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‘I, Eva Morag MacKay, take you, Robert Alexander Mackintosh, as my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey, till death us depart, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.’
Father Darach nodded and smiled at them and then held out the prayer book where Rob had earlier placed his mother’s wedding ring. Brodie had offered to have one made, but Rob wanted his wife, any wife of his, to wear the one his mother had worn when she’d pledged her heart and life to his father. Rob eased his arm away from Eva and took the ring before turning to face her. She did not resist when he took her hand in his and held the ring above her fourth finger.
‘With this ring, I thee wed,’ he said, watching her face as he slid the ring onto her finger. Moving it a bit lower with each phrase, he continued, ‘With my body, I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.’
As those around them raised their hands to bless themselves and the priest declared them by their words and consent husband and wife, Rob watched as the terror and fear left her face. But instead of whatever emotion he thought to see there, he saw an expression of abject hopelessness in her eyes. She closed her fingers into a fist and looked away, staring into the distance as tears trickled down her cheeks.
Shocked by it, he could not feign joy when the MacKay and his wife approached to offer their felicitations or when Father Darach made some comment about nervous brides. Nor when they went to their seats and cups were raised in their honour. He drank deeply of the cup of rich, red wine and held it to be filled again.
Servants poured out of the kitchens and pantry to carry platters of food to the table. Within minutes, every sort of delicacy and treat sat before him...and his new bride. But every bit he put in his mouth tasted like dirt. Eva, he noticed, took little to eat, but also finished her cup of wine.
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