Wee William's Woman, Book Three of the Clan MacDougall Series (27 page)

Taking note that the subject was closed for now, Aishlinn held out her hand to Nora. “Of course they can. It is much different here, than in English castles where children are to be seen and not heard. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how differently things are done.”

Nora gave Aishlinn’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I took note of that from the beginning. I could live ten lifetimes and still not be able to repay everyone for the kindness they’ve shown us. I’m very glad to be here.”

Nora did not notice the silent exchange that took place between Aishlinn and Duncan as they left the study together. She was lost again in her own thoughts and began to plan her future.

Nora needed a husband. Aye, she might not necessarily
want
one, but she knew that she needed one. She did not want to live the rest of her days in the women’s solar. She wanted a home, a real home, for John and Elise. A home filled with laughter, love, and kindness.

She was willing to settle for laughter and kindness because she knew love was not an easy thing to acquire.
 
The kind of love she witnessed between Aishlinn and Duncan was so very rare.

She had spent a year praying fervently for a way out of her marriage. Nora felt it would be selfish to ask the Lord for a love she witnessed between Aishlinn and Duncan. Nay, it was enough now that Horace was dead and kind people surrounded her and her brother and sister. Safe, warm, and cared for, and it was more than she had ever asked of God. She’d not risk losing those things by asking for anymore from Him.

Fourteen

“
Y
e want me to do what, William?” Father Michael stared at Wee William, uncertain he’d heard the man correctly.
 

“I need ye to give Nora an annulment but without her knowin’ yer doin’ it.” Wee William told him again for the third time. “I dunna see why ye find it so difficult to understand the request, father.”

Father Michael shook his head as if doing so would bring him clarity. It didn’t work. “Explain it to me one more time.”

Wee William let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was rapidly loosing faith in the young priest. But if explaining it again would bring the man around to his way of thinking, he’d oblige.

“Ye see, father, I’ve been praying on this fer days now. ’Tis a great guilt I carry with me. I ken Nora thinks her husband be dead, but I’ve no’ guarantee that he
is.
There is a good chance they didna survive that night, what with bein’ naked and miles from home and it bein’ winter. But, I’d rather no’ take the chance that he still be walkin’ among the livin’.”

“So you want me to grant her an annulment without her knowledge?” Father Michael asked his voice laced with disbelief.

“Aye!” William smiled. Finally. “Ye’ve got the right of it. So, will ye do this fer me?”

Father Michael shook his head again and stepped down from the dais of the kirk. He began pacing in front of Wee William, thinking about what the man was asking. He stopped and looked up at the tall Highlander who was looking far more hopeful than Father Michael would have liked.

“William, I would no’ be able to just
grant
an annulment. The lass would have to
ask
fer it. And I dunna ken how ye’d get her to ask fer such a thing when she thinks she’s a widow.”

Wee William ran his hand across his beard. He’d done nothing for the past days but think of a way around his predicament without Nora learning of the very small possibility that her husband might still be alive. He had given her a chance at a better life. Who knew what she’d do if she found out that Horace might still be alive. He’d come to the priest and made his confession, to which Father Michael did nothing to hide his shock.

“I ken the lass has talked with ye, Father Michael. Certainly she’s told ye of her life with that whoreson she was married to.”

Father Michael cringed at the words Wee William had chosen to describe Horace Crawford. Aye, he agreed with his colorful description, but to use such words in the house of the Lord was unacceptable. “William, remember
where
ye be.”

Wee William crossed himself and apologized. “Ye’ve talked with her, father?”

Father Michael held up his hands to halt Wee William. “Ye ken I canna tell ye what the lass and I spoke of.”

Wee William nodded his head and pressed his tongue to his cheek. “Aye, I ken it. Ye canna tell me
what
she said, but certainly ye can tell me if ye discussed her marriage to Horace.”

Father Michael stared blankly at Wee William. He knew where the man was headed and wasn’t about to be led there.

“I understand ye wantin’ to keep her confessions secret. But tell me this, if she
were
to ask for an annulment, do ye think ye could grant it?”

The priest had no idea how Wee William proposed to get Nora to ask that question. “Aye, I would,” he answered before quickly adding, “but how on earth do ye plan on getting’ her to ask the question when she thinks she be a widow?”

A plan began to form in Wee William’s mind. The more he thought on it, the bigger his smile grew. After a few moments, he was positively beaming. His smile sent a chill up and down Father Michael’s spine. A beaming Wee William was more frightening than an angry one.

“If I can get her to ask it, will ye grant it?” Wee William asked.

Father Michael was too unnerved by his smile to deny the request. “Aye, I would.”

“Good!” Wee William said as he slapped a large hand on the priest’s back, nearly knocking him off balance. “I’ll return within the hour with the lass. Ye be prepared to grant it.”

Father Michael did not doubt the Highlander’s tenacity. However, he did have doubts as to how Wee William would go about it. “I’ll need time to draw up the annulment documents. Give me two hours.”

Wee William slapped his back again, happier than he’d been in weeks. He started to leave, when Father Michael called after him.

“William, am I to assume by yer request that ye have a desire to marry this lass?”

Wee William came to an abrupt halt. He refused to turn around to look at the priest. “Nay, ye needn’t assume such a thing. I’m merely doin’ it to assuage me guilt. Nothin’ else to it.”

It was Father Michael’s turn to smile. He thought of telling Wee William that God frowned upon liars, but wasn’t ready to die this day. Besides, there was the possibility that Wee William wasn’t quite ready to admit that he did in fact want to marry the lass. His long beard however, told an entirely different story. He continued to smile as he watched Wee William leave the kirk. Moments later, Father Michael left in a hurry.

He needed to see Fergus Dunbottom about placing a little bet.

“Are you certain that I shouldn’t be better dressed for such an occasion?” Nora asked Wee William as they headed toward the kirk.

Wee William thought she looked beautiful in anything she wore and today was no exception. The pretty dark blue dress with the arisaid made of MacDougall plaid made her look all the more like a good Scottish woman. With her hair in a simple braid that tumbled over her ample bosom, it was all he could do not to scoop her up and have his way with her. He was thankful that she could not read minds, for he knew she’d slap him silly for all the lustful thoughts bouncing through his.

“Nay, lass, ye look quite bonny this day,” he told her as he hurried along the path to the kirk, pulling her along behind him. He was unable to see the way her face blushed or the smile she held at his compliment.

She’d been on her way to speak with Angus when Wee William stopped her. He was rather excited about something and more than once she had to ask him to slow down and to speak in the English. Finally she was able to make out that there was a little ceremony that he and his men wanted to perform, one that would make her an official member of the MacDougall clan.

He went on to further explain that the entire ceremony must be performed in Gaelic or Latin. He’d act as translator between her and the priest. Daniel and David would act as witnesses.

Nora’s heart swelled with pride. They wanted her here.
As a member of their clan
. She’d never felt quite so honored in her life. All thoughts of talking with Angus rapidly fell to the wayside.

Happily, she followed along behind Wee William. Her heart was pounding wildly and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the excitement she felt at becoming an official member or the way his skin felt as he held her hand.

“’Tis a simple ceremony, but an important one,” Wee William explained as he pushed through the door to the kirk.

Father Michael stood at the head of the kirk with Daniel and David waiting on either side of him. They greeted her with warm smiles as Wee William led her to the front of the kirk.

It was a beautiful spring day and sunlight streamed in through the leaded glass windows. Little bits of dust danced in the air. The sound of the birds singing filtered in, along with the distant bleating of newly born lambs. Nora thought it would have been a most perfect day for any ceremony, including the one she was about to participate in.

She smiled happily at all the men and gave each of them a small curtsy. “I am speechless, I truly am.” She gushed first at Daniel, then to David. “I feel so very honored to be…”

Wee William stopped her from finishing her sentence. “Lass,” he said in a hushed and reverent tone. “We’re glad to have ye here as well. But let us begin now, shall we?”

Deciding it was perhaps a far more serious ceremony than she had first imagined, she took on the same reverent expression as Wee William.

Wee William had sent Daniel and David ahead earlier to explain his plan to Father Michael. It was more of a curiosity than anything else that drove the priest to agree. He could barely wait to see how Wee William would get her to utter the words.

“Father,” Wee William said as he stood next to Nora and faced the priest. “Ye may begin with the ceremony.”

Father Michael wasn’t quite sure
what
he was supposed to say or do at this particular time. All that he knew was that he was to speak in Latin and Wee William would act as translator. He cleared his throat and began with a prayer.

“
Hic sponte venis?”
He directed his question to Nora.

“Do ye come here of yer own free will?” Wee William translated.

“Aye, I do.” Nora whispered.

“Te delectat hic apud nos?”

“Do you like it here, among our people?”

“Aye, I do.”

“Usquequo sunt tibi nupta Horace?”

Wee William was not sure he wanted to ask any questions regarding Horace, at least not yet. “How long were ye married to Horace?”

Nora looked confused. “Why does that matter?”

“We’ll be asking all manner of questions this day lass. We be askin’ questions to make certain ye do in fact want to be a member of the clan. We’ll be askin’ of yer past, yer present and yer future.”

It sounded plausible enough. Not knowing anything to the contrary, she answered the priest’s question. “A year and a week.”

“Erant beatum te in vestri matrimonium?”

“Were ye happy in yer marriage?”

Nora wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything, but supposed it had something to do with making sure she had no regrets with her decision to come to Scotland and start her life anew.

“Nay, I was not happy in my marriage to Horace. He was a cruel man, William.”

Wee William smiled sympathetically at her before looking to Father Michael.

“Sunt beatum te hic?”

“Are ye happy here, lass?”

Her face lit up with a warm smile. “Aye, William, I most assuredly am.” She noticed that Daniel and David gleamed proudly at her answer.

“Do ye have any regrets in comin’ here?” He didn’t wait for the priest to ask the next question. He was lost in Nora’s pale blue eyes.

“No, William, I have no regrets.”

“Do ye wish to stay here, among us for all the rest of yer days?” His voice was low and soothing.