He turned to Fraser, tilting his head back to look into his eyes.
“My God, ye are a big lad!” he remarked, then he patted him on the back, chuckling.
Evanna watched the two of them with fondness. Fraser was endlessly patient with Bruce, and she had a good feeling about the months to come. Her father would not live much longer; she had no illusions about that. But Fraser would be there to support and strengthen both of them in his final days.
There was a small frenzy of hugs and kisses between them and the three other women after that, then Fraser grabbed his fiancée around her waist and pulled her into his arms again.
She looked up into his wicked blue eyes for less than a second before his mouth swooped down on hers, and every other thought was swept from her mind.
Fraser was in a state of complete disbelief. This could not be happening to him, but it was. It had taken a long time, but eventually he had found the woman he wanted to spend forever with, and he would devote the rest of his life to showing her how much he loved her.
19
Lexie was tut-tutting over Evanna’s inability to stay in one place as she pinned her wedding dress around her slender waist. It was a lovely creation of dark green velvet that had been gifted to her by Lady Caroline Gilchrist. Although it was secondhand, it had only been worn once and was in excellent condition. However, Lady Mulholland was several inches taller and bulkier than Evanna, so extensive alterations had to be made, and Evanna found that standing in one place for more than two minutes at a time was tedious in the extreme.
Lexie gave an exasperated sigh. “If ye don’t stand still, I will have tae get one of those big guards from the castle tae come and point his sword at ye!” she threatened, although the effect was spoiled by the fact that she had to talk through a mouthful of pins. She sprayed them all over the floor as she spoke, then said a word that should never have been spoken by a lady, never mind a former nun.
Evanna gasped and squealed in a pretense of shock, but Lexie only grinned at her as she bent to her task once more.
“I am suitably terrified,” Evanna replied, giggling. “But men have pointed swords at me before an’ I survived. Lexie, ye know that since Fraser asked him tae marry me, I have been…”
“A bag of nerves?” Lexie supplied, raising her eyebrows as she picked up one of the pins and jabbed it accidentally on purpose into the skin of Evanna’s side. If the young woman was going to squirm, she thought, it might as well be for the right reason. She had not struck hard, though.
Evanna squealed and instinctively recoiled.
“I am so sorry. Did I hurt ye?” Lexie looked up at Evanna anxiously.
Evanna stared at her friend with narrow, suspicious eyes, then burst into a fit of giggles. “Ye did that on purpose, ye wicked woman!” She shook her head as she swiped Lexie’s cheek playfully with the back of her hand. “I was goin’ tae say ‘as happy as a bunny in a carrot patch!’”
Lexie threw back her head and laughed until the tears were running down her face, then she stood up and embraced Evanna in her strong arms. “I hope Fraser knows what he is taking on,” she said ruefully, “because if he is expecting a meek and submissive wife, he will definitely not be a happy bunny—even if he is in the carrot patch!”
“Will ye shut up an’ get on wi’ this?” Evanna demanded. “I have many things tae do!”
“What things?” Lexie asked as she set to work again.
Evanna folded her arms and looked away. “Never ye mind!” she said grimly, thinking about the kisses she was going to share with Fraser in a short while.
“I will be very happy tae get on with it as long as ye stand still this time, or I might have tae teach ye another lesson!” Then Lexie smiled to herself. After all this time, she knew Evanna inside out and could practically read her mind.
Then, out of the blue, Lexie heard Evanna ask the question she hoped she had forgotten about.
“Ye never told me why ye renounced yer vows,” she said suddenly. “Why did ye do that?”
Lexie shook her head and sighed. “I was too embarrassed,” she replied. “I still am.”
Evanna frowned. “Why?” she asked, shrugging. “Is it somethin’ tae be ashamed about?”
“Do ye believe in love at first sight, Evanna?” Lexie asked, avoiding her eyes.
Evanna shrugged. “I truly do, Lexie. But why do you ask me?”
Lexie looked up with a fiery blush on her cheeks. “Because it happened tae me.”
For a moment, Evanna stared at her in disbelief. “Tell me,” she said, stunned. “I need to know now.”
“Sit down then,” Lexie said, sighing. “This may take a wee while.”
* * *