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.”“Aye, that you will, my love,” he conceded, drawing back reluctantly.He rose, setting her on her feet, and then helped straighten her clothing.“I did not bring you out here to ravish you,” he told her with a frown.She looked at him with disbelief.“It is true.I had another reason for wanting to get you alone.”Gusty watched as Alexander began pacing before her, walking several steps away only to return and look at her with a strange almost embarrassed expression on his face.He opened his mouth to say more but then shook his head and paced some more.His strange actions made her wonder what he wanted to tell her and she began to worry.“Augusta, it is no secret how much I want you in my life, in my bed.I have made no secret about wanting you for my wife.I let this be known to all who would listen.Even those who would say nay to my objective.”He meant her father, obviously, and by extension the king.He finally stopped pacing and dropped to his knees at her feet.He took her hands and placed them against his chest just over his heart.“It occurred to me that I never gave you the words.I have acted on my desires, making you mine on numerous occasions, but I never came right out and asked.” He paused for a long moment.“Augusta Sinclair, will you marry me?”Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the proud, gentle man on his knees before her, asking her to marry him.Never could she have wished for a more romantic proposal.“Aye, Alexander Sutherland, I will marry you.”* * * * *Violet and her women took over the bride’s chambers and they had Gusty bathed, perfumed and ready to dress for the big occasion.She was sitting in front of her mirror while Violet put the finishing touches to Gusty’s unruly hair when a loud knock sounded at the door.One of the maids answered and admitted Duncan followed by Bernadine and Katherine in a flurry of excitement.“This just arrived for you, Lady Gusty! A courier sent by your lady-mother delivered it only moments ago!” Duncan hurried across the room and laid a small wooden chest at her feet.He then stood back to stare down at the undecorated box as if it held treasure.“Aren’t you going to open it?”His whispered query brought her out of her stupor and she knelt by the chest and untied the leather straps wrapped around it.Slowly she lifted the lid and a gasp escaped the mouths of every maidservant in the room who had gathered around her to watch.“How beautiful!” Katherine breathed.The chest contained a length of fabric so gorgeous it took a moment before Gusty could bring herself to touch it.Carefully she smoothed her hand over the material and then, grasping the edges, she lifted out what proved to be the most beautiful gown she had ever seen.Made of a creamy white silk shot through with threads of gold, the gown fairly sparkled in the sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows.More gold thread had been used to embroider delicate rose buds and leaves along the neckline.It was an exquisitely made kirtle.“I have never seen anything so lovely!” Gusty held the gown reverently against her breast.Violet reached into the chest and lifted out a second garment, which proved to be a gorgeous, full-skirted gown made of white linen with long, narrow sleeves and a low neckline.Gusty assumed this was meant to go beneath the beautiful overdress.“There is more,” Bernadine explained and pointed.Gusty glanced inside.A small scroll and a ring lay at the bottom of the chest.She reached for both items and as she lifted them out, she gasped with surprise.“My ring!” The ring she had worn since her sixteenth birthday, the one she’d thought she had lost in the forest when she had first landed in this century.Somehow the piece had found its way back to its original owner, her mother, Isabelle.Tears blurred her gaze and she wiped the back of her hand over her eyes as she unrolled the small scroll.Dearest Daughter,I have not had the opportunity to know you for very long.I grieved for many years that I was not at hand to watch you grow from a babe into a young girl and then into womanhood.At the first sight of you that day in my hospice I knew you were a special young woman.When I discovered your identity, I was overwhelmed and deliriously happy.My own daughter had finally been returned to me and I was now a small part of her life.Please do not judge your father too harshly for his opinions of Alexander.He felt guilty for not being able to assist you when you had to choose a husband.With that in mind he decided to give you some time at court to look over an array of other young men.Unfortunately he had not anticipated that all the younger men would be called away to war.I realize you love your Alexander—I saw the way you gazed at him and the way he looked at you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.”“Aye, that you will, my love,” he conceded, drawing back reluctantly.He rose, setting her on her feet, and then helped straighten her clothing.“I did not bring you out here to ravish you,” he told her with a frown.She looked at him with disbelief.“It is true.I had another reason for wanting to get you alone.”Gusty watched as Alexander began pacing before her, walking several steps away only to return and look at her with a strange almost embarrassed expression on his face.He opened his mouth to say more but then shook his head and paced some more.His strange actions made her wonder what he wanted to tell her and she began to worry.“Augusta, it is no secret how much I want you in my life, in my bed.I have made no secret about wanting you for my wife.I let this be known to all who would listen.Even those who would say nay to my objective.”He meant her father, obviously, and by extension the king.He finally stopped pacing and dropped to his knees at her feet.He took her hands and placed them against his chest just over his heart.“It occurred to me that I never gave you the words.I have acted on my desires, making you mine on numerous occasions, but I never came right out and asked.” He paused for a long moment.“Augusta Sinclair, will you marry me?”Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the proud, gentle man on his knees before her, asking her to marry him.Never could she have wished for a more romantic proposal.“Aye, Alexander Sutherland, I will marry you.”* * * * *Violet and her women took over the bride’s chambers and they had Gusty bathed, perfumed and ready to dress for the big occasion.She was sitting in front of her mirror while Violet put the finishing touches to Gusty’s unruly hair when a loud knock sounded at the door.One of the maids answered and admitted Duncan followed by Bernadine and Katherine in a flurry of excitement.“This just arrived for you, Lady Gusty! A courier sent by your lady-mother delivered it only moments ago!” Duncan hurried across the room and laid a small wooden chest at her feet.He then stood back to stare down at the undecorated box as if it held treasure.“Aren’t you going to open it?”His whispered query brought her out of her stupor and she knelt by the chest and untied the leather straps wrapped around it.Slowly she lifted the lid and a gasp escaped the mouths of every maidservant in the room who had gathered around her to watch.“How beautiful!” Katherine breathed.The chest contained a length of fabric so gorgeous it took a moment before Gusty could bring herself to touch it.Carefully she smoothed her hand over the material and then, grasping the edges, she lifted out what proved to be the most beautiful gown she had ever seen.Made of a creamy white silk shot through with threads of gold, the gown fairly sparkled in the sunlight streaming in through the bedroom windows.More gold thread had been used to embroider delicate rose buds and leaves along the neckline.It was an exquisitely made kirtle.“I have never seen anything so lovely!” Gusty held the gown reverently against her breast.Violet reached into the chest and lifted out a second garment, which proved to be a gorgeous, full-skirted gown made of white linen with long, narrow sleeves and a low neckline.Gusty assumed this was meant to go beneath the beautiful overdress.“There is more,” Bernadine explained and pointed.Gusty glanced inside.A small scroll and a ring lay at the bottom of the chest.She reached for both items and as she lifted them out, she gasped with surprise.“My ring!” The ring she had worn since her sixteenth birthday, the one she’d thought she had lost in the forest when she had first landed in this century.Somehow the piece had found its way back to its original owner, her mother, Isabelle.Tears blurred her gaze and she wiped the back of her hand over her eyes as she unrolled the small scroll.Dearest Daughter,I have not had the opportunity to know you for very long.I grieved for many years that I was not at hand to watch you grow from a babe into a young girl and then into womanhood.At the first sight of you that day in my hospice I knew you were a special young woman.When I discovered your identity, I was overwhelmed and deliriously happy.My own daughter had finally been returned to me and I was now a small part of her life.Please do not judge your father too harshly for his opinions of Alexander.He felt guilty for not being able to assist you when you had to choose a husband.With that in mind he decided to give you some time at court to look over an array of other young men.Unfortunately he had not anticipated that all the younger men would be called away to war.I realize you love your Alexander—I saw the way you gazed at him and the way he looked at you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]