Both her husband and the priest looked at Johanna. She smiled back. 'I never doubted,' she remarked. 'Once I make up my mind to do something, I get it done.'
Neither man looked as though he believed the boast. The priest pulled Alex away from Johanna's skirts and moved him to stand on his father's left. 'Shall we begin the receiving line?' he suggested. 'The clan will want to come forward to offer their good wishes.'
Gabriel continued to stare at his bride. He acted as though he wanted to tell her something but couldn't get the words out.
'Did you wish to say something to me, Gabriel?'
'Don't call me that. I dislike the name.'
'But it's a fine name.'
He grunted. She tried not to take exception to that rather barbaric sound. 'You should be proud to have such a grand name.'
He grunted again. She gave up. 'What should I call you?' she asked him, trying to be accommodating.
'Laird,' he suggested.
He didn't look like he was jesting with her. She wasn't about to agree with his suggestion. It was ridiculous for a husband and wife to use such formal names. She decided to use diplomacy to gain his cooperation, for she didn't believe defiance would work now.
'But when we're alone?' she asked. 'May I call you Gabriel then?'
'No.'
'Then what…'
'If you must address me, call me… call me MacBain. Aye, that name will do.'
'If I must address you? Have you any idea how arrogant you sound?'
He shrugged. 'No, but it's good of you to say I'm arrogant.'
'No, it isn't.'
He was through discussing the topic. 'You were right to include the boy.'
Because he'd sounded so gruff and because she was still reacting to the ludicrous suggestion that she call him MacBain, it took a full minute for her to realize he was actually thanking her.
She wasn't certain how to respond. She nodded, then said, 'He should have had a proper bath before the ceremony.'
MacBain tried not to smile. He really shouldn't let her get away with such open rebukes, but God's truth, he was so pleased to see she had some spirit inside her, he didn't chastise her.
'Next time I'll see that he does.'
It didn't take any time at all for his barb to hit. The implication that he would marry again wasn't lost on her.
'You like having the last word, don't you, Laird?'
'Aye, I do,' he admitted with a grin.
Alex, his father noticed, was staring up at Johanna with a look of rapture on his face. The priest had moved him to the side for the receiving line, but the boy had already squeezed himself next to Johanna again.
His bride had won over the boy in a matter of minutes. MacBain found himself wondering how long it would take him to win her affections. It was a foolish thought. Why did he care how she felt about him? The marriage had secured him the land, and that was all that mattered.
The soldiers from both clans came forward, one by one, to introduce themselves to Johanna and to give their laird their congratulations. The women came forward next. One young red-haired lady who introduced herself as Leila from the Maclaurin clan handed Johanna a beautiful bouquet of purple and white flowers. She thanked the woman for her gift and thought to add the flowers to the nosegay she'd been gripping in her other hand. When she saw the mess she'd made of the flowers Father MacKechnie had given her, she burst into laughter. The flowers were gone. Had she been holding a bouquet of stems throughout the ceremony?
Alex was fidgety by the time the introductions were finished. The women hurried back and forth across the courtyard with trays of food to put out on the tables the men were assembling. Gabriel was deep in conversation with two Maclaurin soldiers.
Johanna turned to Calum and Keith. 'There are six horses in the meadow below,' she began.
'One's to be my very own,' Alex blurted out.
MacBain heard his son's comment and turned back to look at Johanna. His smile was devilish. 'So that is how you won him over,' he remarked.
She ignored her husband and kept her attention on the soldiers. 'They are my wedding gift to my husband… and Alex,' she hastily included. 'Will you please send someone to fetch them?'
The soldiers bowed and went to see the task completed. Alex tugged on the hem of Johanna's bliaut to get her attention.
'Did Papa give you a gift?'
His father answered his question. 'Nay, I didn't, Alex.'
She contradicted him. 'Yes, he did, Alex.'
'What did he give you?' the little boy asked.
MacBain was also curious to hear what she had to say. She was smiling at Alex.
'He gave me a son.'
MacBain was taken aback by her declaration. His son wasn't certain what she'd meant.
'But I'm his son,' he declared. He pointed at his chest so she would be sure to understand.
'Yes,' Johanna answered.
The boy smiled. 'Is a son better than six horses?'
'Of course.'
'Better than even a hundred?'
'Yes.'
Alex was convinced of his importance. His chest puffed up with pride.
'How old are you?' Johanna asked.
He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. From the puzzled look on his face, she assumed he didn't know. She turned to her husband to get her answer. He shrugged. He obviously didn't know either.
She was appalled. 'You don't know your son's age?'
'He's young,' MacBain answered.
Alex immediately nodded agreement over his father's announcement. 'I'm young,' he repeated. 'Papa, could I go look at the horses?'
Gabriel nodded. His son let go of Johanna's bliaut and went chasing after Calum and Keith.
Father MacKechnie had witnessed the scene between the child and Johanna. 'The lad's taken with her, isn't he?' he remarked to the laird as he watched Alex run across the yard.
'She bribed him,' MacBain drawled out.
'Yes, I did,' Johanna agreed.
'Men aren't so easily won over,' her husband remarked.
'I'm not interested in winning any man over, Laird. Please excuse me. I would like to talk to my brother.'
It was a wonderful dismissal, yet completely ruined when Gabriel grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her back.
Nicholas had to come to her. He was surrounded by women, of course, because of his handsome looks and his gift for charm, and Johanna had to wait several minutes before her brother noticed her motioning to him and disengaged himself from his admirers.
Nicholas addressed MacBain first. 'I'll be sending men here in a month or two to help with the rebuilding.'
MacBain shook his head. 'You will not send any soldiers here. We'll kill them the minute they set foot on our land.'
'You're a stubborn man, MacBain.'
'How much was the fine you paid to your king?'
'What fine?' Johanna asked.
