Frontier Highlander Vow of Love (American Wilderness Series Romance Book 4) (27 page)

Artis desperately wanted to see the progress they were making. Even more, she wanted to marry Bear. But he insisted that they wait until their home was finished and they would have a proper place to consummate their union. They were making rapid progress, he told her, and it would also give her time to heal completely. She decided that he was concerned about hurting her and wanted to be certain she was entirely healed before he took her to bed.

But she found the wait excruciating. Never in her life had she wanted something so much. Every time he smiled at her, his eyes contained a sensuous flame that warmed her to her core. And she often caught him staring at her with longing. When his beautiful blue-green eyes met hers, she felt her heart quiver. The prolonged anticipation was becoming unbearable. She decided that tonight she would at least get him alone for a while for a few of his soul reaching kisses.

That afternoon, Kelly helped to fix her hair in a lovely upsweep and then Artis changed into her simple green gown that Kelly mended for her. Despite Kelly’s protests, she was determined to spend some time outside. She pinned on her luckenbooth and strapped the leather belt that held her dirk around her waist.

“You should also take your pistol with you,” Kelly advised.

Artis agreed, and Kelly went upstairs to retrieve the weapon along with
the shoulder bag that held her powder and lead. She had only fired the weapon once, when she’d shot the mountain lion, but she was confident that eventually she could learn to shoot as well as any man. When she had enough funds, she would buy a long rifle as well, like the one Kelly owned.

When she was ready, she let Kelly help her put on her boots so she wouldn’t have to bend over, and then she stepped outside.

She glanced up at the cloudless sky, the color of a robin’s egg and it reminded her of springtime skies in Scotland. She closed her eyes and let the sun bathe her face. It felt like a soft warm blanket laying lightly on her skin. She opened her eyes and strolled toward the creek at the bottom of the rise. The flowing water sparkled with a thousand diamonds, each glistening star floating downstream, urged on by the slight breeze.

By the stream, she found an enormous rock to rest upon. She leaned back on her palms and admired the tenacious ruby, coral, and honey-colored fall leaves still clinging to tree branches. Many of those same colors lay under the trees as well and she heard them rustle in the gentle wind. The hills beyond the creek, where she could hear the songs of hundreds of birds, beckoned to her. She longed to go for a long walk as she used to do along the loch near her home.

Before long, she would be able to start hiking around Whispering Hills. She would soon have her strong body back. She had been helping Kelly out as much as she could, watching and feeding Nicole, folding laundry, and other light household chores. And day by day, she could feel herself returning. Soon she would be able to help Kelly with her other duties as well—cooking; making butter and apple butter; sewing; creating soap, candles, and baskets; cleaning; and tending to the cow, chickens, and vegetable garden. Kelly never seemed to finish no matter how hard her friend worked.

But Artis couldn’t wait to have her own home and family to care for.

“Are ye waitin’ down here for a charmin’ prince to show up?”

“Bear! What are ye doin’ home so early?” She was thrilled and more than a bit surprised to see him.

He took a seat beside her. “Well, if yer feelin’ up to it, I thought maybe I might carry ye to
our
land—you see I can learn. I want to show ye what we’ve accomplished so far. The carpenters ran out of wood planks and they all left for the day. But I have another load of timber being delivered tomorrow.”

“Oh Bear, that would be so wonderful. I felt well enough today that I just had to get outside for a while. And the doctor said it would be good for me to walk around a bit. I would truly love to go with you.”

“Well then, my love, let’s go!” He took her hand and led her back to where he had tied Camel. He stuck his head inside the cabin and told Kelly where he was taking her. Then smiling broadly, her charming prince put his big hands under her arms and gently lifted her up, setting her just in front of his saddle. Then he mounted and eased her into his lap. He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and they were off.

Bear could almost feel Artis’ heart beat against him, so great was her excitement. As they approached their land, she was wide-eyed and breathless with anticipation.

When he turned Camel onto the land, his own pulse beat faster and his senses heightened. He’d dreamed of doing this so many times. At last, their home had taken shape enough that she would be able to grasp what it would look like when it was finished. With a wide grin he said, “There it is my love.”

“Take me there,” she said, clapping her hands together. She leaned forward in the saddle trying to see it better.

“Are ye sure, yer up to this?” he questioned.

“Go, go!” she said, impatiently waving her hands.

“Perhaps we should just admire it from here,” he said, teasing her.

“Bear, do ye want me to jump down and run up there?”

“Ye would na dare.”

“Aye, I would!”

He laughed and nudged Camel’s sides with his legs. He soon had them both standing in front of their home, nestled at the top of the rise among several magnificent hardwood trees. He picked her up and carried her over the threshold. It was just a framed threshold, leading to more framing, but it was the entry to where they would spend their lives together.

He sat her down but didn’t release her, keeping her back pressed against him.

She gazed around her, looking everywhere, and then took in a deep breath. “The new timber smells so wonderful.”

“Aye, it does,” he said, “and so do ye.” Her beautiful hair was piled charmingly on her head, like a crown made of copper and gold. So he nibbled little kisses down her exposed neck, breathing in her tantalizing scent. He forced himself to stop or he would soon be unable to.

He walked her through the generously sized rooms, explaining what each area was.

She started shaking with excitement when they reached their bedroom.

“Truly? This is it?” she asked.

“Aye, unless ye want it somewhere else.”

Longing showed vividly in her smoldering eyes. “Nay. I just want it.”

He did not miss her meaning. He wanted it to.

“I vow our first night here will be worth waitin’ for,” he promised.

Her eyes gleamed with an inner light and an expectant glint lit her face. “That’s a vow I can believe.”

And it was a vow he meant to keep.

“Shall we continue to tour our castle my prince?” she asked.

“We will have three hearths. One here in the bedroom,” he said as he led her out. “One in the parlor, and one in your cookin’ area. I’ve already
hired a skilled mason.”

“Ye canna imagine how happy this makes me, Bear.”

“Oh, I can imagine that just fine. I feel like I’m in a wonderful dream, livin’ in heaven and a beautiful angel loves me. But it’s na a dream.”

“I do love ye Bear.”

He put his hand behind her waist and gently tugged her to him. Then he kissed her in their home for the very first time.

Chapter 34

A
month later on an evening in late November, Artis leaned into Bear’s chest, breathing in his clean scent. He wore a new dark green jacket and a black shirt with laces at the neck. With his dark-red auburn hair, shining and slicked back, and just a hint of a copper-flaked beard, she thought him the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

His family, no
their
family, had joined them and they had all just finished sharing a pre-wedding feast inside her new home. William and Kelly truly felt like a brother and sister to her now. And she adored Kelly’s lovable child and Mister McGuffin too. They were the new family her uncle had told her to go find.

She remembered her uncle fondly and rested her fingers against the Clan MacKay badge he’d given her, now pinned on Bear’s chest.

The evening was cool but comfortable and she wore her tartan shawl, pinned together with her luckenbooth, on the arms of the wedding dress Kelly insisted she have made. After several fittings, the gold gown with tiny pink flowers stitched into the bodice, seemed to hug her figure perfectly. Everyone must have noticed bear’s wide-eyed admiration when he first set eyes on her as she walked out in it. He’d choked on the celebratory whiskey he and William were sharing as they waited for the ladies to come outside. He’d scanned her head to toe and beamed his
approval.

William patted Bear on the back and told him to settle down, he’d soon be married.

As the sun slipped away, casting everyone in a warm gilded light, the family stood in front of Bear and her for a
Livery of Seisin
ceremony in the front yard of their newly completed house. Afterwards, William would perform their wedding ceremony and Artis’ excitement grew with every passing moment.

She picked up her dirk that she’d sat by the front door earlier and cut a twig off a nearby tree. Next, she bent down, careful not to soil her gown, and cut a piece of turf out of the ground. She carefully stuck the twig into the center of the soil, picked the clump up with both hands, stood, and looked at Bear. Holding both up to him, she said, “This land I now share with you as symbolized by this turf and twig I give to thee.”

Bear solemnly took the turf and twig in his outstretched hands. “This land I now share with thee as signified by this deed.” Bear stooped to the small hole she’d left and put the turf back into the ground. He carefully patted the grass and soil into place and then stood, giving her a soft loving gaze.

“The
Livery of Seisin
ceremony is where the word ‘deed’ comes from,” William explained. “We are witnesses to the
deed
of transferring land by turf and twig. It was a common practice, especially in remote areas, before we had land commissioners and written records of registered deeds.”

Artis wanted Bear to fully believe that the land was his as well as hers. She could tell by the broad smile that now lit his face that the ceremony meant a lot to him.

And it meant a great deal to her as well. They had both lost their family land in Scotland, but now their family could put down roots here in Kentucky. She was sure those roots would run deep and honor Scotland—onto generations—for it was often avowed that a Scot is a Scot, even unto a hundred generations.

Bear helped Mister McGuffin build a campfire to provide light and warmth next to an area that Bear had readied the day before for dancing.

William took a seat on a tree stump and played a mixture of lively and romantic music on his violin. Kelly danced in circles holding a smiling Nicole in her arms. And afterwards, Kelly handed Nicole to Bear. He’d gladly held the child while Mister McGuffin joyfully danced with his daughter. Soon, the other invited guests began to arrive; Judge Webb, Doctor McDowell, Lucky McGintey, the general store owner Daniel Breedhead, Commissioner Simmons, Colonel Byrd, and their wives, and they joined in the dancing too. Deputy Mitchell stayed in town to guard the prisoner.

The guests all brought gifts for their new home, but wanting to repay Bear for defending his store, Breedhead brought a delicate brass and crystal oil lamp that Artis thought would look pleasing in the center of their new dining table.

They’d only had a chance to sparsely fill the home with furniture, but Bear told Artis they would acquire the rest of what they needed in the coming months. He’d laughed when Artis said the home was so large, she thought it might take years.

Judge Webb opened the fine bottle of brandy he brought and shared it with Bear and William. After toasting to Artis, he said, “I regret that I must hold the robber’s trial tomorrow morning. I must be in Lexington the day after tomorrow. William, you and I can start the trial bright and early at 8:00.”

William groaned, but then quickly nodded his agreement.

“But Bear, there’s no need for you to get to the courtroom until 8:30 or 9:00. It should be a swift trial and hanging with all the evidence against the robber.”