Eveline’s expression softened and she glanced at her mother, clear love in her eyes.
“Come,” Graeme said again, before Robina could speak again in her daughter’s presence.
Robina went away almost blindly, her mouth still drawn in shock. When they were at a distance where Graeme thought they could talk without hurting Eveline, he stopped and stared down at Robina.
“I admit to some confusion, my lady. Eveline has responded to me. I would even go as far as to say we’ve had discourse, though of course she doesn’t speak to me. But that certainly hasn’t prevented her from letting me know in no uncertain terms what it is she wants and moreover what kind of information she wants.”
Robina openly gaped at him, her reaction too raw to possibly be feigned.
“You act as though this isn’t normal,” Graeme said with a frown.
“Not normal? Laird, what is normal for Eveline is to be the sweet, gentle soul she is. She does respond, yes, but to family. Never to strangers. I know not if there are simply times when she does not understand or if she’s just more oblivious on some occasions than at others. Most of the time she does what she likes and we’ve been quite content to allow it because we want her to be happy.”
The fierceness in Robina’s voice registered with Graeme. How much this woman loved her daughter and how much it hurt her that Eveline wasn’t a normal girl looking forward to a normal future.
Again he found himself softening. Toward an Armstrong. If he didn’t leave the cursed Armstrong holding soon, he’d be sympathizing with the lot of them.
“All I can tell you,” he said carefully, “is that while we haven’t conversed in a normal fashion, we have most certainly communicated. Moreover, she is absolutely aware of what’s taking place today and she’s unafraid.”
“How do you know this?” Robina demanded. “She doesn’t speak. How could you possibly know what she is thinking?”
Graeme shrugged. “We communicated. You’re asking me to explain something I do not understand myself, my lady. But I feel that the more time I spend with Eveline, the more I will come to understand her vision of the world around her and just how much and what she comprehends.”
Robina glanced to her daughter and then back to Graeme, clear uncertainty in her eyes. “Be kind to her. She seems taken with you, Laird.”
Then without a by-your-leave or even a hasty pardon, she left Graeme’s side and hurried over to her daughter.
Robina spoke in earnest and a moment later, Eveline’s gaze shifted over her mother’s shoulder and found Graeme. And she smiled. It was all she did, but what an extraordinary smile that lit up the entire room. It took his breath away and made his chest tighten to the point of discomfort.
Then her mother drew her into a tight hug and Eveline disappeared from view. Just as well, because at that moment, a hand slapped down on his shoulder and he turned to see Bowen and Teague standing just behind him.
“How much longer do we have to stand this?” Teague demanded. “The men are getting restless. We won’t be able to keep the peace much longer. It’s like asking a starving wolf to sit and watch you skin a stag without attacking and devouring it whole.”
“As soon as her father and the earl make their appearance, the ceremony will take place, and then we’ll take our leave,” Graeme said.
Bowen frowned. “What make you of this whole thing with the earl, Graeme? I do not like how much time Armstrong has spent with Dunbar. It makes me uneasy. Dunbar has the ear of the king. He’s Alexander’s favored earl. And let’s face it, the Montgomerys are getting the worst of it in this so-called truce.”
Graeme frowned. “Nay, ’tis not so. We’re giving nothing up while the Armstrongs are giving their daughter to their sworn enemy. It could be said that we have more favor with the king.”
Teague’s jaw dropped open. “Not giving up anything? Graeme, you won’t have heirs. You won’t have … anything. The lass is useless.”
Graeme turned, his expression fierce as he faced down his brother. “She’s not useless. Do not say such again in my presence. Or anywhere else.”
Teague’s eyebrows shot upward, but he fell into silence.
“He could have ordered the marriage of Rorie to one of them,” Graeme pointed out in a softer voice. “It would have been logical. Daughter for daughter. Armstrong has two sons of marriageable age and neither are spoken for.”
“Over my dead body,” Bowen snarled. “Rorie is but a child.”
Graeme fixed him with his stare. “And Eveline is less of a child? In a lot of ways, Rorie would be a more competent wife than Eveline herself. Rorie’s young, but she’s hale and hearty and she’ll bear a man children. She’s of marriageable age. You and I know she’s not ready for a husband. But the king doesn’t. He could have very well taken her from us and there would have been naught to do unless we wanted to wage war against the crown.”
Teague swallowed, his jaw drawn into a hard line. He was infuriated by the mere idea.
“Now imagine how they are feeling,” Graeme said in a low voice. “Imagine how we would feel if we were even now preparing to watch Rorie wed an Armstrong.”
“You’re becoming soft,” Teague hissed. “You cannot sympathize with these bastards. They are not deserving of our regard or sympathy.”
Graeme nodded his agreement. “Aye, I know it. I don’t expect you to like them. I’m merely asking you to imagine if the situation was reversed and Rorie had been ordered to marry an Armstrong.”
“ ’Tis unthinkable,” Bowen said. “I cannot imagine how Eveline’s family hasn’t rebelled against the crown.”
“Because Armstrong knows it would be signing a death warrant for his entire clan,” Graeme said. “We may hate the man, but he’s not stupid. A daughter for his entire clan? He doesn’t like it, but he also knows he has no choice as much as it pains him. Just as if Rorie had been ordered to marry an Armstrong, we would not have a choice either.”
“Marry the lass so we can take our leave at once,” Teague muttered. “I want to return to our lands before anyone decides that we’ve not given in return what we are being given. I still say the Armstrongs have favor with the king or the earl. In the king’s mind, he’s ridded them of a burden and saddled you with a wife who cannot provide you heirs. What are they truly giving up, Graeme? Because the way I see it, the king has done you a great injustice. You are the chieftain. ’Tis your bloodline that should carry on. He’s now made it impossible for you to do so.”
CHAPTER 10
Eveline stood with Graeme in front of the priest as she waited for the ceremony to commence. She supposed it would be proper if she were to have her hand on Graeme’s arm or if he were to have her hand tucked underneath. But her hands were locked in front of her, buried in the folds of her exquisite gown so that no one would see how badly they shook.
She’d gathered enough information from rapidly scanning lips in the conversation that took place prior to the ceremony to know that her father would be responding in her stead.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She’d give anything to make her own promises, but she was afraid to try. Afraid to attempt to form those words and then have no idea if they came out a whisper or if they came out a bellow.
Perhaps once she reached the Montgomery holding she could … she could start anew. Maybe she could even try with Graeme, but not until she was certain that it was the right thing to do.
She was fascinated by the man she would soon be wed to, but he was still a Montgomery, and no Armstrong had any reason to believe the Montgomerys were anything but bloodthirsty savages. Even if everything she’d seen so far of Graeme contradicted that idea.
But she also had to remember that with the earl present and a dictate rendered by the king himself, the Montgomerys would be on their very best behavior.
Eveline would know more about the character of her husband once they reached his lands and he was no longer restrained in his actions and words.
So lost in her thoughts was she, that she hadn’t realized that the ceremony not only had begun but that now Graeme was facing her. He reached down for her hand and for a moment she thought he would kiss her.
What a breathless thought. She hadn’t imagined such a thing until now, and it made her precariously light-headed.
But all he did was hold up her hand, turn to the others, and then he made an announcement, one she couldn’t see since she wasn’t facing him.
Whatever he said, she could only assume he’d announced that they were man and wife. Or perhaps that she was now a Montgomery. Or perhaps he’d even said he was taking his leave now. But whatever it was he’d proclaimed, it was met with reserve on both sides.
Somber. It was the word to describe the expressions of everyone gathered. There was no joy. No festive spirit. There would be no wedding feast with music and food well into the night.
Nay, her wedding day was as a dark cloud marring a perfect spring day. And now she would face saying good-bye to the only life she’d ever known. To a family who was fiercely protective of her, even as they didn’t fully understand her. A family who loved her without reservation or condition.
They cared not if she was daft as a stone or if she was cursed by the devil himself. She was an Armstrong. The only Armstrong daughter. And she was loved.
Graeme tugged on her hand, pulling her toward the door. Panic raced through Eveline as she realized they were indeed departing the moment they were wed and she was his wife.
For a moment she resisted and she expected anger or perhaps impatience. But he merely stood there, their arms outstretched because she hadn’t budged from her spot when he’d begun to walk away.
He stared at her, no anger or judgment. He merely waited. And then he said, “We must go now, Eveline. My men await.”
It was enough to stutter her forward, her steps shaky and uneven as she followed him out of the hall and to the steps leading down into the courtyard. There she was greeted by the sight of a wooden cart attached to a horse. It was the one her father had fashioned for her when she refused to ever sit a horse again after her accident.
Behind the cart were three horses, two loaded with her dowry. Supplies, spices, jewels. Things that were precious and of great value. And then another cart, loaded with trunks containing all that belonged to her.
It was so final. Every part of her would be erased from her home. As if she never existed. Had never lived here.
Tears clouded her eyes.
Even as she looked forward to the possibility of being a wife and of having the things she’d always thought she’d be denied, she was overcome with grief because she knew she’d rarely if ever see her family again.
Graeme touched her cheek, and it was then she realized he was wiping away a tear that had slid over her skin. She turned to look at him and saw the words forming on his lips.
“Go and bid your family farewell, Eveline. We must be on our way.”
Stiffly she walked away, to where her mother and father and her two brothers lined the path from the steps to where the horses waited.
She hugged Aiden, and he returned her embrace with a quick, fierce hold. He said something, but it was lost as she went to Brodie next. He gathered her gently in his arms and hugged her, holding her there for a long moment.
When he released her, his lips were in a firm line and he was staring coldly in the direction of her new husband.
Her mother and father both gathered her close, the three forming a tight circle as they held her in their arms. Her father kissed her temple. Her mother pressed her cheek to Eveline’s, and Eveline could feel the dampness of her mother’s tears.
Eveline’s own throat was clogged with such sorrow that she could barely swallow. What had seemed a grand adventure before was now startlingly real. It was no fantasy. She was truly leaving the bosom of her family and on her way to an uncertain future with a clan who hated her and everything she stood for.
It was all she could do not to throw herself at her father and put him between her and Graeme.
It was time for her to be strong. She’d spent the last years hiding. If she balked, if she showed any distress or any sign that she refused to leave, it could be disastrous.
Her entire clan would suffer. Lives would be lost. All because she was afraid to face the outside world and her fears.
She purposely turned away, her heart aching with every breath. She took a step toward her husband and then another. Her back hurt from holding herself so rigidly erect. She forced calm onto her face even if within she was a seething sea at the height of a storm.
She would bring no dishonor to her father or her clan. She would make her mother proud. She would not worry her brothers. She would leave this place by her choice and she’d accept her husband because it was her choice, not because it was mandated by her king.
When she was but a step away from Graeme, she stopped and tilted her chin up, pride holding her stiff. She met his gaze and then squared her shoulders, her message clear.
