Turning, he gave each of his men — who were staring in awe at the visions of beauty that were both Aeschene and Marisse — a hard glare.
“Which one be yers?” Lachlan whispered, his eyes firmly affixed on Marisse.
Black Richard shook his head, embarrassed by his men’s behavior. “Have ye not seen a beautiful woman before?” he hissed.
One hard glower stopped any of them from answering. Once again, he took Aeschene’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. Lachlan and Andrew looked disappointed whilst Rory and Daniel looked relieved. They could not take their eyes away from the golden-haired beauty named Marisse.
David stood near the table and Black Richard could see he was doing his best not to laugh.
Before he could chastise his men further, the priest entered the room. He was a middle-aged man, with thinning hair that he swept over the bald spot atop his head. The man took one look at Black Richard, gave the sign of the cross, and immediately went to David.
Chapter Five
Less than a quarter of an hour after making his announcement, Black Richard MacCullough and Aeschene MacRay were standing before a priest.
“Are ye certain ye wish to do this, lass?” the man asked her for the third time.
If Richard were easily offended — which he wasn’t — he might have been tempted to threaten him with bodily injury should he ask the question again. Believing he’d already angered God so much so that he was now forced to marry the MacRay lass, he did not want to tempt his fate by such an action.
“Aye, I be certain,” Aeschene replied. Her voice, so soft and low, felt like silk against Richard’s skin.
He paid no attention to anyone else in the room for the duration of the ceremony. How could he when the pretty lass next to him shook like a leaf on a tree in a thunderstorm.
He had to give her credit though. Not once did she falter in saying her vows. Nor did she stop to think long on the priest’s question, “Do ye take this man of yer own free will?”
“Aye,” she answered with a smile.
The ceremonial cloth was tied around their wrists, they spoke their vows, the priest blessed the union, then gave Black Richard permission to kiss his bride.
’Tis naught but a kiss, he tried to convince his thundering heart. ’Tis only a propriety action. A means to an end required by the church.
With a gentle finger, he lifted her chin. Her eyes darted back and forth, as if she were trying hard to focus on him. His chest felt constricted, and he was glad again she could not see.
Ever so gently, he pressed his lips to hers. What was meant to be naught more than a proprietary action, turned out to be so much more. Simplicity fell away in an instant, like a frightened bird taking flight. Black Richard’s attempts at a chaste kiss were ruined the moment he felt his new bride all but melt against him, her fingers grasping his arms as if she were moments away from swooning.
He had not expected that.
Women no longer swooned in his presence. Nay, they were more apt to run in the opposite direction.
But not Aeschene. Nay, she did the exact opposite thing. Clinging to him, pressing her lips against his — albeit awkwardly — she drew in a deep breath as her lips begged for more.
Black Richard felt the heat of need and desire grow from a long silenced placed not used in many years. Burgeoning rapidly and at a terrifying pace.
Common sense took hold and he forced himself to break the kiss. Though it had lasted for only a few thundering heartbeats, ’twas enough to make him wonder if Aeschene had not somehow bewitched him.
For a man who had long ago given up any hope at having a wife, a man dead-set against this union, a man sworn to celibacy, he was at a loss for words when he opened his eyes to look at his bride. The only word he could think to describe her in that moment was radiant. ’Twas her smile, a smile so bright, so filled with hope and something akin to glee, that it made her useless but beautiful blue eyes sparkle in the candlelight.
Aye, she had bewitched him. ’Twas the only plausible explanation.
And he didn’t believe in witches.
’Twas Aeschene’s first kiss. She refused the count the one Robby MacRay had given her when she was all but ten years of age. That was naught but a kiss on her cheek, and given only because Robby’s older brothers dared him to.
There was no comparison betwixt the two.
Black Richard’s lips were soft and warm, laced with a silent promise of what might come. ’Twas wondrous and tender, and oh, so very sweet. Delightful warmth spread from her lips to the tips of her fingers.
Aeschene had heard stories — told mostly by Marisse — of how the right kiss by the right man could change a woman’s life. Because Marisse had been married once — albeit for only three weeks before her sweet husband was killed —she had a wealth of experience in these matters. Far more than Aeschene had ever hoped to have.
Black Richard’s kiss left her breathless, wanting more. More of him, more of his kisses, and the need to uncover that silent promise. ’Twas exactly how Marisse had claimed a kiss should be.
When he pulled away, she was quite tempted to pull him back and ask him to do it again. But her common sense and good breeding prohibited her from acting on that temptation. She was already a tremendous embarrassment to her family and wished not to upset them any more than she already had over the years.
Nay, there would be more time for kisses later, when they were alone. With all the strength she could muster, she willed herself to stop smiling like a dimwitted dolt. But her insides? Nay, they’d not stop smiling for a very long while.
With the ceremony over and his men done cheering — and they were the only ones who had —Black Richard helped his wife into her cloak and led her out of the keep. Stopping once on the stairs, he turned to face her. “Say goodbye to yer family now,” he told her. “Fer I doubt ye will be seein’ them again.”
Her mother came to her at once and wrapped loving arms around her only daughter. “’Tis the truth, I shall miss ye,” Elspeth whispered into her ear.
“I shall miss ye as well,” Aeschene replied, choking back tears. At one time, she and her mother had been very close. But since she began to lose her vision, their relationship had become strained. It had more to do with her father pushing them apart than any act of their own. Wiping away a tear, Aeschene broke the embrace.
Garrin came out then, still looking just as harsh and angry as he had been all day. Walking passed them, he bounded down the stairs, ignoring the newly wedded couple all together.
On the off chance he hadn’t been able to convince David or his betrothed to refuse this marriage, Black Richard had brought an extra mount. A calm, bay colored filly who would have no problems keeping up with the rapid exit he had envisioned. However, nothing had gone as he had planned. Now, learning she was blind, he found himself worrying over the safety of a wife he never wanted. She was blind, therefore, he reasoned, she was unable to ride. Suddenly beset with the need to have her ride with him, he convinced himself ’twas only her safety he had in mind.
“’Twill be a long journey,” he told her. “Ye will ride with me.”
He’d thought the matter closed, for no one ever questioned his decisions.