The Highlander Without a Bride (3 page)

CHAPTER
THREE

The evening
slowly turned into night and the never-ending festivities droned on as the guests continued to partake of the gaiety and the entertainment.  Jugglers, jokesters and musicians alike were aplenty in the room and strode around filling it with elation and gladness in their wakes.  Pleasure was felt and enjoyment was had by
nearly
all.

Tor sat at a table at
the far side of the hall neither speaking nor taking pleasure in the madness or the merriment, for he did not understand the need for these festivities.  Quite to himself he contemplated the host family and thought how strange were these English.  They exhausted endless hours playing and communicating of such non-essential things and appeared to spend very little time preparing to protect.  He acknowledged rather poignantly that in his entire life, he had never witnessed such idiocy.

Though these two families
did not live that far apart, he knew without a doubt that their lifestyles were so vastly different.  In his homeland, they had but one duty and that took all of their time and all of their devotion.  That responsibility was to protect the clan and his family, above all else.  The endless lifetime of training, the building of strong walls, strong bodies and strong decisive minds, was of the utmost importance.  In his mind, it was the
only
thing that mattered and the only course that was essential.

H
ere, these English were more intent upon making laughter, making games and fun and that was just so foreign to Tor.  He wondered quite curiously how they had survived for so long with their soft ways.  These lands would not last more than a day handled and protected as such, if these estates were located in his precious Highlands.

Tor looked across the room and up to the head table where the
family was seated.  As he gazed across the crowded chamber, he noted the Lord Devon sat proudly and happily with all of his women, his wife and three daughters and their corresponding men.  As he looked over the group, his eyes alighted and hung upon, but one.  The very pretty Kaye as she was called who was sister to his lord's wife, Bridget and sister to the bride, Marie. 

Kaye's
dark and thick ebony hair cascaded enticingly down her back and to her waist as the firelight brilliantly reflected upon the masses of shiny tresses.  Her exquisite sapphire blue eyes and full pink lips were so inviting as she smiled up in mirth at one of the jugglers standing right before her.  He watched her intently and noticing her petite yet alluring form as the very tops of her full and luscious breasts ever so enticingly exposed themselves over her fitting gown. 

Memories of the past flashed through Tor's mind as he remembered the first and only
other time he had ever visited England.  It was nearly two years ago when his own lord and cousin Alec had come to seek his bride.  The task was by order of his own Scottish king and in agreement with the English king, to wed the Highlander to the border baron's daughter.  That had nearly come to a disastrous end when they arrived and it was known to be the eldest daughter Kaye that his lord was to wed, for she was in such a devastating state.  She was quite sickly as her skin was quite pale and her eyes very sunken, so much so that she could hardly come to the hall and sup on her own.  She never would have made the grueling trip back to the Highlands alive, for she was quite frail.

In her stead, Bridget was chosen
for his bride by his own lord, Alec.  The great Lord Devon had also agreed and while Bridget had initially been opposed, in time they had become quite settled.  And what a fine match they had made, for it was quite obvious to anyone that knew the pair that they were contentedly in love.

T
o look at Bridget's sister now…Tor hardly recognized her as the same woman of those two years past.  Her beauty had most assuredly blossomed as did her fortitude, for it was obvious she was quite changed.  As his eyes perused the full of her from across the hall, he had to wholly acknowledge that she was a true beauty and stirred him greatly.  How he wished he could feel her gentleness within his arms and feel her soft lips touch his own.  She was magnificent enough to want to protect and even perhaps go to war for.

Tor thought absently to himself that it
most likely would never occur for it appeared she had a great interest in the fop of a man that was sitting next to her.  He appeared to be easily and fully commanding all of her attentions.  A thin and small English man who was clearly many years her senior and one he knew could never ignite this slight lass' passions, or at least should never be allowed the opportunity to try.

*****

As the evening wore on, Kaye watched the performer in front of the family's table with interest and with delight as he skillfully tossed wooden blocks into the air, catching them unerringly and dramatically before her.  Her eyes were intent upon the show until a slight movement directly behind the performer and from across the great chamber caught her eye.  Without being obvious, she looked beyond the entertaining man and to another seated on the far and opposite wall of the vast room, to one that was extraordinarily handsome but also so very intimidating. 

Sh
e felt the heat of Tor's eyes burning into her as they once again sent unfamiliar shivers up her spine.  She silently acknowledged he was exceptionally nice to look upon at a distance, but one that thoroughly and truly frightened her when he was near.  As she gazed across the hall she reasoned to herself that the trembling could be only because he startled her so.  He was so large, so imposing and so mysterious.

She continued to stare
as she pretended to be engaged in the act before her, all the while looking intently upon the magnificent figure gazing back at her.  Her heart skipped a beat, but was this for the fear and trepidation that he exhumed about him when he was near?  It must be, for what else
could
it be?

As Kaye f
elt a gentle touch upon her arm, she realized with a start that Lord Hann had been speaking to her once again.  She tore her eyes from the warrior who sat across the room and turned to look upon the gentleman at her side, his proper attire and prim face staring intently up at her.  He was so English, one in which she could completely understand.  He was also much more of the kind of man she had always pictured herself knowing and committing to for the rest of her life.

Perhaps
she wished the lord were a few years younger, mayhap wished for a man a bit more striking, but what did it really matter?  He appeared to be a kind man and from the little she knew of him, she understood him to be a vastly respected man.  He was a man that understood duty to his estates and to that of his king.  His character seemed quite impeccable and for what more could she ask?  She would be able to stand proudly next to this one as she understood her role, for she identified with his life and could provide a loving home and some day if they were blessed, a loving family.

The man sitting next to her was s
o in contrast to the man who was situated across the vast chamber from her and one that could not even be considered.  What would a life with him be like?  The Highlander's strange and warring ways were so unknown and so foreign to her.  Even though her own dear sister now lived with them, she had to admit that she and Bridget were just so dissimilar.  Kaye understood the finer points of managing the estate's kitchens and mending clothes and embroidered well, while her strong sister carried a sword of her own and sat a horse as well as any man.  How could Kaye ever conform? 

And what of this business of
their taking a wife?  So many vast and horrendous stories had been told over the years on this topic and some witnessed with her own eyes.  For when the Lord Bruce had come to claim her those two years previous, he had not been satisfied with his original offering so he simply demanded another.  By looking at their shocking and unconventional attire, perhaps her sister's husband was the exception and that the other men in his clan do not usually marry. Perhaps these clansmen would just take whatever woman they felt would please them.  For the way he brazenly looked at her was truly unsettling and just did not feel proper.

Kaye
looked at the Lord Hann who was gazing at her with a questioning look upon his face and a longing in his eyes.  With a start, she realized that she had no idea what had just been spoken since she was so deep in her thoughts.  For long moments, Kaye looked at the lord as he simply stared at her, he on the edge of his seat and appearing to be waiting patiently for her response. 

Kaye remorsefully spoke,
"I am so very aggrieved, milord, but the entertainment has me so engaged.  I fear I have not heard the last of your communication."

He looked at her with
an awkwardness now about him as he averted his gaze slightly for the subject of his question had obviously been momentous.  With a kindly smile he repeated the last of what he had just said.

"My dear,
Lady Kaye.  What I was speaking of was for my admiration of you and my devotion towards you.  I have much to offer, though I may not be the youngest among the gentlemen here in attendance, I am still very avidly interested.  For I have been lonely these past years without a wife and would like to bestow that honor upon you.  Will you please grant me the privilege and consider my proposal?"

Kaye was startled
and quite stunned.  Proposal? Proposal of what? Of
marriage
?  Kaye looked deeply into his eyes as a shocked and uncomfortable silence extended between the two.  For while she assumed she knew what he would be about, she had never dreamed he would come to these conclusions after meeting such a short while before.  And would he really expect an answer so soon?  And here?  In the middle of her sister's wedding reception?

As her mind reeled from the depth of his
inquiry and before she could speak, he hurriedly continued on, "Milady, we travel tomorrow morning early, for I have business with the king and have to return to my estates.  I would like to be wed upon the morn and travel immediately thereafter.  That is, of course, if you will have me…"

Kaye was
astounded and could only stare back at him as her mind raced as she attempted to truly comprehend all of his declarations and consider his request.  Was he genuinely wishing for her to make her mind up immediately? 

Kaye
could only mutter in mystification, "Milord, but we have just met!"

He
turned to her fully and took her hands into his as he said, "Ah, yes, milady, but I think we were
destined
to be together.  And fate can smile down upon those and know that for some, five years would never suffice for two to get to know one another and for others five days would be more than enough.  And in my mind, it was only five
minutes
before I knew I wanted you for my wife!"

Kaye
stared at the lord, stunned as he bent over her hand and brought it up to his lips as he placed a warm kiss upon her knuckles.  He slowly looked up at her, smiling, encouraging, beseeching her to declare that she agreed to be his.

She took a deep breath knowing she was flattered by his declaration as she
thoroughly contemplating her future.  She knew in her mind that this was a logical path to take and the rational step to obtain.  For the first time in her life, someone had declared that they truly wanted her.  She now had a plan where she would not be alone and not be a burden upon her parents nor subjected to a life of solitude.  Her mind raced for the possibility as she realized that her dream, at least in part, could come true and she only had to accept his offer.  Her pulse raced heavily for the relief that she felt, for she realized she was wanted and now had a very promising prospect.  She surely understood that by consenting, she would have a home that she could appreciate and would marry into ways that she fully understood. 

But
it was something else that made her pause and not immediately respond to his offer as she quite considered his proposal.  For in her heart she was not so sure that this was her true destiny.  Her pulse thundered within her ears, drowning out the din of the merriment all around her as her emotions softly rebelled within.  She felt a slight pain as it pinched within her chest as the uncertainty of this proposal began to grow.  A silent alarm come from deep within as it began to threaten her fully.

Kaye removed her eyes from the
lord's face, the war of her decision continuing to escalate and rage within her.  She allowed her gaze to travel from where she was seated at the high table, beyond the juggler and over the room of unsuspecting guests to the place far removed from her.  With her eyes, she beseechingly sought out the enthralling man of her thoughts from just moments ago.  He, who had been sitting across the room causing strange and unfamiliar feelings within, she now moving her eyes to the space that was
once
occupied by the Highlander.  An alarm grew within her breast as she realized that his chair was vacant and his body now gone as a strange void replaced the pounding of her heart.  She closed her eyes in resolution as a chill spread through her body as she held her breath.  The dreaded fears of eternal loneliness and solitude resurfaced and replaced the excitement she had previously felt with the anxiousness of her heart.  With a sigh she returned her gaze to the Lord Hann, her mind now made up, her destiny fully determined as she spoke with more confidence than she truly felt.