The Baron's Bounty (24 page)

“Only me wife, and Laird MacDonald,” said the laird.

“Then why don’t you get married in Scotland?” Muriel suggested.

“I . . . I would like thet,” said Isobel. “It would make me feel closer te me deid parents.”

“Then ye’ll be married at Carlisle Castle in Galloway,” said Laird MacEwen with a newfound life in his eyes. “Baron Conlin, I’d like te give ye and Isobel Carlisle Castle as part o’ Isobel’s dowry, if ye’ll have it.”

“Two castles?” complained Nicholas. “Egads, Sandwich how do you do it? I’ve yet to have one.”

“Ye are givin’ us Carlisle Castle?” asked Isobel, unable to believe her ears.

“Is that your late father’s castle?” asked Conlin.

“Aye,” answered Isobel. “I was born and raised there. But Uncle Chisholm inherited it from me faither at his deith. Willna yer sons inherit thet castle, Uncle?”

“Me sons are from me second wife and will inherit Kirkcaldy Castle in Fife when I’m gone. But yer faither was me only brathair. He had no children but ye. So I am givin’ ye the castle, Isobel. Ye can finally return home.”

Isobel looked over to Conlin and all the people in the room, and realized how comfortable she felt here. She barely knew anyone back in her hometown anymore. “Thank ye, Uncle, but I canna accept.”

“What?” Nicholas blurted out. “I’ll take the castle if Sandwich doesn’t want it.”

“I didna say we wouldna take the castle,” said Isobel. “O’ course I would ne’er speak fer me husband in a matter as great as this. I only meant that I willna live there becooz this is me home now. I will always love Scotland, but these people are me friends and family, so it is here thet I will stay.”

“Isobel, I know how much that castle means to you.” Conlin took her hands in his. “I would go if I could, but I can’t leave my port. I am a Baron of the Cinque Ports.”

“I kent thet. And neither do ye have te. Canna a man have two castles, even though only one o’ them is his home?”

“Aye,” he said with a nod. Then he looked over to the laird. “I accept the dowry of Carlisle Castle, but I will have to ask you to watch over it for me and hire those you trust to run it for me while I’m busy here in Sandwich with my duties.”

“O’ course,” said Laird MacEwen with a nod. “I’d be ever so happy te do thet fer ye.”

“Two castles? Are you serious?” Nicholas complained to his wife while John just laughed.

“I can make your wedding gown, Isobel,” Muriel offered.

“Thank ye, Muriel. I would like a gown made from the plaid o’ me clan.”

“Consider it done,” she said with a smile.

“When will you two be married?” asked Rose.

“I’d say as soon as possible, wouldn’t you, Izzy?” Conlin asked her with a raised brow.

“Aye. I agree.”

“Then we’ll post the wedding banns and in three weeks time we will all meet at Carlisle Castle in Scotland to celebrate our wedding,” announced Conlin.

“Our real weddin’ this time.” Isobel reached up and kissed Conlin, happy to know she would finally be his true wife.

Chapter 31

“Isobel, hurry, they’ve already started playing the music and Conlin is waiting in the courtyard for you.” Muriel fussed with Isobel’s gown made of the dark green and blue MacEwen plaid with thin yellow and red stripes running through it. She wore a billowed white leine under the gown. It was long to the ground, and had a tight bodice tied with leather strips, and a long shawl made of the same plaid thrown over her shoulders.

Isobel tried on her sixth pair of shoes, not sure which ones looked the best with the plaid. “I dinna ken which shoes te wear,” she told her friend. It had been three weeks since the wedding banns were posted, and now everyone from Briarbeck Castle in Sandwich had joined with the entire MacEwen clan at Carlisle Castle in Galloway for the wedding.

“They’re just shoes,” said Muriel with a giggle. “What difference does it make?”

“Jest shoes? How can ye say thet?” Isobel had tried not to care about shoes, but it was a habit that was hard to break. She hadn’t been able to do it yet, nor did she really want to. Shoes made her happy, and everyone deserved a little happiness in their lives.

“Isobel, are you ready?” Conlin walked into the chamber, and Muriel ran up to him and pushed him back out into the hall.

“It’s bad luck to see the bride ahead of time,” she told him through the open crack in the door.

“Egads, that is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. We’ve already seen more of each other than we’re supposed to.”

“Conlin, please. I’ll be right there. I am jest tryin’ te decide which shoes te wear.” Isobel weighed two different pairs in her hands looking first at one and then at the other.

“Shoes again?” She heard him thunk his forehead against the wooden door. “Choose a pair or don’t wear any at all, I don’t care. Just meet me in the chapel in five minutes. You are putting us way behind schedule.”

He walked away, and Muriel closed the door. “What’s the matter, Isobel?”

“I dinna ken,” she answered, trying to get her foot into the shoe. “Me shoes seem so much smaller. Mayhap they shrunk from being dropped inte the sea.”

“Or mayhap your feet have grown.”

“Nay, I dinna think so.”

Muriel bent down and took a hold of Isobel’s foot in her hand.

“Your feet almost seem swollen. Isobel . . . are you . . . with child?”

“What?” She jumped up, dropping the shoes in the process. “Do ye think so?”

“When’s the last time you had your courses?”

“Now thet ye mention it . . . no’ in a few months now. Oh, Muriel, do ye think I am bairned?”

“Aye, I do. Congratulations, Isobel. Wait until Conlin hears he’s going to be a father.”

“Wait until after the ceremony afore ye mention it,” she said. “The priest agreed te marry us, but if he kens I’m bairned, he might change his mind.”

“Come on, Isobel, let’s get to the chapel. I can hardly wait for you to tell Conlin he is going to be a father.”

* * *

Conlin paced back and forth in the chapel, feeing anxious that Isobel was taking so long. He was excited to get to the feast, and then tour his new castle. They’d arrived just this morning, and he’d yet to see all of his new holdings.

Carlisle Castle was small, not nearly as large as Briarbeck Castle. Still, it was in good shape. It had a stone keep surrounded by a dry moat, and all the buildings that went with it, such as the mews, the stable, and the alehouse. He’d gained a hundred acres of land as well, being part of the dowry. He now had orchards and fields that could be planted with crops for many months out of the year.

He liked the smell of the air and the all the open land here, but he missed the smell of the sea and life on the coast back in Sandwich as well. He could see Isobel and himself coming here on holiday to get away from the hustle and bustle at the Sandwich Port, but he knew it would never truly be his home.

“My God you are beautiful,” he exclaimed, seeing Isobel standing in the doorway of the chapel. She was dressed in her clan’s plaid and had fresh mountain flowers woven right into her hair.

Rose led the way, dressed in a plaid as well, and followed by Muriel. They both had baskets of wildflowers, and Isobel held fresh heather from the Highlands in her hands.

The sound of bagpipes split the air, and Isobel walked forward slowly. She approached the dais, and Conlin stepped forward to take her arm, accidentally stepping on her toe in the process he was so nervous.

“Och. Losh me, that hurt!” She bent over and rubbed her foot and that’s when he noticed she wasn’t wearing any shoes.

“Isobel? Couldn’t you find a pair of shoes to wear?” The thought made him chuckle aloud. “Mayhap we should have brought a few dozen more from Sandwich.”

“I’m tryin’ te change,” she said, raising her chin proudly. “Besides – none of them fit me. I think we’ll have te go te the cordwainer’s as soon as we’re through here and have some new shoes made.”

Just like Isobel, already thinking of shoes. He loved her for it tho, and wouldn’t change a thing about her. She was perfect the way she was.

They exchanged vows, and he slipped a large diamond ring embedded in a band of gold upon her finger.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered and he could see the tears welling in her eyes.

“I pronounce ye husband and wife,” said the priest, closing his book. “Ye may kiss the bride.”

“Gladly.” This time Conlin wanted to kiss her, and he wanted everyone to watch as well. This time, he didn’t feel awkward and embarrassed because Isobel was truly his wife now, and not just a proxy. He kissed her deeply feeling the excitement growing within him, and could see she felt the same. She was his wife now - his true wife.

“I’m glad you’re my new mother,” said Rose, sneaking in between them for a hug. They both laughed and included her in the circle.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Sandwich.” John embraced his friend as well as kissed Isobel on the cheek.

“Aye, congratulations, my lord.” Toft stepped forward. “Mayhap next year at this time, I’ll be getting married.”

“Good try, Toft,” said Conlin with a shake of his head. “But my daughter is off limits until I say otherwise.”

“Aye, milord.”

“Are you going to tell him?” asked Muriel excitedly.

“Tell him what?” asked Muriel’s husband, Nicholas, jostling both his babies in his arms.

“About the new addition.” Muriel looked over to Isobel and nudged her on the arm.

“Egads, not the castle again,” complained Nicholas. “Really, Muriel, you don’t need to keep reminding me he now has two castles and we’re still living in a manor house.”

“Not that!” Muriel smiled and shook her head.

“Isobel?” Conlin held her in his arms and stared into her eyes. It felt good to hold her, and he would protect her and love her til the day he died. Her hazel eyes sparkled with happiness and excitement as he waited for whatever it was she had to tell him.

“We’re going to have a bairn,” she blurted out, catching him by surprise. Everyone in the chapel – except the priest - shouted out their approval and clapped.

“We are?” Conlin picked her up and hugged her to his chest. “I am so happy, Izzy.”

“Nay,” said Rose, shaking her head, and Conlin knew about her worries since her mother died giving birth.

“It’ll be fine, Rose.” He tried to comfort her, but she still seemed very upset.

“Rose, this is a new start te a new life,” Isobel told her. “I promise ye thet the bairn and meself will be fine. And you will be right there with me when the bairn is born.”

“I will?”

“Aye. Now they ye are a young woman, ye need to ken all aboot these things.”

“Will my father be there too?”

“Aye, yer faither too,” she said and smiled as he put her back on the ground.

“Then I agree,” said Rose, hugging her parents again. “It is a good thing and I am looking forward to finally having a sibling.”

“Ye ken, Rose, thet when I came as a proxy te marry yer faither, I had no idea I’d really be married te him some day. I am so happy.” Isobel reached up and kissed him, then held out her hand and kissed her wedding ring as well. Conlin pulled her into his arms with her back against his chest, and laid his hands over her waist – over the babe in her womb.

“That’s right,” agreed Colin. “Things worked out, just like I promised you both that they would.”

“I’m also glad ye fished me outta the sea, Conlin.” Isobel laid her head back against her husband’s chest and closed her eyes. A big smile spread across her face. “I’m glad ye fished me outta the sea becooz that day, I became more than jest a proxy – I became
The Baron’s Bounty.”

From the Author:

I hope you enjoyed Isobel and Conlin’s story. I put a lot of history into this story, and added my own twists as well.

For example, King Alexander III really did fall off a cliff and die the night he went to see his pregnant new wife the night before her birthday. He had been separated from his guards in a storm, and it was said his death was an accident – having been thrown from his horse.

Then again, who knows for sure? That’s why in my story there is a twist, and we find out what really happened behind the scenes. It was also said that King Alexander liked to dress up in different clothes or disguises.

I also thought it would be fun to have my heroine adore shoes. Why not? Doesn’t every woman love them? I sprinkled my research of shoes of the middle ages into the story, and had a lot of fun doing it. If you’d also like to find out about medieval guilds and spinsters – women who spun wool, you’ll want to read
The Baron’s Quest
–
Book 1
of the series if you haven’t already. The audio book of
The Baron’s Quest
is now available as well.

Watch for John Montague’s story in
The Baron’s Destiny – Book 3
of the
Barons of the Cinque Ports Series
coming this winter! You will finally find out why the man cries out in his sleep. The reason - I promise you will be shocking.