I said, “Thank you,” and Lochie sent the servants from the room.
Lochinvar and I sat down at the table and ate some bread smeared with butter, dipped with jam, and barley soup along with white fish with gravy.
We ate hungrily and in good spirits, giving each other long lingering loving looks.
I said, “So we are going to get married?”
He grinned. “Aye, twill be official.”
“Good, I like this idea, it will be really good, Lochie.”
He leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. “Och, I am well fed.”
“Me too.” I leaned back and we smiled happily at each other. “I really like you.”
“I really like ye too, Ash, ye are the most bonny lass I hae ever laid eyes upon.”
I grinned even wider.
He said, “Och, yer smile is the undoin’ of me.”
“You are very sweet.”
He stood and strode to the door where the servants were waiting just outside for our dishes, he asked them to come inside to clear our table.
We stood to the side until they had left again, then he said, “Good, now we can get back tae what we were doin’.” He put his arms around me.
I stepped away from his embrace.
His eyes went wide. “Och nae!”
“Lochie, we can’t, not until we are married!”
“Nae nae nae,” he clutched his chest, “nae, ye canna mean it, not until we are...? Och nae.”
“This is... this was the whole point of the conversation, Lochie, we aren’t officially married in the eyes of your family, it will give me a bad reputation.”
“Och nae,” his mouth drew down in a pout. “But the thumb oath...?”
I shook my head.
“This is what comes of me deliverin’ ye tae the nursery. Sittin’ with the women and the bairns — they hae turned ye from m’bed.”
I said, “Ha. It might seem that way, but it’s not forever, Lochie. I’m not ‘turned from your bed,’ I actually think you’ve never been hotter. I’ve never wanted you more, even with all your pouting and moaning. It’s just until we get married. Officially.”
“Now I wish I haena said we would wait for Stirling, we could get married here, now, and tell Magnus we hae done it.”
“That, my love, is not really the point.”
“Fine.”
He looked around the room. His pout was now fully comical. “Where am I tae sleep?”
I hadn’t really thought of that, there was nowhere for a second person if we weren’t stacked and making hot love. I bit my lip.
He said, “This is a tragedy.”
“It’s not meant to be, Lochinvar, it’s meant to be romantic.”
