He said, “If ye have nay objection, Lady Rowena, I want to summon the priest and have him perform the weddin’ ceremony on the morrow.”
“I have no objection, Taran. But why the urgency?” She asked.
His face grew dark and serious. “Remember, me duel with Earl Strongbow will take place in two days. If I am killed, I want ye to have me manor. I want ye to have Frenich. And I want ye to keep takin’ care of the people of the shire. Can ye promise me ye’ll dae that?”
Rowena responded with horror at the fact that he could talk about it so readily. “Oh, Taran, I am so worried about this! Is there no other way to settle things?”
“Nay, I think nae. Earl Strongbow is the kind of man that will kill ye to get his way. He is nae a man who will accept anythin’ less than just what he wants.” Taran held her and spoke softly. “It’ll be a fight to the death, Rowena.”
She buried her head in his broad chest. She sighed and said, “Promise me you will defeat him. You’ve got to promise me!”
“I promise ye. We’ll have a long happy life together.”
* * *
Rowena lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She had accepted Taran’s marriage proposal and was not the least bit sleepy, even though the day had been exhausting. She thought about using some of her own herbs to help her sleep. Then a knock at her door. She heard Taran softly call her name. “Rowena . . . Rowena. Are ye awake?”
She got up and cracked open the door. He was standing in the hallway nearly naked. She opened the door and let him in, closing and locking the door behind him. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bed. He fell into bed beside her and kissed her with all the intensity he felt for her.
She was hungry for him. They kissed and let their hands roam over each other’s bodies. His hands massaged her breasts and pinched her nipples. When she was fully aroused, one hand slipped to her vagina and rubbed it. She was already so wet with anticipation of his touch. His fingers played with her and then she felt his fingers inside of her. First one, two, then three of them, stimulating her with such skill. He kissed her nipples, then his mouth moved down, kissing her stomach, going lower, and then licking her all the way to her goin. His tongue found her just where she wanted it to be. He licked her, flicked his tongue back and forth across her clitoris, while at the same time moving his fingers rhythmically in and out of her, deeply, then more deeply. His tongue and fingers moved together, as if they were performing a dance on her, then he pressed his tongue against her and moved it back and forth while his fingers kept moving in and out, as deeply as he could go. All at once her entire body stiffened against him and then her muscles all released in waves, rippling fast and then slower and slower until her orgasm was complete.
Then, he slid his manhood inside of her. He pushed himself deep inside of her and yet she wanted him to go even deeper. She pushed her groin against his, feeling the waves begin again. This time, she had to moan as the pleasure reverberated all the way through her body. “Taran . . . oh, Taran!” She wrapped her legs around his and pushed against him with all of her strength. He felt her climaxing again, and that excited him even more. He quickened his own rhythm as she came again, and in one big explosion he felt his own release. He groaned with pleasure as he spilled himself into her completely.
Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms, whispering and touching each other all over. “This is our future,” Taran said, feeling very pleased about everything at the moment.
“Yes. I never thought I could be so happy,” Rowena said, as if in a dream.
“Are ye sure ye’re nae givin’ up yer true desire? To be a nun?” Taran asked her.
“I have never been so sure of anything in my life, Taran.”
“Is yer mother still livin’?”
“No, she died when I was twelve. She died in childbirth. It was a boy. My father never really got over it,” Rowena said. “He never remarried. He loved my mother.”
Taran said, “He loves ye, too, Rowena. I can see it in the way he watches ye.”
“I have wondered about that. I don’t know why he would promise me to Earl Strongbow, of all the men available, why that one?”
“He wanted to find someone who could provide for ye, nay doubt. But I will dae better by ye than Strongbow ever could. Because I love ye, Rowena. I dae love ye.”
Taran fell asleep next to her. Rowena just wanted to savor the time in each other’s arms.
Epilogue
The next morning, Rowena went to visit her father in his chambers. Lord Kensley was still unable to walk without crutches, and so he had stayed in the room that he had been sharing with Earl Strongbow. Taran’s guards still stood outside their door, making sure they stayed put.
Rowena wanted to speak to her father in private. She wanted to tell him that Taran had asked her to marry him, and they were going to have the wedding that evening. She did not want to have that conversation in front of Earl Strongbow. She arranged with the guards to let her take him outside for a walk. “The fresh air will do him good. Besides, he cannot go anywhere on that ankle.”
“Aye, Sister Rowena, we’ll let ye take the old man for a walk, if Taran’s all right with it.”
“I assure you, he is fine with it.”
When Rowena entered their chamber, Earl Strongbow was sprawled on his bed. His fever was gone. The wound in his thigh had quickly begun to heal under Rowena’s care. It no longer needed her attention, so she did not have to tend to him. She greeted Earl Strongbow politely, but coolly. He said, “Good morning, my beauty,” and gave her an oily leer.
She ignored him and turned her attention to her father. “Good morning, Father. I’m taking you on a little walk. I’ve something to discuss with you. Something important.”
Earl Strongbow interjected, “No need to leave. You can talk in front of me. You will soon be my wife and then you will keep nothing secret from me.”
Rowena said, “I’m not your wife and never will be, Lord Strongbow. What I have to say is not your business.”
“You impudent girl. It won’t be long before you do what I tell you.”
“That’s enough, Strongbow,” Lord Kensley snapped. He had had enough of Earl Strongbow. Earl Strongbow shrugged and opened a bottle of wine.
To Rowena, Lord Kensley said, “You know I cannot leave this room, Rowena. Taran’s men won’t let me leave.”
“Don’t worry, Father, it’s all arranged. They know you won’t run with your ankle in this condition.”
She helped him to his feet and handed him his wooden crutches. She helped him hobble out of the room and outside to the garden. They found two wooden benches by the herb garden and sat down.
“Do you remember the last time we walked in the garden together?” She asked him. “It was when you told me you were sending me to St. Martha’s, and I became very upset. Remember that?”
“Of course I do,” Lord Kensley said. “That was such a difficult time for us. For me. Losing your mother and having to send you away to St. Martha’s.”
Rowena nodded. “Yes, it was. I was so angry with you for doing that to me.”
“I remember that well. You were nearly inconsolable. Poor girl.”
“Yes. But Father, it turned out to be such a blessing. At first, I hated it. But then, I came to love it. The sisters, especially Sister Prudence. Even Mother Lorena. They made me feel so welcome, so comforted. So loved. And I learned so much.”
Her father took her hand and held it as she talked. “I thought about becoming a nun. I spoke to Mother Lenora about it, Sister Prudence, and the others. Then, last month, I had all but decided to do it. ”
Lord Kensley said, “I know you gave it considerable thought. You told me in your letters. When I visited you, you seemed so happy about it. I was so grateful for that.”
“But I never told you that I had decided to go ahead with it, even though I had some doubts lingering in my heart. I thought itwas what I wanted to do with my life.”
“Rowena,
I am your father. I know you. I knew you wanted to become a nun. It was all you spoke about. You did not have to tell me that you decided to do it – you decided to do it a long time ago!” He chuckled at how well a caring father can know their children. “However, I was not aware you had some reservations about it.”
His statement confirmed her belief that he had betrayed her. “If you knew what I wanted most deeply, Father, then why did you arrange for me to become Earl Strongbow’s wife?”
“It is what our family needs to survive. His wealth, his access, his connections. Like it or not, I am on the brink of bankruptcy. There are few able-bodied men left to work in the fields or tend to the animals. Those who are left are slackers or demanding more pay. It’s an impossible situation for us, Rowena. Lord Strongbow is our only hope.” His voice was full of desperation.
“That’s as I thought,” she said.
They were quiet for a moment, then he asked, “You ran away from St. Martha’s, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” she said. “I did not want to marry Earl Strongbow. I will not marry him. He is an evil man. I cannot bear the thought of him touching me.”
“How did you end up here? With Lord Taran, I mean,” he asked.
“The night I left St. Martha’s. I was going to St. James Monastery to hide. I hiked through Kielder Forest to avoid the main roads. A gang of bandits threatened some English soldiers. Taran risked his life to save them. But the soldiers took him hostage. They thought he was in league with the bandits, but he wasn’t. I helped him escape. They chased us, but then they gave up. Taran invited me to come here and stay as his guest until I received approval to move to St. Columba’s at Iona to finish out my novitiate obligations and become a nun.”
“Intriguing,” Lord Kensley said. “Has Taran hurt you?”
“No, Father. In fact, since I have been under his protection, he has treated me with the utmost respect. But there is something you should know.”
“What is that?”
“Taran and I . . . well . . . Taran and I . . . plan to wed.”
“What!” Her father exploded. “You cannot get married. You’re betrothed to Lord Strongbow. Break it off with Taran immediately!”
Rowena narrowed her eyes to slits. “No, Father, I will not! I will not have you mandating my future any more. I love Taran. And you should know that Earl Strongbow is evil.”
“Then come back with me to Middle Kirk Manor.”
Rowena shook her head. “No, Father. I cannot do that. I am going to marry Taran. Today, if the priest can get here to do it.”
Lord Kensley rubbed his face with his hands. His daughter always was a stubborn girl when she had made up her mind about something. “But he’s a Scot! A Highlander to boot!”
“Yes, he is. But he is the noblest man I have ever met. He saved my life more than once.”
Lord Kensley got up to leave. “I cannot believe what you’ve done, Rowena. You have put your life in danger by running and perhaps have committed treason against the Crown. You have defied my authority in arranging a marriage worthy of your status. You have instead decided to marry a man who is an enemy of England. Tis’positively . . . unseemly, Rowena.” He lost his balance and nearly fell over. Rowena jumped up to help him.
“Careful, Father! Let me help you!” She reached out to steady him, but he pulled away from her.
“No, thank you. I can manage quite well.”
“Father, I’m sorry if you think I am a disappointment to you. I hope you will be happy for me. I am in love with this man, and I’m certain this is the right thing for me.”
Lord Kensley did not answer her. She watched her father hobble back to the castle on his crutches. She asked God to help him someday accept Taran and their marriage.
* * *
The wedding took place that evening. As the priest explained to Taran and Rowena when they spoke with him earlier in the day, the church normally required wedding banns to be posted for a three week period before a wedding can take place. “Why?” Taran had asked.
The priest smiled as he answered, “To keep the clergy from doin’ the devil’s work. For example, we cannae be marryin’ ye if ye are already married to someone else, or if ye’ve taken a vow of celibacy, or if ye’re closely related to yer betrothed.”
Taran had responded, “Faither, ye’ve knewn me since I was a wee lad. Ye ken none of that applies to me.”
“Aye, indeed I dae.” The priest looked at Rowena. “And what of ye? Did ye take a vow of celibacy?”
Rowena kept her head bowed respectfully as she answered. “No, Father. I had not completed my first year as a novitiate.”
“And tell me, Lady, are ye a virgin?” He asked softly.
And there was the question she had hoped to avoid. She glanced at Taran. He held her hand as she answered truthfully. “I was . . . until a few nights ago.”
Taran said, “With me, Faither. She gave herself to me. We love each other deeply.”
“I see. That would indicate to me that ye are nae prepared to devote yerself to the life of a nun.”
Rowena kept her head bowed in shame in front of the priest. “I have been carrying so much guilt for what I have done. I have sinned before the Lord, and I did so with someone else’s betrothed. But Father, I could not stop myself. I love Taran deeply. Please forgive me for my betrayal.”
The priest nodded. “I am certain that God forgives ye, me Lady. I meself make nay judgment of ye, and in fact, I am pleased that ye see now that the life of a nun is nae an easy one. Ye must be willin’ to put the Lord above all human relationships. The fact that ye’re here before me askin’ me to perform the ceremony confirms for us that God wants ye to serve Him not as a nun, but as the wife of Laird Taran. There is nay shame in that, me dear child.” He paused while Rowena dabbed the tears from her eyes.
“Thank you, Father. I have prayed the Lord would not condemn me for this choice. This betrayal.” Her voice quavered as she spoke.
The priest consoled her. “Och! Tis’ nae any betrayal, lassie! A marriage based on love is a glorious thing. A godly thing. Ti’s the way God has chosen for ye. And ye’re a lucky woman to have Taran for yer husband.”
Rowena wanted to throw her arms around the priest for his counsel. She finally felt absolved for giving herself to Taran and for turning her back on the nun’s life. She made a silent vow to perform any service she could in the name of God.
Taran put a comforting arm around her. The priest asked, “And do ye both consent to this marriage?”
“Aye,” Taran said, earnestly.
“Yes,” Rowena then said.
The priest leaned back and clasped his hands. “I see. In this case, then, I believe it is within me given authority to waive the banns.” He smiled broadly at Taran. “It would be me pleasure to perform the ceremony for ye this evenin’.”
Guests started arriving mid-afternoon from all over. Word had spread fast among the castle servants and the local families that Rowena had helped. They came to see the beloved Lord Taran and the gracious, beautiful Rowena exchange their vows.
In the candlelight of the castle’s chapel, the wedding party assembled. Taran had been able to engage a trio of musicians to play music for them. The servants had scurried around all afternoon preparing a celebratory dinner for all of their guests. Taran had ordered them to prepare a simple buffet for everyone so that anyone who wanted to could attend the ceremony also.
When the clock struck six o’clock, everyone had taken their places in the chapel. Taran stood proudly at the altar looking very handsome in his leather tunic and red and black tartan cloak. His clan’s crest shone on a gold brooch. A dress sword hung at his left hip. Malcolm stood next to him in his leather tunic and a handsome green and black tartan cloak. Auntie Lili, Mother Philomena, and Sister Prudence sat in the front pew, dabbing their eyes with linen kerchiefs.
One of the musicians began to play a soft tune on the bagpipes. Then, Rowena materialized at the entrance. She was dressed in a si
mple, form fitting, floor length, tea-stained dress. She wore a gold tunic over it, with a lace up bodice. Her hair was plaited with asters and roses from the rose garden. She was the picture of simple elegance. Her face glowed with a radiance that seemed to brighten the dim chapel.
The bagpipes and the drum played majestically as Rowena walked down the aisle where Taran awaited her. They grinned at each other, the love for each other in their eyes was evident to all.
The ceremony was quick. After the couple exchanged their vows, the guests cheered and shouted congratulations. Everyone moved to the hall for the wedding feast. Music played, people laughed and celebrated the newly married couple. In the midst of it all, Lord Kensley appeared.
Highlander's Sinful Desire (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance) Page 25