FLAME ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS (35 page)

Chapter Forty-Seven

              The day dawned bright and clear with hardly a trace of a cloud in the sky.  A good omen for a wedding.  And what a wedding it was.  Not one but
two
brides, dressed in matching wedding gowns of pale blue covered at the neck and waist with white and blue striped arasaids, walked slowly and regally to the altar of the MacQuarie chapel, following along Aulay’s flower-strewn path. And not one groom but two eagerly awaited the breathtaking beauties, both laddies attired in their very best breacans--Ian's of green and blue weave, Alastair's of red and black.  For one hushed moment Ian's eyes met Brianna's and he smiled, knowing there was not a clansman present at that moment who would not have taken his place or Alastair's. 

"You are beautiful," he breathed, bending to take he
r hand.  Alastair was likewise softly praising Glenna's loveliness.  Together, all four faced the priest who began the familiar Latin words in his deep voice.

As the Mass progressed Brianna felt peace and love in her heart, though a slight streak of mischief made her wonder what Alastair and Ian would do if she teasingly told them they had each married the wrong twin.  It was a thought that made her smile as she repeated her vows, though in reality she would have none to husband except her
Campbell.  The very thought of belonging to him misted her eyes with happy tears that were mirrored by Glenna's as she gazed in Alastair's direction.

Brianna felt the gold ring touch first one finger, then another, to rest on the third finger of her right hand, an unending symbol of eternity.  She would belong to Ian forever, as well as to his Clan.  And by this marriage the decades of bloodshed between the rival families was over. The clans too were bound by the marriage
, though her father had insisted on restitution for all that the MacQuaries had suffered. The brieve had imposed a fine on Duncan, a
kimbot
was paid in cattle. Though it had taken a time for old wounds to heal, it was good to see her father and Duncan standing side by side with Robbie in between.  Both seemingly approved of  the ceremony that once and for all put end to the feud.  As Brianna sank to her knees to receive the wine from  the priest's brimming chalice,  she could have even sworn the  Campbell chieftain's mouth pulled up in a smile. 

Then it was over
, and before all assembled Ian and Alastair kissed their brides. Glenna stood on tiptoe as Alastair bent down for the joining of their lips. Brianna slid her arms around her husband's broad shoulders, relishing the ritual kiss, thrilling with passion to know that this handsome, daring man belonged to her at last.

"Come, my wife," he whispered, caressing her  in such
a heated embrace before all assembled that she blushed.  "It is time we tasted of each other again."  He grinned as his eyes lit on Glenna and her bard.  "All has turned out exactly as you planned.  Are you sure you aren't a kelpie?"

"And if I am
?"   Her words were spoken into the firmness of his lips as he kissed her fervently, hungrily, with all the longing in his soul.

The wedding feast was a lively affair with ale by the barrel and an array of delicacies.  Afterwards there was dancing as a whirling
, high-stepping jubilant, clan enthusiastically gave thanks for the promise of peace.  Aulay tumbled, juggled,  and stood on his head to the delight of those assembled. Then, amidst jovial laughter and shouted congratulations, the newly wedded couples were escorted up the stairs to their  nuptial bed, Ian and Brianna to one chamber,  Glenna and Alstair  to another.

"Seems this has been done
before," Ian teased as Mary helped her out of her gown and Robbie assisted him in flinging off his breacon.  "Only this time you belong to me."  There was such a fierce possessiveness in his tone that her breath caught in her throat.

Though nearly thirty pairs of eyes watch
ed as they took their places in the large feather bed they barely noticed, nor did they hear the drone of the priest as he gave the blessing to their conjugal union. They had eyes only for each other.  And then  at last they were alone.

"Brie!  Brie!  My lovely, lovely wife."  Her hair, like a shimmering waterfall of flame, spilled onto his chest and he entwined his fingers in the fiery strands as he  kissed her long and hard, savoring the soft sweetness of her mouth.  "I love you!"
he murmured against her lips.

"Show me.....!"  Her eyes were boldly challenging.
"Though perhaps making love in a feather bed will not be as daring as our curach."

Ian's intense gaze clung to her as he beheld her naked beauty
, and he ran his hand lovingly over the softness of her shoulder, down to the peaks of her full breasts. This was his bride, his mate forever and ever.  With a quick, indrawn breath he drew her to his chest, molding his mouth to hers again in a  sweetly scorching kiss.  His hands stroked her body, gently igniting the searing flame she always felt at his touch.

A blazing fire consumed them both as their bodies met and caressed.  With hands and lips and words they gave full vent to their love.  Ian caught her in his arms and pulled her down, rolling with her until her slender form was beneath his.  They were entwined in
love, in flesh, in heart and  with their  very souls. As he entered her softness she clung to him, lips parted, eyes closed as they reached a shattering culmination, much like the crashing of the waves against Staffa.

A long time later, Brianna pressed her head to his chest, contentedly knowing that there would be another time like this, and another and another. "I love ye, Ian.  Oh, I do!  I only hope that Glenna is as blissfully happy right now as I am
.” As if to give proof that Glenna was experiencing just as much ecstasy with her new husband, Brianna could hear her moans of pleasure through the adjoining bedroom walls. 

“It would seem so,” Ian whispered in her ear.

“Growing up I was always the one to do something first.” She boldly reached down and touched his manhood. “If I hae my way there will soon be a son of yer seed."

Reverently he bent down and kissed her stomach where his child might well have already been created from their love. "Or daught
er," he breathed.  "Or twins!"

Brianna threw up her hands in mock horror.  "
Twins—nae. I wouldna want to suffer what my Father has endured.  It would seem one child at a time would be quite enough."  She smiled dreamily, "Though then there would be one for yer Uncle and one for the MacQuarie chieftain.   Ye can  well imagine Father's pride at that."  Touching his lips, she merged her smile with his. They lay in each other's arms, sated and happy, knowing that tomorrow awaited them with hope and  the promise of deep, eternal love.

NOTE: surnames are the mark of modern clans, but were not in general use in the
Highlands before the seventeenth century. For the convenience of the reader and to clarify, however, I have given my characters a surname—Brianna of clan Macquarie and Ian of clan Campbell. Brianna Nic Lachlan (Nic meant “daughter of” Lachlan) and Ian Mac Niall (Mac meant “son of” Niall) is how each would have been commonly referred to.

For those who would like to know more about the two clans used in FLAME ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS:
MACQUARIE OF ULVA
Clan motto is
An t'Arm breac dearg
which means "the red-tartaned army".  The badge is a bent mailed arm rising out of a crown and holding a dagger.
The clan  is of ancient royal descent, traced by the seanachies, or Celtic genealogists to  one of the branches of the great Clan Alpin.  The name derives from a Gaelic term of description "Guiaire", meaning noble.  According to tradition, Guiaire was the second son of Gregor, son of Alpin, the famous king of Scots who fell in battle in 837. The MacQuarie chiefs had their seat in Ulva, an island off of Mull.
Most of the family papers were destroyed in a fire in 1688 thus early records are sparse.  It is known that Cormac Mor, chief of the MacQuaries, aided Alexander II in his invasion of the Western Highlands to free them of Norse rule. The first chief who survives in historical records is Iain of Ulva, who witnessed a charter of the Lord of the Isles in 1463 and  died about ten years later.  After the forfeiture of the Lords of the Isles, the clan acquired independence.  They followed the MacLeans of Duart and supported a MacDonald in his effort to restore the Lordship of the Isles. This involved them in a disaster from which the MacQuaries never recovered, namely the loss of their chief and most of his clansmen at the battle of Inverkeithing in 1651.
There was still a chief on Ulva when Dr. Johnson and James Boswell visited Lachlan MacQuarie in 1773.  He owned the island of Staffa with its famous Fingal's cave. The last known chief  of Clan MacQuarie, also a Lachlan, died in 1818.
From their clan territory the MacQuaries have spread themselves throughout the world, gaining distinction out of proportion to their numbers.   Major-General Lachlan MacQuarie was Governor of New South Wales during the convict period and under his government the colony prospered.  He is recognized as one of Australia's founding fathers. He laid out the city of Sydney and returned home in 1821, leaving his name in commemoration in MacQuarie Island and other place-names.  This General MacQuarie repurchased much of the ancient patrimonial property in Scotland which had been sold to pay another Lachlan MacQuarie's creditors (the sixteenth and last chief in regular succession), and if not accepted as chief, was assuredly the first Ceanntigh or cadet.  He married Miss Baillie of Jarviswood; and his only son, Lachlan, by his second wife, daughter of Sir John Campbell of Airds, died without issue.
CAMPBELL, DUKE OF ARGYLL
Clan motto is "Ne obliviscaris"  - Forget not.  The badge is a boar's head.
Known as the race of Diarmid, and spoken of as being descendants of that handsome Ossianic hero with whom the wife of Fingal fell in love, the Clan Campbell was for centuries a most powerful influence in Argyll and West of Scotland.  The clan was  prominent in Dalriada, the earliest Scottish kingdom.
Sir Colin of Lochow, the progenitor of the Campbells of Argyll was knighted in 1280, and from him the chiefs of Argyll received the designation, MacCailean Mor, retained by the Dukes of Argyll till the present day.  The support which Sir Colin Campbell and his two sons gave to Robert Bruce was rewarded by a marriage with the King's sister, and the Campbells began their rise to supremacy in the Highlands.  They assisted in the downfall of Bruce's opponents. Five centuries later the 9th Duke of Argyll wed Princess Louise, Queen Victoria's daughter.               
The town of Inverary was founded in 1474 and has been the clan's headquarters ever since.  From there, the rise to power of the Campbells continued.  They helped the crown destroy the mighty Lord of the Isles, took over MacDonald lands in Knapdale and Kintyre, then swallowed up the vast MacLean terriories in Morvern and the islands of Mull, Tiree and Coll.  Their 16th century persecution of other Highland clans like the MacGregors and the Donalds gave them a reputation for being unscrupulous. The 7th Earl (1576-1638) was involved with  the Campbells of Cawdor in overthrowing the MacDonalds of Islay but ended his days in exile. In the 17th Century the Campbells, however,  picked the wrong side in the period's civil wars which resulted in the execution of two of their lords for treason.
The Campbells  have helped safeguard Scotland's heritage.  In 1899 the 8th Duke of Argyll gave the Abbey of Iona, the island off Mull and Ulva from which St. Columba spread Christianity to the nation, and its historic sites were put in the care of trustees and the abbey there completely restored.The clan is now said to have twelve and a half million world-wide.  The present 12th Duke of Argyll is also Hereditary Master of the Queen's Household in Scotland, Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, Keeper of Dunoon, Carrick, Dunstaffnage and Tarbert Castles and Admiral of the Western Isles.

AUTHOR BIO

Katherine Vickery
is the pseudonym used by the mother/daughter writing team of Marcia Vickery Hockett and Kathy Kramer.  Additional pseudonyms are Kathryn Kramer and Kathryn Hockett.  These prolific authors have written a total of 40 historical romance novels which have been translated into German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Japanese and Hebrew. They have won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award several years in a row.

A current project  is formatting all 40 book into the ebook format. To date Notorious, Lady Rogue, Midsummer
Night’s Desire, Pirate Bride, Flame From the Sea, Desire’s Disguise and Desire’s Masquerade (Kathryn Kramer); Desire of the Heart, Arrow to the Heart (Katherine Vickery); Gentle Warrior, Outrageous, Indigo Sea, Highland Destiny, Sweet Savage Surrender (Hockett) are available in ebook format for the Kindle. Kathy is currently working on Flame of Desire (Vickery) which is an award-winning book concerning the reign of Mary Tudor. It is the prequel to Indigo Sea (Hockett). Outlaw Seduction, Cherokee’s Caress, Renegade Lady and the Legend’s Lady (Hockett) are part of the “Women of the West” series and are now in e-book format as well.

Kathy and Marcia
were inspired to write about the MacQuaries by Mary Margaret MacQuarie—great grandmother/grandmother. She was courageous, loving, and loved to tell stories handed down from generation to generation.