"Thank ye," she said to Abbess Bethóc, who had come to see them off."For everything."
"May God bless ye, lass," the abbess replied.
Ewan also thanked the abbess for her hospitality and slipped her a heavy pouch of coins.The abbess accepted it with grace and wished them well.
As their small party rode away from the abbey, Ewan noticed the thoughtful silence that had settled over his new wife."Regretting yer decision?"he asked gently.
"No," she said after a moment."Just...thinking about what comes next."
They had been riding for several hours when Ewan called a halt to rest the horses.As they sat beside a small stream, sharing bread and cheese that the sisters had packed for their journey, Ewan noticed the nervous tension that had been building in Lileas's posture.
"Lileas," he said quietly, moving to sit beside her on a fallen log."I want ye to ken something."
She looked at him expectantly, her hands fidgeting with her skirts.
"I will not...that is, I have no intention of claiming my husbandly rights until we are properly settled in my keep.In our bed."His voice was gentle but firm."Ye need have no fear about the coming nights on the road."
The relief that flooded her features was immediate and obvious, followed quickly by a blush that spread from her cheeks down to the neckline of her dress."I...thank ye.That is...considerate of ye."
"Moreover," he continued, wanting to be completely clear, "We will not consummate the marriage until ye ask me to."
The blush deepened, but she met his eyes directly."Ye would wait for me to ask?"
"I would wait as long as necessary," he said simply."Marriage vows spoken in haste and fear are one thing.The intimacy between husband and wife should be something else entirely."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.Then Lileas said softly, "Ye're not what I expected."
"Nor are ye, lass.Nor are ye."
***
AS THEY RESUMED THEIRjourney, the atmosphere between them had shifted subtly.The formal politeness of new acquaintances was gradually giving way to something warmer, more natural.Ewan rode beside her when the path allowed, pointing out landmarks and telling her stories about the history of the region.
Patrick, riding slightly ahead of them, proved to be a cheerful companion."Ye'll like it there, mistress," he assured her."The keep is old but well-maintained, and the views from the towers are the finest in all of Alba.On a clear day, ye can see for miles."
"And what of the people?"Lileas asked."Will they welcome a MacDonald bride?"
Patrick's enthusiasm dimmed slightly, and he glanced back at Grant, who had been riding in pointed silence since they left the abbey.
Grant, seeing the look, urged his horse closer to theirs."Our laird is a good man," he said without preamble, his face serious."He has sacrificed much for us all, and ye paid him a slight by refusing to marry.So ye'll not be in all their graces yet, mistress.For that reason alone, some may snub ye."
"Grant," Ewan's voice carried a warning, but the man continued.
"I dinnae mean to cause offense," Lileas said carefully, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment."But I also had a life in my clan.I did not want to give it up without understanding what I would be gaining in return."
"Be that as it may, ye left him high and dry when he needed ye most.There's much work ye need to do to mend those fences with our people."
Lileas straightened in her saddle, meeting his challenging gaze directly."Then I'll do it.Whatever it takes to earn their respect, I'll do it."
"See that ye do," Grant said with a grudging nod of approval."Our laird deserves a wife who'll stand by him, not one who runs at the first sign of trouble."
"Enough, Grant," Ewan said sharply, his eyes flashing with anger."My wife has made her choice and spoken her vows.She deserves yer respect."
Grant nodded, but his expression remained doubtful.Lileas appreciated Ewan's defense of her, but she also understood that Grant's concerns were not entirely unfounded.She would indeed have much to prove to her new clan.
As the day wore on, Lileas found herself studying her new husband when she thought he wasn't looking.He sat his horse with the easy grace of a born rider, and there was something about his profile that made her pulse quicken in ways she didn't want to examine too closely.
When he caught her looking, he would smile, and she would feel that strange flutter in her stomach that had everything to do with a growing awareness of him as a man rather than simply an unwanted obligation.
