadow.  She forced herself not to look at him, though it was the hardest thing she had ever done.  As they went, the women of the village plied them with flowers till th
ey carried small bouquets.  The six girls entered the circle where the monk stood surrounded by the villagers.  Egan himself stared at her with dark unblinking eyes before he came to stand behind her as if to say to all
‘that she was his’
.  Yet in truth, his gesture only made her even more angry with him than she already was, though she hid well.  But she could hardly bear to be so close to him when her heart felt like it was ready to burst with all the emotions of the day; so she slowly took a step forward and lifted her eyes to watch her friend as she walked slowly towards them in her soft velvet gown the color of wine, a simple flower in her dark hair, and a single lily in her trembling hand.  Eli stepped forward and took the girl’s hand with a soft smile on his handsome face as he led her towards the old monk.

Miranda’s own heart swelled within her at how very lovely and graceful the girl was, with eyes that endeared her to you and a soft pink smile.  Her young groom was equally handsome as he
gazed down at her with longing, and it only made Miranda wish for a love like that…

Through the long ceremony she held back the tears that lingered in her own eyes, wanting desperately to lift them and find William’s face in the crowd—
and hoping to see something there but mere indifference, yet she dared not with so many watching them...

The ceremony done, Eli touched his bride’s soft cheek with his hand and brushed a sweet kiss over her lips making the crowd break into a joyous shout, and without thinking Miranda’s eyes sought William.  But this time, their eyes met and held if only for the briefest of moments—yet to her, it seemed as if an eternity…  He didn’t turn away, nor look at her with indifference!   Instead, what she saw there was a longing she could have only dreamed of about!

A soft blush spread over her cheeks making her look even more beautiful than he remembered —and then she finally looked away…

She knew that it would be improper to gaze at him for longer than she had, but what she had seen in his eyes—even for a briefest of moments, had made her heart soar…

The music started then, the bride and groom were pressed to the center to dance for the crowd.  Eli held her hand and turned her round and round him, their eyes never leaving each other’s faces as they gazed longingly and lovingly at one another.

Egan, himself stood close enough so that she felt his hand on her back and she stiffened, the light touch only making her step forward again before she took Chelsea’s hand and walked towards the bride and groom with a smile
hoping no one noticed what she had done.  But yet, it was customary for the bridesmaids to dance around the couple; and soon the rest of the girls joined them and encircled the two skipping and dancing as they went.  A Celtic sound rang out around them, while two flutes piped a happy tune and their guests laughed and sang along!

William couldn’t help but notice how possessive Egan was towards the girl, nor how he stared at her intensity saying more with that hard look than words ever could have.  As if he wanted William and every other man there to know that the girl was his.  Though, he knew for sure that Miranda didn’t reciprocate the man’s feelings in the least!

His eyes followed her graceful steps as she danced, and he wanted nothing more than to take her hand and lead her in a dance around him as the bride and groom had done.  But he dared not, for even to be noticed looking at the girl would likely
bring the mob down upon them.  And he knew that if Egan himself even suspected his feeling towards the girl, what it would mean for her in the end!  Yet, the wild thumping in his own heart drove him on, watching her possessively under lowered lids, and feeling as if every other man there did the same!

It was all he could do to remain calm as his mind raced within him.  He glanced at Egan and watched the man’s cold hard eyes follow the girl…  And without much thought he reached down and picked a small white flower and hid it in his hand as he stood there watching her knowing he dared not let his eyes linger on her for long.  The dance ended, but his heart was still beating furiously in his chest before he left his friends without a word and made his way through the happy crowd to where she stood talking with the other girls.  He acted as if he were merely passing by her and hoped she had not seen him approach; it would do neither of them any good if she had.  He moved through the crowd quietly,
thankful that Egan too was occupied talking to the others around him at that moment to even notice.  He slid around behind her and pressed the flower into her palm before he moved off as if he was merely trying to get around the group as he headed towards Alden again...

She stiffened when she felt a hand touch hers, fingers lightly brushing as something soft was pressed within her palm.  She hesitated a mer
e second, not willing to turn around for she was unsure of whom it may have been—
and yet hoping all the while that it had not been Egan!
  She held her breath as she turned slowly, shyly glancing over her shoulder hoping she wouldn’t meet cold dark eyes; but instead what she saw made her want to cry, for it was William who now walked slowly from her and no other!  She brought her hand around and gazed at the small delicate flower within, a soft smile on her lips.  She held it to her nose and savored the sweet fragrance, glancing at the girl’s around her, thankful that they had not noticed the incident at all—and yet in that brief moment her whole world had just changed!  The thought that he’d given her this simple gift, a gift no one had known of but she… 
Is that why he had been so indifferent to her, because he knew no one would approve of his suit? 
She felt tears well up in her eyes again, all she wanted was to go to him and tell him of her heart—yet she knew she couldn’t for even now dark cold eyes watched her possessively again...

She walked alone to her friend’s hut, glancing over her shoulder one last time before she went inside.  She had to hurry, for she did not want to give Egan opportunity to find her alone when he was so angry—but a minute later she returned to her friend’s side.  She glanced around and found William talking to her father and Egan still staring at her from the other side where he and his father stood scowling.  Without much thought she excused herself and went to stand with her father; she threaded her arms around his stout middle and smiled up at him.  He never missed a beat in the story he told as he hugged her closer and sipped his ale.  She looked down discreetly at the simple brown cloth on the ground—the one she had discreetly dropped and she smiled, then picked it up and handed it to William making sure she did not meet his eyes as she said.  “By chance have ye dropped this, English?”

He looked at her, then at the cloth in her hand and smiled as he took it.  “Aye, I have, lass.  I thank thee.”

She smiled and turned towards her father threading her arms around his stout body again, not daring to look at William as she did so.  He took the cloth and put it in his tunic, not willing to even look at it with the others so close around them.

She was the first to walk away and rejoin her friends near the bride and
groom; minutes later he walked towards his men and turned to look inside the soft brown satchel.  Inside was a lock of her soft reddish hair tied carefully with an ivory thread.  He ran his thumb over it with a smile; and he knew what he must do…

He turned back to his friends, not really meeting their eyes as he spoke. 
“I—I have need to talk to Alden for a moment—alone.  Try to keep out of trouble while I am gone!”

His friends eyed him cautiously sensing that more was going on with him than he was telling them! 
“But, William?”

He smiled and lifted a hand to silence them even as he turned to leave. 
“Later, I promise we shall speak of it all later
!”  Without waiting for a reply he walked away.  He found Alden still near the table where the food had been laid out and stopped beside him with a discreet smile.  “Alden, could I bother ye for a moment?  I have business to discuss with thee—
in private
…”

The older man glanced up at him and nodded as he finished the rest of the meat he held in his fingers with a smile, licking them as he motioned William towards the side.  William went with him not able to ignore Egan’s dark eyes that even now followed him from across the way.  He was sure that Egan didn’t suspect a thing of his true intent; but still he was wary of the man all the same.  He turned his back on Egan purposefully as he spoke, keeping his voice low so it wouldn’t carry far. 
“Alden, I do not wish for Egan to know what I speak to thee of, so I shall be brief, then I shall take my leave and wait to hear from thee.”