Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

M urdoch stood fidgeting at the altar with Clyde at his side as best man.

"If I fidget this much, elbow me on the day."

"I'm nae that bad. Ow," Murdoch muttered as Clyde elbowed him harshly in the chest. "What was that fer?"

"Tae make ye stand still. Ye dinnae want yer bride seeing ye fidgeting as if ye are longing tae run away, dae ye?"

"That is nae why I am fidgeting." Murdoch was simply ill at ease with the ostentatiousness around him. For such short notice, his father had managed to prepare a lot for this wedding.

The church on the castle lands was dressed in winter flowers, with great drapes of silk that hung from the stone arches between the pews. Colored white, the whole effect was one of snow, as if the beautiful depths of winter had been draped through this church. On the altar stood candles decked in holly and mistletoe. Even the bejeweled and holy cross was wrapped in a single sprig of mistletoe.

"She's late," Murdoch muttered, knowing that by now Eloise should have been there.

"She'll be here," Clyde assured him.

Murdoch glanced over his shoulder, looking around the church in apprehension. All of the pews were full of people, so much so that he could barely see the rich mahogany wood of the pews at all. In the front pew saw Fergus, beaming widely and talking to anyone who would listen about how he would have two sons married within a week. Anyone who dared mention the Douglas' or their attack on the clan castle was given a hefty glare.

"That isnae tae be mentioned on such a happy occasion," Fergus said sharply to the last man who had dared to bring it up.

On the other side of the pews were three familiar faces.

Ian sat with Callie and Aila, all deep in conversation. They were clearly concerned about the time delay too, for they all kept glancing toward the church door that remained firmly closed.

"There is nothing tae worry about," Clyde hissed in Murdoch's ear and took his shoulder. "Calm yerself. She'll be here."

"Aye, aye, I ken," Murdoch murmured, thinking back to that morning. After he'd left the flower in Eloise's room, struggling to write the note where he'd left his initials, he'd bumped into Beatrice in the hallway. She had been most determined to capture his attention again and he had as good as run from her down the corridor, determined to escape.

He was quite relieved to see that she hadn't bothered to turn up to the ceremony. He didn't need her here whilst he was pledging himself to Eloise.

The door to the church suddenly opened. At the sound, the vicar appeared, nodding to the pipers who played music to greet the bridge to the church. Murdoch set his eyes on the door, waiting for Eloise to appear.

She walked in on Avery's arm, wearing a beautiful green and white gown, with a heavily inlaid veil over her face. The veil was so thick, he could not see her face, but he smiled at her approach, seeing her hold lightly on to Avery's arm beside her.

She's here.

A feeling of excitement shot through him.

He couldn't believe that a couple of weeks ago, he and Eloise had met again by that loch, in an arrangement, to appear as if they were in love. If he had known then what was to befall, he wondered how he would have reacted.

She has changed everything.

His smile stayed in place as she approached, unable to take his eyes off her as he tried to see through the veil. As Avery approached, he shook Murdoch's hand.

"I hope ye dae right by her, me friend."

"I will. I promise ye that, Avery," Murdoch said in a deep tone, so only the two of them could hear.

"I ken ye will." Avery smiled suddenly. He still walked at a strange angle, clearly struggling with the wound on his stomach, but when he had heard the wedding was to be brought forward, he'd insisted on walking Eloise down the aisle himself. Not even Callie and her concern for his health could talk him out of it.

"One thing," Avery lowered his voice further. "Eloise is insisting on keeping the veil on throughout the ceremony. She says it is a tradition of our mother's family. Ye accept?"

"Of course." Murdoch nodded, a little irked, though he would hardly admit to it now. He wanted to see Eloise's face, to share in this moment with her and look her in the eye, but if it was something that meant so much to her, a tradition from her mother, then he had to give her that.

He took her hand from Avery and led her toward the altar. There was something strange about that touch. Eloise was wearing lace gloves, so he could not feel her skin easily, but her hand somehow seemed thicker in his grasp. Perhaps it was the gloves. She also clung to his hand rather tightly.

She is nervous. That must be it.

He smiled reassuringly at her, trying to silently tell her that all would be well. They were in this together from now on.

As the pipers came to a close, Murdoch took Eloise's hand and threaded it through his arm, turning to face the vicar.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join together this man and this woman." As the vicar began the wedding ceremony, Murdoch tried to concentrate as best as he could, but Eloise was distracting him.

She trembled at his side. He raised a hand and placed it over her fingers on his arm, trying to comfort her as much as he could that all was well, that there was nothing to fear now. She was perfectly safe with him.

What is going on?

When it came time to make their vows, Murdoch said his with surprising ease, all the more shocked when it was Eloise's turn. Her voice did not sound like her own, and she barely whispered it, as if she was so nervous that she had lost her voice completely.

"Eloise, is all well?" he whispered to her in a quiet moment as the vicar began another prayer. "Ye can tell me."

She said nothing but nodded at him, clearly reluctant to talk at all.

Murdoch made a plan in his mind. As soon as they were free of this ceremony and led the way back to the great hall ready for the feast, he would draw Eloise aside. He had to know what was plaguing her mind so much. If it was all nerves about the wedding, then he was sure in the comfort of their own chamber he could remind her of the good things about a marriage between them.

He had every intention of leaving her in that beautiful gown as he made love to her the first time. He thought of entering her from behind, watching as she tossed back her head with that auburn hair wild. He could reach forward, tangle his fingers in those locks as he entered her repeatedly. The second time, he wanted her completely bare, without that gown at all. He pictured entangling their bodies together completely on the bed, until there was such heat between them, they were both sweating.

I just have tae get rid of that ridiculous veil first.

The vicar cleared his throat and closed the final prayer with a deep ‘amen', that was echoed by the entire congregation across the church. Once complete, he turned a vast smile on the pair of them.

"Please, welcome me in joining your newly married husband and wife. Murdoch and his lady, Eloise."

Great cheers went up in the church behind them and the pipers began at once. Murdoch smiled and turned back to see the pipers practically standing on the church pews in order to be heard. Fergus was on his feet, clapping warmly, beaming with pride. Clyde at Murdoch's side was clapping too, the mirror image of their father.

Murdoch turned to face Eloise and bent a little toward her. It was tradition in his clan for the groom to kiss the bride after the wedding, but she showed no sign of lifting the veil at all.

"Eloise?" he whispered.

Subtly, she shook her head, that veil twitching with the movement. Disappointed, he pushed his arm toward her, silently asking her to take his arm again. They slowly left the church with people standing up to congratulate them all the way. When they were halfway down the aisle, Murdoch glanced back and caught sight of Avery and Callie whispering together in low tones. Neither one of them was smiling. They both seemed to be staring at Eloise, with perfect mixtures of bafflement in their expression.

I ken how ye feel. She is clinging tae this veil a little too much, is she nae?

Everything he knew about Eloise suggested she was confident. She may have had a habit of sometimes hiding her expression, a nervous one at that, but when challenged, she would stand tall with her chin lifted. It made little sense why Eloise would hide now of all times.

It is like I am nae marrying me Eloise…