Debra Kay Leland (13 page)

The older man listened with a concerned frown, his work worn hands on his hips as he considered William’s words. 
“Alright—speak then, English.”

“I—I know this may be inappropriate, but truly I do not intend it to be so…  Alden, I wish to press my suit for thy daughter’s hand.  I know I am a stranger among those here, but truly she shall lack for nothing, I swear it to thee!  And I believe an alliance between thee and I would only help protect thy lands even as I protect Glenton Moor.  It may be unusual for an English and Welsh to wed, but it has happened afore time—I assure ye of that, and—”

“Aye.  I agree.  Now, mind ye her dowry is small, a mere five pieces of silver and a cow, but the lass is fair and biddable and well worth her weight in gold, as ye well know.”

“Ye—ye accept then?”

“Aye, I do.  But we would do well not to speak of it here, ye and the lass shall have to be wed in secret—Egan would never let ye have her if he knew.”

“Alright—when?”

“Soon—go home now, English and wait till I send ye word.”

William nodded, and then clasped hands with the man before
as he walked away with a frown on his handsome face—and knowing all the while that Egan was still watching him with cold dark angry eyes…  He mounted and left then, but this time as he left Chadwick, he left with the promise that Miranda would be his…

The two men eyed their friend carefully. 
“Are ye going to tell us now what has ye frowning so?!”

William couldn’t have stopped the smile that drew across his face right then even if he had wanted to.  He glanced at the two, and then drew his eyes back down the road ahead of him keeping his voice lowered regardless of the fact that they were alone. 
“I have taken a bride.”

“Ye lie!  A bride!?  Today!”

“Tell us that ye have talked to Alden, and bid for Miranda’s hand and no others?!”
Thomas said with a frown.

He laughed softly at their concerned voices, then told them what had transpired that day—more than glad that not even his men had noticed the events that had taken place and hoping that Egan hadn’t either.

A frown creased across Thomas’ tanned face.  “
A wife? 
Well,
Phillip, ye and I shall need to move out of the hut...”

William looked to them and frowned.  “I—I truly had not thought that far ahead…  But we have time before winter to put up a shelter for ye; I shall n
ot have ye left out in the cold.”

As they drove on Thomas looked to Phillip and couldn’t help but smile; for all the man had suffered in his short life and for all he had lost, he deserved this…

E
gan watched the two men talking in private, for some reason it always unnerved him to see it; but the conversation was short and he was more than glad to see the English leave.  He drew a long breath and glanced around till his eyes once again found Miranda standing with her friends; the girl was more than lovely, he only wished she would just listen to him!  Her brother had told him that Miranda would turn six and ten summers in a few months time, he would be patient till then—but if he had to, he would force her father into giving him the girl willing or not.  She would grow to love him once they were wed and she had a babe in her arms, he was sure of it; but until then, he would merely bide his time and try to gain her trust.

I
t was late when the knock came to the door.  The three men were up from where they reclined by the fire; swords in hand as they glanced at the door and then at one another with worried eyes for none was sure after all that had happened this day if it was friend or foe who knocked!   William went to it quietly and stood warily to the side, weapon in hand, the wall at his back, his voice low and threatening. 
“State thy purpose
!”

“Ock English, open the door!”

He breathed a sigh of relief and rolled his eyes as he opened it. 
“Alden Blair, I swear ye almost have got thyself run through with my sword!  Why have ye
come
at this late hour? Tell me not that Egan has heard of what we are planning?!”

The older man took his arm and glanced at his men. 
“Nay, he has not.  Now
c
ome, English.  I need to speak with ye—alone!”
  He said purposefully as he threw the two men who had begun to follow a hard scowl.

William nodded to his friends then went with Alden as he led him around the side of the building, glancing around cautiously into the darkened night before he spoke with a hushed voice
.  “The lass shall have ye, English.”

“M
—Miranda, has accepted my suit?!”

“Aye, she has; but Egan must not find out!  He would force
the lass to marry him, if he knew!”

William felt his blood boil at the thought. 
“When can ye manage it then?”

“Now.”

“What?!  Now?!”

“Aye, the girl waits with the monk in the shadows of yur barn.  If ye wish to refuse, ye had best do it now, Englis
h!”

“Nay, Nay… I shall not refuse!  I—I would sooner die than to see another have her!  Has anyone seen ye come this way!” 
He said glancing around the darkened night again.

“I don’t believe so, but still—I’d like the deed good and done in case they have.”

William agreed and led the older man to the barn
.  “Wait for me here.”

He hurried back inside to where his two friends stood with worried eyes and their swords still in hand. 
“William, what is going on?!”

He hurried past them without a word and went to his tunic, pulling at the sewing till he withdrew a small black velvet satchel that lie within and
took the silver band that had been hidden there.  Then faced his men who were staring at him with worried eyes. 
“Come, stand guard with me!”

“Why?!  William, what’s going on?!”

He paused and looked at each with a frown.
  “My—my bride is here…”

They threw each other worried looks
as they hurried out the door.

He went into the dimly lit barn and his eyes met hers, she was still wearing the same dress she had on earlier, the flower were still in her long hair making her look even more beautiful in the golden glow of the lanterns that had been lit. 
He swallowed hard as he looked at her, then walked forward and settled his sword at his side as he came and stood before her.

She looked up into his dark handsome face; he had removed his tunic and now stood towering above her with his white shirt unlaced yet tucked into his brown trousers, but it was his blue eyes that made her heart skip a bea
t.

He looked
to her father and then the old monk. 
“May I talk to the lass a moment, alone?”

The two glanced at one another then nodded before t
hey stepped towards the door.

He took her thin hands in his gently noticing how they trembled; then his eyes met hers. 
“Miranda…” 
His voice was a mere whisper
.  “…lass, do ye wish to be my wife?”

She smiled softly, deepening the blush on her cheeks. 
“…Aye, I do.  I have wanted it to be so since first I saw thee…”

He smiled gently. 
“As have I...”

He glanced towards the guarded door before he spoke. 
“But, before I let thee pledge thyself to me, I must tell ye from where I have come—and then, if ye still wish it to be so I shall make ye mine…”

Her smile faded slightly as she watched him; hoping that his words would not soon break her heart.

“I am…Sir William Sheridan, the second son of the Earl of Whittington, and the son of the man who destroyed this village...”

She looked down for a long moment at the mention of the Earl’s name;
for everyone had come to fear it for what he had done in Glenton Moor.  She paused, then slowly lifted blue eyes to meet his face again, her voice soft and sincere. 
“And… whom shall ye be on the morrow, when I wake up at yur side?  Will ye be the son of the Earl or William of Glenton Moor?”

He managed a soft smile then. 
“I shall be William of Glenton Moor.  I am not the heir to the title, nor the lands, nor the wealth of Whittington.  I left my father’s house and can never to return there, lass.  I shall live out my days here where I am contented, and more so with thee at my side.  But ye must vow never to speak of it, for no one must ever know.”

She smiled then, a soft sweet smile that made his heart ache. 
“I shall not betray yur trust, and I shall gladly marry ye, William of Glenton Moor—and have yur children and be a good wife to ye.”

He touched her cheek lightly running the back of his hand down it to her soft jaw.  His words a mere whisper. 
“Then come, lass, and be mine…”

He turned to her father and the other men again. 
“The girl had agreed…”

The old monk sighed
and opened the small tattered book in his hand, before he took a hurried breath. 
“Then, let us make haste and have the deed done…!”

…They stood facing one another in the dim light of the roughened barn, her small hands in his, his eyes never leaving hers as the monk’s hushed words threaded between them…

…
And when the monk had finished, he took the ring from his pocket and threaded it over her thin finger, she looked at it with tears in her true blue eyes.  Her hand trembled as she held it before her; then she looked up into the face that now gazed at her with longing. 
“‘Tis lovely…  I—I had never hoped for such a thing…”

He cupped her cheek in his hand and brushed his lips across hers, his words as soft as a caress. 
“A bride must have a ring, lass.”

He
r father smiled and gave a deep sigh, more than pleased with himself now. 
“There now, lass, good and wed!  Now, ye need not worry for Egan Wallace again!” 
He sighed once more, then continued
, “’Tis late, William, would ye see fit to let two weary traveler stay in yur barn this night?”

He just smiled and gave a nod
.  “Aye, Alden…”

Her father just smiled back knowing he had done good by his daughter this day.

Phillip made sure everyone was bedded down properly in the barn, as he and Thomas took up a post outside just to make sure that no one was about, leaving William and his bride to walk alone into their house.  He paused on the threshold and looked down into hesitant eyes, and then he ran the back of his hand down her soft cheek again.  Her heart hammered in her chest as he leaned down and kissed her, his lips softly lingering over hers. 
“I shall be good to thee, lass, ye shall want for nothing, I promise thee.”

She leaned into his soft caress and he lifted her into his arms, his mouth never leaving hers as he took her into the darkened room and made her his…

The morning dawned bright and lovely as she opened her eyes and looked up into
the smiling face of her husband as he leaned on an elbow and gazed down at her in the narrow bed. 
“Good day, wife.”

She smiled a smile that reached her eyes. 
“And to ye, my husband.”

He touched her sof
t pink lips with his fingertips as he smiled. 
“I think I shall enjoy waking up to thee beside me in my bed.”

She blushed and lifted her head to brush her lips over his
.  “As shall I.”

He laughed softly and rolled fr
om the bed.  “Come, lass, we have guests feed and then we must bid them good day.”

She sat up with a soft smile as he pulled his shirt over his broad sculpted chest;
he returned it knowing he never felt so happy in all his life…

Not long afterwards the two invited their guest into the house to break their fast.  Miranda blushed as her father kissed her cheek and inquired of her softly
.  “All is well?”

She smiled up into his weathered face. 
“Aye, da, all is well.”

He gave her a wink and settled himself down onto the chair.

William’s two men glanced at the couple discreetly as they sat on the benches by the fire both with gladness and worry.  All knew that there would be trouble when Egan discovered what had happened, though none spoke of it now.

William reached up and threaded his strong tanned fingers through hers on top of the table as he spoke.  “Will ye go home then, Alden?”

“Aye, English, I shall.  I don’t expect much trouble from Egan, but then again he may pay ye a visit.  ‘Tis hard to tell with a man like that, but I know this; the man shall not be pleased at the hearing of that which ye have done.  Ye would do well to watch yur back ‘till he cools down some.”