And in that moment, Clarice knew for certain she had made the right choice, no matter how frightened she was of the marriage bed, and moving to Scotland, and becoming a lady. It was the right choice for her daughter, and Mary was more important than all the mental obstacles barring Clarice’s way.
He led them all to a chamber and threw open the door. Clarice’s breath caught in wonder.
The entire room seemed golden. A carved bedstead was gilded and hung with golden brocade. The rest of the furniture was upholstered and gilded to match. The largest mirror Clarice had ever seen hung over a marble-topped table. She glimpsed herself in it, looking flushed and awed and younger even than Cameron.
“The Gold Chamber,” Lady Cainewood explained. “My husband told me it’s saved for honored guests, and no guest here is more important than Cam.”
Cameron rolled his eyes. “It’s the truth I’ve felt rather ridiculous bumping about this enormous room by myself.” He took Clarice’s hand and pulled her inside. “It will be much nicer in here tonight with you by my side.”
“Me? In here?” She couldn’t imagine. She was afraid to even stand on the patterned carpet that covered the floor. Her mind boggled at the luxury and expense.
“Did you think we’d be spending our wedding night apart? Or in your little cottage? Not that it isn’t nice,” he rushed to add. “You keep it quite bonnie. But it’s one room, you see, and with Mary—”
“We all see,” his cousin put in. “And you are more than welcome to stay here, Mrs. Bradford, until the day you leave for Leslie.”
Clarice wasn’t at all sure she was mentally prepared for a wedding night. “I wouldn’t presume, Lady Cainewood—”
“You must call me Caithren. Or Cait, if you please. We’re about to be cousins, after all.”
Could this get any more unbelievable?
“Now,” Cameron said, “take my hands, right to right, and left to left. In this way our arms make the symbol of infinity, signifying our commitment to be together. Forever.”
It sounded too much, too soon. “I thought you said it was for a year and a day?”
“Normally, aye. But for us, forever.”
When he looked at her like that, she was hard put to refuse him anything.
He dropped one of her hands long enough to give the ribbon to Mary. “Can you tie this around our four hands, princess?”
“I’ll do it,” Caithren volunteered.
“No, I can do it.” Proudly Mary stepped up and took the white ribbon. “I learned how to tie last year, didn’t I, Mama?”
“You surely did, poppet.”
Cam reclaimed Clarice’s hand. “Then tie it well, princess, for it symbolizes how tightly our family will be bound together. You, me, and your mama.”
“Wait.” Frowning, Mary chewed on a nail. “At Lady Cainewood’s wedding…well, shouldn’t Mama be holding flowers?”
“Nay!” Cam and Cait shouted together. Eyes wide, Mary jumped, and in spite of the serious occasion, Clarice found herself laughing.
What a marvelous new life she was going to have.
She sobered when Mary came closer, and if the bow was a bit crooked when she finished tying, it didn’t matter. “Perfect,” Cam declared.
Then he dropped to one knee and captured Clarice’s gaze with his.
“Before the Lord our God, I present to you, Clarice, my love and my pledge. May I never knowingly or willingly do anything to harm nor grieve you in any fashion. Accept this pledge as a token of my trust. Like our hands are bound, may our love be as strong. That which is mine is yours, my heart and all my worldly belongings. Will you share my life with me, Clarice?”
A hush settled over the room, and his hands squeezed hers.
“What am I supposed to say?” she whispered.
“Say aye, love. Only aye.”
She ventured a tremulous smile. “Aye, then. I will share your life. For a year and a day and forevermore.”
He rose to meet her in a kiss of pure, exhilarating warmth, their bound hands crushed between their bodies. Clarice might have carried on kissing him all night, but thankfully Cam seemed to have more presence of mind, and kept it short.
“Now Mary,” he said huskily. “Cait? Will you untie us, if you please, and bind Mary’s hands to ours as well?”
Tears flooded Clarice’s eyes as his cousin did as he bid. Soon they were tied together, the three of them, and Cam dropped to one knee again.
“Before the Lord our God, we are bound to you, Mary, from this day forward, as your parents in our hearts and our souls. You have our love, and with it our promise never to harm or grieve you willingly in any fashion. Like our hands are bound, let our love be as strong. Will you share your life with us, and be known from this day forward as Mary Leslie, daughter of Cameron and Clarice?”
“What am I s’posed to say?” Mary whispered.
Beneath the ribbon bow, Clarice squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Just say yes, sweet.”
“Yes!” An exclamation of immense joy, the single word echoed in the ancient stone chamber.
And though Clarice had felt like Mary was hers from the day Lord Cainewood brought the child to her doorstep, in that moment she felt closer to her daughter than she’d ever thought possible. Bound, as Cam had said, heart and soul. She would never be able to thank him for this precious gift of belonging.
All at once, Caithren was untying the ribbon, and Cam raised Mary into the air and gave her resounding kisses on both cheeks. Then he handed her to Clarice, wrapping his arms around them both as though he could protect them from the world.
She hoped he could. She was counting on it.
“Am I a princess now?” Mary asked when he finally released them.
“No, poppet,” Clarice started.
“Aye,” Cam interrupted before she could say another word. “You’re my princess. And you always will be, even after you go off and get married.”
“I’m never getting married,” Mary declared. “I’m going to live with you forever.”
Cam smoothed
