Tallchief for Keeps (31 page)

She could feast upon him now—a big, darkly tanned man with untamed black curls drifting in the September wind. Alek wore LaBelle’s earring and looked as unyielding as Tallchief Mountain. Megan sat perfectly still, pacified, now that she was riding a horse with her aunt Elspeth. Elspeth bent to the toddler. “Isn’t he pretty, Meggie? Isn’t he just?”

The quickening stirred within
her as Duncan took Megan and Birk helped her down from the saddle. Alek, dark and somber, didn’t move, wouldn’t touch her now. She caught the image of Alek, standing behind her in the mirror, his ruffled shirt opened at the throat In the mirror, his hands trembled when he placed his grandmother’s pearls around Elspeth’s neck and then slowly, carefully began to undress her for their first night as man and wife.

The entire audience watched as Alek strode to the horse and worked free Una’s shawl. He carried it to Elspeth and gently placed it around her.

Talia’s soft sob carried through the silence, and Calum reached out a hand to draw her near. They stood there—Calum and Talia and baby Kira, Duncan and Sybil and Emily and Megan. Birk, the Petrovnas and Lacey stood on the other side.

Circles, thought Elspeth, her heart full where once shadows roamed. Love for each other had seen them through, and now Alek added another dimension to the Tallchiefs.

She caught the fire in his look, the promise of what he would do later to claim her as his wife. There was tenderness roaming his face, softening the scars, and hope and dreams coming true.

She slanted him a look that promised what
she would do to him in return. Then she moved to his side, admiring him, this man she loved more desperately each day.

Epilogue

E
lspeth knelt by the mountain heather, leaves killed by October’s freezing descent. She dusted leaves from her parents’ stone and placed her cheek against Alek’s hand, resting on her shoulder.

Though they’d only been married a month, she didn’t have to tell him the images moving through her; Alek knew. Her safe world had been torn apart by two bullets, taking her parents, and she’d struggled to tend her family. Now she had Alek, a part of her heart and soul, to share her life.

He’d come to her out of
the darkness he felt, revenge in his heart. But love had grown and captured them, despite the wounding of another time.

She’d brought him here, her husband, to
meet her parents.

“I think the heather will come back,” he said, drawing her to her feet. “If it doesn’t, we’ll plant more. They should have it in the summer.”

Oh, honey, I’m so happy for you,
Elspeth’s mother seemed to say.

He’ll cherish you all the days of his life, just like I did your mother,
her father whispered in the wind.

Then Alek took Elspeth in his arms and kissed her, because he understood.

She clung to him and knew that she had crossed from one world to another. Their month of marriage had been sheer joy and promised more. The Marrying Moon was theirs to keep, a huge silver disk made for them alone.

The Bridal Tepee would be used again throughout their lives, as it had been the first week of their marriage.

Alek held her tightly, as though nothing could tear her away, and placed his rugged face within the hollow of her neck. “I like the name ‘Heather Pauline,’ do you?”

Elspeth held very still as Alek’s lips drifted to her ear and nipped it. “Or Matthew. That’s a good, solid name for a boy.”

He cupped her face and drew it up to him. He
grinned, the October wind sweeping through his curls. “Why, Elspeth-love. You’re shocked. You actually have no idea, do you?”

She saw the images again, a black, curly-headed girl with gray eyes, a baby boy and Alek…Alek, forever her love.

‘The legend of the shawl is true, Alek. How I love you….”

The wind slid through the pine boughs above them.

When the Marrying Moon is high, a scarred warrior will rise from the mists to claim his lady huntress. He will wrap her in the shawl and carry her to the Bridal Tepee and his heart. Their song will last longer than the stars….

“Aye,” Elspeth murmured before she sought her true love’s kiss.

ISBN: 978-1-4592-5411-4

TALLCHIEF FOR KEEPS

Copyright © 1997 by Lois Kleinsasser

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