Page 58 of A Two-Faced Laird
They sat in front of the fire in silence for a while, saying nothing, merely enjoying the warmth of each other’s bodies. When Mairi came in with a thick lamb stew and a mountain of bread, they drew apart very reluctantly. However, the rumblings of Aidan’s stomach showed that he was too hungry to wait any longer. Edina put a glass of milk by his side and sat down to watch him eat, since it always gave her great pleasure to see someone enjoying their food.
When he was finished, Aidan put down his spoon and gave a satisfied sigh, then he stretched and yawned.
“Time for bed,” Edina announced.
“Ye can sleep in my bed,” Mairi said to Aidan.
“No, Mairi,” Aidan answered. “Thank you, but the floor will be fine.”
“Indeed, it will not.” Edina’s voice was firm. “You can sleep with me. It may be a bit of a squeeze, but I don’t mind.”
“What about your reputation?” he asked wickedly.
“Hang my reputation!” Edina answered, laughing.
“Hang mine too!” Aidan agreed. “Thank you for supper, Mairi. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Mairi watched them with a satisfied grin on her face, then went to bed.
Both Edina and Aidan were too tired for lovemaking that night, and the bed was too small to allow it, but they woke in the morning shortly before sunrise, well-rested and alert.
Aidan sprang out of bed and pulled Edina up, then they shared their first kiss of the day.
“Every day is going to start with a kiss from now on,” he told her, smiling.
“I like the sound of that,” Edina replied, laughing softly.
20
“Where shall we perform the ceremony?” Edina asked as they prepared to leave.
“Anywhere,” Aidan answered. “All we need are two witnesses.”
“I will be one, if ye will have me,” Mairi said shyly. “An’ I doubt we will have too much trouble gettin’ another. Let me find one.”
She ducked out of the door, leaving Edina and Aidan to gaze at each other.
“You had asked Lewis to marry you once before, remember?” Aidan asked, grinning. “When he was ten. I never thought we would do it, instead.”
“He said yes, but only when I had big breasts.” Edina giggled. “Like big ladies.”
“I think you have them now,” Aidan murmured, smiling as he looked downwards.
A moment later, Mairi came back with Bonnie, one of the barmaids. Even though she looked tousled and sleepy, she was grinning from ear to ear.
Aidan looped a length of his clan tartan around their wrists, then knotted it loosely between them.
He said softly, “Edina, you are the love of my life, and you will make me the happiest man in the world if you become my wife. I promise to shelter and protect you and our children, should we be blessed with them. Will you have me?”
“Yes, Ai–Lewis,” Edina quickly corrected herself in front of Bonnie, who unlike Mairi didn’t know the truth who the Findlay heir was, “I will. You are the only man I will ever love. I will be your lover, your friend, and the best mother I can be to our children. Will you have me?”
“I will!” Aidan said joyfully, then they both took a step backwards and the knot tightened, symbolising the joining together of their two lives. Bonnie and Mairi clapped and offered their congratulations.
“Please tell no one what you have seen,” Aidan requested. “We need time to escape, and this is the first place my father will look.”
“Aye, Master.” Bonnie gave them another warm smile. “I promise. Good luck.”
