"
It was but a few days later that Malcolm led Thekla to the altar
in St. Sebald's Church, Nuremberg. The marriage was a quiet one,
seeing that the bride had been so lately orphaned, and only Jans
Boerhoff and his family, and two or three Scottish comrades of
Malcolm's, who were recovering from their wounds at Nuremberg, were
present at the quiet ceremony. The following day the little party
started for the north. Malcolm had already received a letter from
Oxenstiern accepting his resignation, thanking him heartily for
the good services he had rendered, and congratulating him on his
approaching wedding.
Without adventure they reached Hamburg, and there, arranging with
the banker for the transmission of the sum in his hands to Edinburgh,
they took ship and crossed to Scotland.
Three months later Malcolm was delighted by the appearance of his
uncle Nigel. The latter was indeed in dilapidated condition, having
lost an arm, and suffering from other wounds. He had been retained
a prisoner by the Imperialists only until he was cured, when they
had freed him in exchange for an Imperial officer who had been
captured by the Swedes.
Thekla's dowry enabled her husband largely to increase his estates.
A new and handsome mansion was erected at a short distance from the
old castle, and here Malcolm Graheme lived quietly for very many
years with his beautiful wife, and saw a numerous progeny rise
around them.
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