“That doesn’t mean our marriage will be bad,” he told her.
“It doesn’t mean it’ll be good either,” she said back. “I’ll not be forced into a marriage; especially with a man that doesn’t really like me.”
“I like you,” he told her. Flora gave him a look, and he knew she didn’t believe him. “I do,” he said. “Maybe I thought you were a bit annoying before, but I got to know you in the cave, and I liked what I learned about you.”
“Not good enough,” she said. “Maybe I don’t like you now.”
“You’ll learn to like me again,” he said.
“Nay,” Flora protested. “I’m not going to do it.” She walked over and pulled open the door, surprised to find quite a few of the villagers standing outside watching what was going on.
“Did he come back for more?” yelled one of the woman.
“From healer to whore,” said another, making many in the group laugh.
“Make him work for it, deary,” said another.
“We don’t want no woman like you around our menfolk,” said another.
Flora couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had helped many of these people when they had been ill, injured, or giving birth; now they were being cruel. “Stop,” she called to them. “You’ve got it all wrong. Nothing happened between Ham McCabe and myself.”
“I heard they spent three days alone together,” another villager called out, “three days and nights.”
“Now he’s visiting her at her cottage,” said another.
“I’ve heard enough,” Ham said. He walked out the door and shouted at everyone, making sure they would all hear, “go home, how dare any of you speak to a future McCabe bride like that. I’ll make sure your Laird knows how you talked about his future daughter.”
“Ham, don’t tell them lies,” Flora said quietly to him.
“It isn’t a lie,” he told her before bending down and putting his shoulder into her midsection, quickly throwing her over his shoulder before standing back up.
“Put me down, Ham,” she squealed.
“Quiet now,” Ham said as he smacked her twice on the arse. Smack, smack. “That’s what’s going to happen every time I hear a complaint out of you.” He pulled the door of her cottage shut as he turned and headed back towards the castle his family lived in.
“Put me down,” she said again. Smack, smack.
“I’m not going to marry you,” she said. Smack, smack.
“You’re making me angry,” she tried again. Smack, smack.
“You’re being a real arse, Ham McCabe,” she tried one last time. Smack, smack, smack, smack.
“Damn it, Ham, that hurts,” she hollered. Smack, smack, smack, smack.
“Language, Flora,” Ham said calmly, as he continued to carry her. “I can live with the fact that you wear tunics and trews, I can even deal with the fact that you don’t want to pretty yourself up like other women do, but I will not put up with the foul language. The rest of the village will look down on you, and I won’t have that happen to my wife.”
“I already told you I don’t want to be your wife,” she tried again. Smack, smack, smack, smack.
“But you will be,” he said. “Do you want to be treated like you were back there every day?”
“They’ll stop eventually,” Flora said.
“Nay,” he said, “they won’t.”
Flora quit trying to talk him out of the wedding as he carried her. Her arse was already sore. It hadn’t quite healed fully from the spanking he had given her in the cave right before they’d been found. He carried her all the way to the castle and up the stairs, entering the hall where his Da, Eadan, Jacqueline, Connor, Ross and Angela were all sitting and talking.
“Jacqueline and Angela, I need you,” he said as he passed them, not saying anything else.
“Looks like we’re going to be having a wedding,” Hamish said, grinning. “I better go let the priest at the kirk know to expect us soon.”
Jacqueline and Angela got up from the table; they smiled at each other and quickly followed Ham up the stairs. Flora was embarrassed as she was still slung over the big buffoon’s shoulder. Once they reached Ham’s room upstairs, he flung open the door, motioning for the two women to go in before him. He followed them in and shut the door before putting Flora down. She flopped down in a chair as the blood rushed from her head back into the rest of her body.
“Are you alright?” Ham asked her.
“I will be,” she said.
Ham turned to his sister and sister by marriage. “I want her looking like a bride in an hour. Think you can do it?” he asked them.
“Of course we can,” Jacqueline answered, glancing over at her friend. “But you can’t force her to marry you, Ham.”
“You should have heard the terrible things the villagers were saying to her,” he said. “I won’t allow it. You will marry me, Flora,” he pointed his finger at her and said. “Don’t make me turn you over my knee to get it done. It will be a good marriage.”
Flora just stared at him at first. Finally, her eyes filled with tears and she just nodded once at him and then stared back at the floor. She was still shocked at the things the other villagers had said about her.
“Go away, brother,” Jacqueline said to him. “Tell the servants downstairs that a bath needs to be sent up to your rooms.” Ham nodded and left the room.
“Are you alright?” Jacqueline asked Flora.
“I don’t know,” Flora said, a tear finally escaping and rolling down her cheek. “It was awful.”
“Once Ham marries you the villagers will stop talking,” Jacqueline said.
“He’s only marrying me to avoid scandal,” Flora said. “You wouldn’t understand.”
Jacqueline started laughing, “did you forget why I had to marry Connor?” she asked.
“But Connor loves you,” Flora said.
“I hated him at the time of our marriage,” Jacqueline reminded her. “I’m still surprised at how much I love that man now.”
“And do you know why I had to marry Ross?” Angela added. “To avoid a horrid man who was telling lies about me. Ross saved me from a huge scandal.”
“Do you love him now?” Flora asked.
“More than anything,” Angela told her. “The McCabe men have a way of growing on you.”
“It’ll work out, Flora,” Jacqueline assured her.
“You sound so sure,” Flora said.
“I know my brother,” Jacqueline assured her. “If he didn’t really want to marry you, he wouldn’t.”
“It’s not that he doesn’t want to marry me,” she explained. “I don’t want to marry him. For years I wasted my time chasing him around, and he ignored me.”
A loud knock sounded at the door. Angela opened it to find a slew of servants. Two carried in a large tub and set it up in the space in front of the fireplace as another started a small fire to keep the chill out of the room while Flora bathed. Four more entered each carrying two buckets of warm water which they poured into the tub before leaving the room.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Jacqueline said to her. “You’ll feel better after a bath.”
“I have nothing to wear,” Flora complained.
“Will you let me loan you something?” Angela asked. “We’re about the same size.”
“A dress?” Flora asked.
“Aye,” Angela said. “It is your wedding. Don’t you want to look nice?”
“I haven’t worn a dress in years,” Flora said.
“Why not?” Angela asked her.
“I’m not a very good seamstress,” Flora confessed. “Trews and tunics can be bought already made. It’s just always been easier for me to get them.”
“Will you wear a dress?” Jacqueline asked her. Flora thought about it for a moment and nodded. Jacqueline smiled as she began to help her disrobe and get into the tub.
**********
“You are absolutely stunning,” Angela said to Flora less than
an hour later. After her bath, Angela had helped Flora into one of her simpler gowns. It was a pale blue color with a modest neckline and long wide sleeves. Angela hadn’t wanted to spook the woman with anything too revealing. Jacqueline had completed the outfit with a beautiful dark blue belt that pulled the fabric in tight showing off the curves even she had never known her friend had. Once the outfit was done, they had combed out her hair making two small braids in the front which were pulled back and pinned in the back, leaving the back of her hair loose and flowing almost down to her arse.
“I never knew your hair was so soft,” Jacqueline said to her as she finished styling it, putting a small gold circlet on top of her head.
“I’m used to just pulling it back with a leather tie,” Flora told her.
“Would you like to see what you look like?” Jacqueline asked her.
“Aye,” Flora said. Jacqueline led the two women out of Ham’s room and down the hall to her old room, which she now shared with Connor when they visited. Inside was a large full-length mirror.
“Look,” Jacqueline said, leading her over to stand in front of it.
“It doesn’t even look like me,” Flora said, she had to admit she did look good.
“Of course it looks like you,” Jacqueline told her. “You’ve always been beautiful, but now you’re just more beautiful.”
“Thank you, Jacqueline,” Flora said, hugging her friend. “And you too, Angela,” she said, as she hugged Angela too.
“No thanks necessary,” Angela told her smiling, “after all we’re going to be sisters after today.”
“I’ve never had a sister before,” Flora said.
“And now you’ll have three,” Jacqueline said.
“Three?” asked Flora.
“Me, Angela and Nessa,” Jacqueline told her, then laughed and added, “plus seven horrid brothers.”
“Are you ladies in there?” yelled Connor through the door as he knocked. “Is everyone decent?”
“Come in, Connor,” Jacqueline called back. “It’s safe to enter.”
Connor opened the door and stopped in his tracks. “My god Flora, you look absolutely beautiful.”
“I told you,” Jacqueline said to her friend, who smiled back at her.
“I’ve been sent to escort you to the kirk,” Connor said, then held out a small box, “but first I’m supposed to give you this.”
“What is it?” Flora asked.
“Open it and see,” Jacqueline told her.
Flora took the box and looked inside. She pulled out a beautiful necklace. “This is lovely,” she said.
“That was my Mithers,” Jacqueline told her, “my Da gave each of my brothers a piece of her jewelry years ago.”
“I can’t accept this,” Flora said.
“Nonsense,” Jacqueline said, taking the necklace and fastening it around Flora’s neck.
“Are you ready?” Connor asked, extending his arm to Flora.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Flora said as she walked towards the door.
**********
“You may kiss the bride,” Ham barely heard the priest speak those final words. He hadn’t been able to think straight since Flora had met him at the front of the kirk. He hadn’t even recognized her at first, she looked absolutely stunning. He’d taken her hand at the beginning of the ceremony and refused to let go, waiting for her to attempt to bolt for the door. She never looked up at him once the whole time the priest spoke, even though he hadn’t taken his eyes off of her once.
He reached forward and put a finger under her chin, making her finally look up at him. He lowered his lips down to hers, giving her a soft kiss, sealing the marriage.
“That wasn’t so bad now, was it, wife?” Ham asked her softly so no one else would hear.
“Nay,” she said, her face turning red, she tried to look back down, but Ham wouldn’t let her.
“You look beautiful,” he said to her.
“Thank you,” she replied, grinning shyly at him.
“Everyone is invited back to the hall,” Hamish said loudly. “I’ve asked the cook to throw together a wedding feast. It won’t be anything too grand due to the little warning she had, but knowing cook, it’ll be good.”
Ham took Flora’s hand and placed it on his arm, escorting her out of the kirk and back to the castle, the rest of the McCabe family followed. Flora had been surprised at the amount of people that had gathered at the kirk on such short notice. Most of the McCabe family had been there to watch their brother marry. In attendance were Jacqueline and Connor, Angela and Ross, Eadan and Nessa, Laird McCabe, and all the younger brothers, Alastair, Craig, Rory and Owen. The only one missing had been James. When they’d arrived she’d been happy to see that Ina had been given a seat in the front row, a place usually reserved for family, but then, Ina was the only family she’d had for a very long time.
The family quickly took seats around the table once they entered the hall and food was promptly brought out. “Too bad James couldn’t be here,” Rory McCabe said.
“He’ll be home soon enough,” Hamish replied. “I do miss that boy.”
Flora couldn’t believe the amount of food that was being laid on the table, pork and pheasant, roasted vegetables, fruits, cheeses and two different types of bread. To top it all off, was a large platter of pastries.
“Thank you for arranging this, Laird,” Flora said to Hamish.
“Laird?” Hamish answered. “You’re me daughter now Flora, and me daughters call me Da.”
“Thank you, Da,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. It had been a long time since Flora had been part of a family, she never expected to be part of one again. She was amazed at how quickly the McCabe’s accepted her as one of them, even though she’d known them her whole life.
“No tears,” Hamish said to her. “This is a happy day.”
“Aye, a very happy day, Da,” Ham agreed. He raised his wine-filled cup up high. “To my new wife, Flora McCabe,” he said.
Chapter 6 Wedding Night
“Come,” Ham said to Flora, extending his hand to help her out of the chair. “It’s time for us to retire.”
“What about everyone else?” she asked glancing around the table at everyone that was still gathered there.
“They won’t leave as long as we’re here,” he told her. “They’ll probably celebrate late into the night.” Laird McCabe just had more wine brought out and a jug of whiskey.
“Where are we going?” Flora asked.
“To our room,” Ham told her.
“Our room?” she asked.
“Aye, our room,” he answered.
“But I don’t have any of my things here,” she said to him.
“I’ll help you move your things from the cottage tomorrow,” Ham told her.
“How will the villagers get to me if they need a healer?” she asked him.
“That’s a problem we can figure out another day,” Ham told her. Flora placed her hand in his and let him help her out of the chair. She didn’t look at anyone as they exited the room and walked up the stairs together. “Are you nervous?” Ham asked her.
“Of course I am,” she said to him.
“But you know what’s going to happen?” he asked.
“I’m a healer and midwife, Ham,” she answered.
“Good,” he said to her. He had wondered what she knew considering her mother hadn’t been around.
As they entered Ham’s room, he shut the door behind them. He looked around and was happy to see that a small fire had already been lit in the fireplace and just a few candles had also been lit around the room. He reached out and pulled Flora into his arms, lowering his mouth to hers, she stiffened immediately.
“It’s alright,” Ham said, “we can go as slowly as you need to.”
“Maybe we should just go fast to get it over with,” Flora said nervously.
“Close your eyes,” Ham said to her. She looked at him for a few moments before finally sighing and doing as h
e’d asked. “Just keep them closed, no matter what.”
Flora nodded her head in agreement, wondering what he was going to do next. Ham leaned forward, gently pressing his lips against hers, slowly coaxing her into the kiss. He would break contact every few seconds and then start again until finally, Flora was kissing him back every time. “Have you kissed a man before?” Ham asked her.
“Nay,” she answered, keeping her eyes shut, she was finding it easier to keep from being embarrassed if she didn’t have to look at him.
“Good,” said Ham. This time when he kissed her, he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, making her gasp just enough so he could slide his tongue into her mouth, touching his tongue to hers and pulling it back out.
Flora relaxed even more, and Ham pulled her closer, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth with each kiss now, Flora never even realized it when she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close. Ham continued to kiss her as he let his hands wander up and down her back, sometimes stopping and stroking the back of her neck and sometimes holding her head between both hands as he would deepen a kiss even more. Finally, he began to unfasten the laces on the back of her gown; once again he felt her stiffen. “Shh,” he coaxed. “Just keep your eyes closed. I’m not going to do anything to hurt you.”
Flora tried to relax as he began kissing her again, soon he had the gown unfastened, Ham slowly pulled it off her shoulders and pushed it down until it pooled around her feet, leaving her in just the shift Angela had also loaned her. Ham pulled her close, kissed her once more, this time much more passionately, Flora was meeting his tongue on every thrust now, swirling it around with her own. Ham let his hands wander to her front, cupping one breast in each hand, letting his thumbs stroke her nipples which became hard almost instantly. Flora couldn’t help the groan that escaped from her.
“Let’s take this off,” Ham said, reaching down and gripping the bottom of the shift, pulling it up and over her head, leaving her standing in front of him naked. “My god, you’re absolutely beautiful.”
“I’m not,” Flora started to deny it. Smack, smack. Ham put two soft smacks on her arse.
The Man of Her Dreams Page 5