Page 78 of The Burden of a Scottish Chieftain
“Do you think my adopted grandsire will be angry with me? Eli suggested this and helped me sew it this way.” The lad wore the Ramsay plaid on the top over his shoulder and the MacQuarie plaid wrapped around his hips.
“I think Logan will love it,” Meg said. “Do not worry, Magni.”
“But if he gets mad, he might not adopt me.” He had the famous Magni scowl they’d all come to recognize, his lower lip jutting out and his eyebrows nearly touching in the middle.
Lia gave him a side hug and said, “Logan does not do things to hurt bairns. He loves bairns more than most.”
Magni looked at Lia and asked, “How would you know that, Lia? Sometimes…” He glanced at Meg and Tamsin, then said, “Never mind.”
“Where’s my grandson?” A booming voice carried up the staircase, and Magni jumped, a wide smile filling his face.
“Grandsire! He’s here. I have to go.” And the lad was gone in an instant.
Lia said, “Come along, ladies. The men are waiting for us.”
Meg followed everyone down the stairs, where they found Rut waiting for them. “Ladies, you look lovely. Here, I have small floral arrangements for you. These are for your hair, and these smaller ones attach to your wrists.”
“Rut, many thanks to you,” Meg said, admiring the green and purple flowers.
Rut said, “I hope you are not upset that we decided to have the wedding here. I needed Douglas to see Lennox married.”
Tamsin said, “I don’t mind. You have a larger courtyard than we do to handle guests. And your castle is more central for our friends from Duart Castle and Clan Rankin to attend. We are all excited for this celebration.”
The door opened, and Meg’s gaze caught her husband-to-be standing in his full-dress plaid. He wore a white léine with his forest-green plaid over it, his sword sheathed to his side. She wasabout to approach him when a force flew across the floor to stop in front of Lennox and Thane.
“Look what my grandsire brought me. I have a léine just like you, Thane. And I have new boots too. I look just like a chieftain, do I not, Grandsire? Meg! Look at me.”
The lad spun around, his words bubbling out as fast as he could say them. Lia said, “Magni, you are as handsome as anyone here.”
Tamsin went to Thane’s side, so Meg joined Lennox, who leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I do prefer you with naught on, but you look quite regal in that dress, Meg. You are as gorgeous as ever.” He kissed her neck, and she giggled like a lassie.
Rut said, “Lennox, you are as handsome as your sire was when he was young.” His mother teared up, but then she stopped to say, “What I like best is how happy you are. I’ve waited a long time to see it. I thank you for finding him, Meg.”
Logan came out and bellowed, “Move on. Everyone is waiting for you!”
The group proceeded out, Magni stepping up next to his grandfather. “Which one? Do I ride with you, Grandda? You’ll not give me away now that I have another grandsire, will you?”
Logan pointed to one of the warhorses. “We’re leading and nay, I’ll not give you away. All bairns need two grandsires. Grandparents stand by their grandbairns, through the worst or the best. Now climb up there, lad.”
Thane strode over to Midnight Star, one of the Grant warhorses that Connor had loaned them for the processional. “Finally, and with Tamsin near me. The best day ever.”
Lennox led Meg over to her horse, and it wasn’t until he lifted her on his mount that she was able to look about them, a semicircle of small ponies with Tora, Rowan, Sylvi, Alana, and Lia leading the processional behind Logan and Magni, whoreminded everyone at least five times, “I’m first!” Then Logan arched a brow at him and Magni grinned. “We’re first.”
They led the group across the courtyard, through the gates, and onto the nearby meadow where the guests waited, seas of different plaids brightening the area. Once they made it to the priest, Lennox helped Meg down and held her hand.
“Not so tight, Lennox.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were not going to slip away. You have that habit, lass.”
“Never. I’ll be by your side forever.”
Lennox wiped a tear from his eye.
Chapter Forty-Four
Lennox
Lennox lay beside his wife in the middle of the night, taking in her long lashes, the few freckles on her nose, her slender fingers wrapped in his hand.
