Epilogue

Selkirk, October 1391

I , Annabel, take thee, Malcolm, to my wedded husband . . ."

"That's me grandame!" the three-year-old heir to Buccleuch and Rankilburn, who stood beside Sibylla, said clearly into the pause.

As the bride continued with her vows, Sibylla looked down at her husband's beaming nephew, smiled back at him, and raised a finger to her lips.

Wat Scott, on his other side, bent and whispered in his son's ear.

Robbie Scott nodded once, listened, then nodded again, whereupon Wat lifted him up and held him so he could see better. Sibylla smiled again when she saw the little boy put a hand over his mouth as if to remind himself to keep still.

". . . in sickness and in health, to be bonlich and buxom in bed and at board . . ."

Hearing Lady Murray, soon to be Lady Cavers, promising to be meek and obedient, Sibylla glanced at Simon and found his gaze waiting to catch hers, his eyes as brimful of amusement as she knew hers must be.

He put a hand to the small of her back and rubbed it, plainly not caring a whit if people behind them saw him stroking his wife. As she leaned into his hand, to savor its warmth, she thought how different it all was from four years before.

It was the same wee kirk, and less than a fortnight short of the anniversary. But no rain fell today, and wedding guests packed the kirk, so it was much warmer inside. Also, the bride and groom looked happy to be there.

Geordie Denholm stood on the other side of Simon with Alice beside him and Rosalie next to Alice. Geordie and Alice were not yet betrothed, but the Colvilles were no longer an issue, the Douglas having hanged both for their crimes. Sir Malcolm's lady had said she thought Geordie would do very well for Alice, so Sibylla and Simon considered that matter settled.

The Douglas was present, too, in the front row of guests. The two-year-old truce, amended to include his new rules for resolving grievances across the line, would, they hoped, continue for at least the original ten years. The reiving had not stopped, but families deprived of their beasts were more apt to see justice now.

Cecil Percy had brought his wife and family to visit Elishaw in May, and his eldest son had taken a strong liking to Rosalie. Rosalie, having learned in Edinburgh that there were many fish in the barrel, had kept the lad at arm's length.

Simon thought she was turning into an accomplished flirt, but Sibylla knew that Annabel remained confident of another English alliance.

The priest murmured to the bridal pair, and they turned to face their guests.

"I present to you Sir Malcolm and Lady Cavers," the priest said solemnly.

The piper skirled a tune, and they came down the steps to receive the felicitations of their guests.

"How are you feeling, Sibylla?" Amalie demanded as she approached. "I saw Simon rubbing your back."

A mother for more than two months, Amalie had regained her usual figure. Her son was with his nurse at Akermoor, where the whole family was staying.

Sibylla grinned at her. "I'm fine," she said. "Sakes, I'm barely three months along, but your brother is already proving to be as certain of what is good for me as Garth was when you were with child. I marvel now that you did not murder him," she added, with a teasing look at Simon.

"Take care, my love," he said, smiling and holding her gaze. "If I hear much more of that, I'll put you to bed as soon as we get back."

"Aye, sure, you may, but only if you promise to join me there, my lord."

With that, surrounded by laughing kinsmen and merrily chattering friends, they followed the newly married couple outside into the sunny street.