Unlaced by the Outlaw (Secrets in Silk) (42 page)

“You’re beautiful,” he told her, reaching out to cup her cheek. “I canna take my eyes off you.”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“You’ve always had my heart, lass. And always will.” He kissed her hard, and deep inside, she felt a lightness and a sense of joy.

“I know that I’ve been . . . difficult over the years,” she admitted. “You were always there for me, and I never saw the man you were. But now I know you are a man of honor, one whom I will always love.” With a deep breath, she stared into his piercing blue eyes.

“I’m no’ going to ask you to marry me, Margaret,” he said. But in his voice she heard a note of teasing. “I’m ordering you to be my wife. If I have to drag you to the altar, that I’ll do.”

“You won’t have to drag me,” she said, smiling. “This time, I will come willingly.”

“And I willna bring you a life of poverty,” he insisted. “I will take over Aphrodite’s Unmentionables and the profits will bring us wealth, even if I have no title.”

“
We
will manage it together,” she corrected. “Besides, what do you know of ladies’ undergarments?” The moment she said the words, she realized the trap she’d walked into.

“I ken a great deal, lass. And I plan to remove yours each and every night.” He kissed her, stroking the buttons of her gown.

“If you must,” she teased back. But in all seriousness, she added, “I love you, Cain. And I’m glad to marry you.” She hugged him tightly, feeling the warmth of his body against hers.

“But I’ll no’ touch you until our wedding night,” he said. “We’ve already scandalized your sister’s household enough as it is.”

She’d never expected him to say such a thing. “That’s not necessary, Cain. I don’t think it matters.” Right now she wanted to spend the night in his arms, pushing back the horrors of the last few weeks.

“It’s glad I am that you’re wanting me,” he said. “But you’ll have to be waiting a little longer.”

He truly was turning her away, wasn’t he? For the life of her she couldn’t understand why. But he walked her to the door and opened it. “I’ll bid you a good night, lass, and you can begin planning our wedding.”

“You truly wish me to leave?” she asked.

“ ’Twill build up your anticipation for our first night as husband and wife,” he promised.

Margaret shook her head in exasperation. If that was truly his intention, she decided to retaliate with a little lie. “That’s too bad,” she said with mock regret. “For I’m wearing red lace.”

His answering groan made her smile as she closed the door behind her.

ONE MONTH LATER

“You ought to be married in a cathedral,” Amelia ventured. “Wasn’t that what you always dreamed of?”

Margaret shook her head. “It would make Cain feel uncomfortable, and I’d rather we were among our family and friends.” Although he’d told her to do whatever she wished, she wanted him to be at ease on this day. Her greatest happiness was knowing that all of her sisters and their husbands would celebrate with them.

They would be married in a matter of hours, and Margaret had chosen a small stone chapel for the ceremony. It was an ancient location, hundreds of years old. But within the chapel there was a beautiful stained-glass window, in the shape of a rose. An old MacKinloch legend told that it was made by a woman, the chief of Glen Arrin’s wife. And being there gave Margaret a sense of peace.

“You look beautiful,” Beatrice admitted. There was a wistful look in her eyes as she looked down on Margaret. “And I hope you’ll be happy in this marriage.”

“So long as Father doesn’t kill the bridegroom.” Margaret sent her mother a rueful smile, knowing that the baron had been dismayed at her choice. He had relented, but with great reluctance.

“That
would
be a problem.” Amelia exchanged a look with Toria and Juliette. “I do hope he restrains the urge.”

“I will manage your father, just as I’ve always done.” A blush crept over her mother’s face. During the past few months it had become clear that their parents had mended whatever differences had kept them apart.

“We should worry about making Margaret look beautiful now, nothing else.” Beatrice stepped back and studied her handiwork. “There.”

Margaret reached up to touch the wreath of pink roses in her hair. Last night, Juliette had helped her to tie her hair in rags, and now she’d left it undone so it fell in twisted curls below her shoulders. Her gown was a soft purple, and she’d chosen a red lace chemise to wear beneath it. True to his word, Cain had left her untouched, and now she was eager to spend tonight in his arms.

“I always suspected you would marry Cain,” Juliette said quietly. “You’re more alike than you know.”

“Stubborn, hard-headed, believing you’re always right,” Amelia continued. Her sister flashed her a delighted smile, and added, “It’s the perfect match.”

A quiet knock sounded at the door, and Toria answered it. Their father stood at the entrance with a brown paper package in his arms. He reminded them, “It’s nearly time to leave. Have you finished your preparations?”

“I am ready, Father.” Margaret stepped forward, and the expression on his face softened. She could almost believe that he was pleased on her behalf.

“You do look lovely,” he told her. “And you seem happy.” Then he looked back at Beatrice and smiled.

“I am.” Margaret sent him a full smile, and the joy seemed to fill her up inside. “For Cain Sinclair
is
a noble man. And he loves me.”

Her parents exchanged looks, and Beatrice took her husband by the hand. “There is nothing better than a marriage based upon love. Wouldn’t you agree, Henry?”

Her father leaned in to kiss his wife. With a sigh, he nodded. “I would.” Then he handed his wife the brown paper package. “This is for you, Beatrice.”

Amelia tilted her head to the side. “Well, aren’t you going to open it, Mother?”

“No, not here.” The crimson flush in her cheeks suggested that their father’s gift was from Aphrodite’s Unmentionables. “But thank you, Henry.”

From the sly smile rising on Henry’s face, she suspected that her father did not disapprove as much as he had once.

Amelia clapped her hands over her ears and grimaced. “There are some things a daughter should never hear or know about.”

Her father shrugged. “Although I’ll never condone this . . . business . . . I suppose it has its benefits.”

“Augh!” Amelia made a face and went to sit on the far side of the room. “Forgive me while I die of mortification.”

Margaret stifled the laugh rising in her throat. It seemed that her father now recognized the appeal of Aphrodite’s Unmentionables. She took the baron’s arm, but silently agreed with Amelia. Although she was happy her parents had rekindled their love, there were some matters best left private.

The baron said, “Well, shall we get this over with?”

“Henry!” Beatrice swatted at him, but he winked at Margaret. It seemed that her father did have a lighter side to him, despite his serious demeanor.

“I think you do approve of Cain.” Margaret placed her hand upon the crook of his elbow, letting him escort her out of the room. “You know that he’ll be a good husband for me.”

“He needs to be taught some manners,” he grumbled. “And I suppose I can leave that to you.”

They continued to walk down the hallway toward the stairs, and Margaret added, “Cain and I have chosen the land for our house. Jonah will stay in the older cottage after he finishes school.”

“Where will you live?” he asked.

“Closer to Glen Arrin,” she said. “We hope to have the house built by next summer.”

“At least it will be better than the cottage,” he agreed. When they reached the front door, he asked, “Is this truly what you want, Margaret?”

She rested her hand against the door and lifted her eyes to his. “More than anything.”

Just as they stepped toward the carriage, Mrs. Larson let out a loud shout. Margaret turned in time to see an old boot thrown at her head.

“For good luck, lass!” the housekeeper cried out. “Now go before you miss your wedding!”

She took his breath away.

Cain had never seen anyone more beautiful than Margaret Andrews. She walked down the aisle like a woodland fairy, her hair twined with flowers. Her gown was the color of spring lilacs, and the smile shining on her face brought a sharp ache within him.

Jonah stood nearby, and the look of awe on the boy’s face mirrored the feelings inside him. Cain didn’t know how he’d ever won the heart of this woman, but he vowed to protect her with his life.

They stood before the clergyman, and as Margaret spoke her vows, Cain remembered the first morning he’d seen her in the rain. The young girl had grown into a strong, determined woman whom he loved more than life itself. He vowed to be faithful to her in sickness and in health, and that they would never be parted.

The loud cheers of his friends filled up the church, and when the clergyman announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, he kissed Margaret before every last one of them.

With his mouth, he claimed her, tilting her head back and glorying in the taste of her lips. She was his, now and always. And the longer he kissed her, the more the whistles and applause continued.

When at last he broke free, his bride was blushing, but smiling. “You ken, lass, that you’ll have to kiss every man here. It’s good luck.”

“And will you have to kiss every woman?” she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head. “Thankfully, no.” With a look toward the housekeeper, he added, “You may have to keep Mrs. Larson away with a broom, though. She’s always liked me.”

With her hand in his, they walked out of the church, followed by the sound of pipers and fiddlers. They would spend the rest of the night feasting and dancing until breakfast the following morn.

And yet, he wasn’t at all intending to wait that long. He craved the touch of her skin with a thirst that would never be quenched. “I’m going to steal you away from here, lass,” Cain told her.

“You can try,” she laughed, darting in front of him, forcing him to give chase. The crofters and wedding guests gathered inside her father’s barn. The baron had not been pleased by the idea of dancing in the barn, but Cain had insisted it was bad luck to do otherwise.

Inside, there were tables of food and countless barrels of ale and mead. The pipers and fiddlers gathered at one end while the wedding guests began the celebration. Margaret found herself in the center of the barn surrounded by everyone else. Cain spun her in a circle, kissing her as he did.

Never in her life had she imagined that her wedding would be like this. She’d always thought it would be a formal ceremony with members of the ton in attendance. They would have a wedding breakfast and one by one, the guests would come forward and speak to her.

She couldn’t imagine anything more boring.

Margaret laughed as Cain handed her off to several of the Highlanders, and she learned that the only way they would let her stop dancing was to kiss them on the cheek. It was exhausting, and her husband finally claimed her again, pulling her back into the shadows of the barn.

“I love you, Margaret,” he said, resting his forehead against hers. “And I promise I’ll make you happy.”

She took his face between her hands and kissed him. “I am happy, Cain. Truly.”

In his blue eyes, her past and future merged. He was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and nothing else mattered.

“Come with me,” he urged, leading her toward a small opening she hadn’t noticed. It was used mainly for livestock, and he lifted the panel, helping her to slip away. Outside, a horse was tethered against the fence.

“You planned this, didn’t you?” She shouldn’t have been surprised to see it.

“Aye.” Cain lifted her into his arms and then set her atop the horse before swinging up behind her. “I’m no’ going to wait any longer for you, lass.”

She didn’t know where he was taking her, but throughout the short ride, she allowed herself to glory in the thrill of being stolen away.

“No one will ever make you follow the rules, will they?” she mused, as he lifted her down.

“What rules?” But he smiled as he carried her across a grassy plain toward a small copse of trees. There, within the privacy of the space, she found woolen blankets spread upon the ground, along with a basket of food and wine.