Bethane rushed through the last of the hem, and the two women escorted the bride downstairs.
As Zia approached the door, she grabbed hold of her grandmother’s arm. “Behind that door—”
“Your past and future unite,” Bethane whispered softly.
Zia smiled and took a step toward her future.
Chapter 35
The ceremony was short, and a light fare had been prepared and arranged in the solar, with plenty of wine and ale to help celebrate the special occasion. It was very late so that no one would be the wiser of what took place there that night.
Some of the servants speculated, but were happy that at least whatever did take place was a celebration, which meant that all was well.
Artair watched his wife…Finally, he could truly call Zia his wife. He watched her speak with her father and Bethane.
He and Zia had decided it would be best if no one else knew that Bishop Edmond Aleatus was her father. It wasn’t that he and Zia didn’t trust his family to keep the secret. It was just that he had learned from experience that the more people who knew a secret, the more people found out about it. And besides, he felt it was safer for his family not to know the truth, and Zia had agreed with him about that.
He couldn’t get over how utterly beautiful she looked and how utterly happy she was. He wished he could say that it was all because she had married him, but that most of her happiness was the result of learning about her father, and he couldn’t blame her for that.
He had to laugh quietly, for the bishop hadn’t smiled much when he first arrived, and since finding out about Zia, he hadn’t stopped smiling. Those in his entourage who saw him wondered if the witch had cast a spell over him, and in a strange way, it could be said that she had, though it was a daughter’s love that freed him from a spell. Once it was learned that the bishop had declared Zia free of all witchcraft charges, his people sighed a breath of relief and went about their tasks contentedly.
Bethane drifted over to him. “Happy?”
“More than I ever expected,” Artair admitted, then smiled. “But you knew that. What else do you know?”
“What is it you want to know?” she asked.
Artair looked around the room, taking in each person. “Cavan and Honora are happy, and even more so with the birth of their sons, this I know. What of Lachlan?”
Bethane smiled. “He finds love where he least expects it, and if he fights fate, he will lose her.”
“I will remember that,” Artair said with a nod. “What of my mother?”
Bethane sighed. “She will love again.”
“Never,” Artair said adamantly. “She loved Father far too much to ever love another man.”
“This man will be persuasive—”
“My brothers and I will get rid of him fast enough.”
“Be careful, for your mother’s heart will go with him,” Bethane warned. “Odd that you ask of everyone before—”
“Ronan,” Artair finished with a firm nod. “I saved him for last. Tell me how to find him.”
“He travels a road you cannot follow.”
“No riddles, Bethane, just tell me where to start. I want my brother home where he belongs.”
“Then let him be, and he will find his way home,” she said.
Artair shook his head. “I cannot do that, and neither can my brothers. Just point me in the right direction and leave the rest to me.”
“As you wish,” Bethane said. “Find the barbarian leader’s daughter and you will find Ronan.”
“Thank you,” Artair said, certain now that he and his brothers would find their brother and bring him home.
“Do not be so fast to thank me,” Bethane warned, and walked away as Zia approached.
“You look confused,” Zia said, taking hold of Artair’s arm.
“Your grandmother has a way of doing that to people.” He gave her a quick kiss, whispering afterward, “I have been a patient husband. Can we take our leave now so that I can make love to my wife for the first time.”
Zia smiled. “I thought the same myself, husband.”
“You’ve been patient too?” he asked teasingly.
She pressed close against him and whispered in his ear, “Far too long.”
Her warm breath sent shivers racing through his body, and he felt her shiver along with him. “We need to leave now.”
“We’ll slip out. No one will notice,” she whispered.
He agreed with a nod, but it took longer to take their leave than they hoped, and by the time they reached their bedchamber, they both breathed a sigh of relief and fell on the bed together.
“I thought they would never let us go,” Zia confessed.