Page 33 of Claimed Highland Brides

11

PREPARATION

J amesina decided on a blue woolen gown to be worn to breakfast the next morning. As early as it was, there was a certain nip in the air. She slipped on an arisaid on top of it and tucked her hair into a white cap. Examining herself in the looking glass she nodded, feeling that she was as respectably dressed as she could be. She was still trying to realise that Daividh had agreed on her betroth. She was feeling relieved because deep down, she did not have to take the final decision.

Taking a deep breath, she walked out of her chambers, bumping into ùna in the corridor. “Oh, I dinnae see ye there,” she said with a smile.

ùna smiled back, slipping her cold hand into Jamesina’s. That together with her flushed face let Jamesina know that ùna had already had occasion to go outside. “What are ye up tae so early?”

“I went to see the new calf. Ye ken Daisy gave birth in the night.”

“Oh did she? I dinnae hear.” Jamesina inhaled deeply, realizing that in spite of her news, life in the keep went on as normal.

“Aye, Lisle told me when she came tae get the chamber pot this morning.”

“Och weel, ye mun’ take me tae see the calf after breakfast.”

“Aye alrigh’. Why are ye so dressed up? Are ye going somewhere today?”

“No no. Just…weel, ye’ll see soon enough.”

ùna lifted a quizzical eyebrow but said no more, just skipped along the drafty corridors beside Jamesina as they went down for breakfast.

They stepped into the dining hall to find that both Daividh and Fiona were already seated, along with the steward. He was dressed in finery Jamesina had not seen before. A white-sleeved jerkin worn over a cream doublet laced at the front with shoulder wings. He looked every inch the English gentleman and Jamesina did not know if she was bothered by that.

Too late now. You should have thought of that before ye kissed him .

Her eyes slid to her sister’s, caught, and held Fiona’s gaze before the latter swept her lashes downward, hiding her eyes from Jamesina.

The Englishman got to his feet and bowed, “Miss Douglass. My compliments, madam.”

Jamesina sketched a curtsy in return before taking her seat. Delwyn bowed to ùna as well, favoring her with a smile. “Miss Douglass, I trust you slept well?”

ùna immediately launched into the story of the newborn calf and as bowls of parritch were placed before them, she had already extracted a promise from the Englishman that he would accompany her to visit the calf again after breakfast.

The room was slowly filling up with castle inhabitants in various states of wakefulness. Soon the high table was full; the twins and Aileen having wandered in soon after Jamesina and ùna had arrived. Simon Campbell was the last to arrive, wishing everyone a good morning as he sat down.

Daividh stood up once the parritch was eaten. “I have some news to share with all o’ ye,” he began, not looking as if the news pleased him in the slightest.

The twins stopped eating and Aileen frowned. “What is it?”

“Yer sister, Jamesina, has been betrothed.”

Fenella cocked an eyebrow. “Betrothed? How?”

Daividh cleared his throat, looking from Jamesina to Delwyn and back again. “My steward has made an offer for her and she has accepted.”

The table erupted in surprise, everyone speaking and nobody listening. Daividh looked around helplessly as if he had no idea what to do next. To Jamesina’s surprise, Delwyn also got to his feet.

“If I may...” he began, and people quieted down to listen. “Jamesina and I felt a mutual attraction from the moment we set eyes on each other. Due to a congruence of circumstances, we found ourselves in a compromised position and have decided to take this step. I for one am very happy to have made this match. I did not come here expecting it, but it is a welcome happenstance. I hope you can all support us as we embark on this new chapter of our lives.”

Jamesina blinked at him in surprise. So did a majority of the table. Simon looked amused. Fenella cleared her throat. “And so? When is the wedding?”

“Well, I see no reason to wait.” Delwyn turned to Jamesina. “Do you?”

She did not know what to say.

“Jamesina?” Daividh prompted.

She shook her head hard, so that her curls actually flew about, escaping from her cap like unruly puppies.

“Good. I think we’re in agreement then.” Delwyn clapped his hands, looking pleased. “I think we shall make a marvelous union, don’t you?” he said, looking at her with his marvelous eyes. He looked down at Jamesina’s hands, held tightly clenched together in her lap. He picked one of her hands up, bowing over her delicate fingers as his eyes twinkled at her. He placed a light kiss on them as he stared into her doe-like eyes.

Jamesina lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “We shall see!” she said as her cheeks pinkened at the feel of his lips on the back of hand.

The touch of his lips on her hand had vibrated all throughout her body. And that look in his eyes- she stifled a sigh. She would not admit that she could not wait to get close to him again. To run her hands through his black hair, to smell his scent and feel the heat of his body.

Jamesina watched as Delwyn smiled at her as he released her hand. His eyes looked so happy!

ùna clapped her hands in excitement. “Hurray, we have another wedding! There’ll be all sorts of food and drink and people!” she said in a sing-song voice.

Delwyn laughed. “Yes, very exciting. Now that the weather’s nice, perhaps we should have it outside. I shall write home and tell them but I doubt they will come so we need not wait for them.”

“Is there no one you wish tae invite?” Daividh asked.

“No one who would be able to come. Can we perhaps discuss when we would like the wedding to be?”

“If we are getting it over with, then let us do it by the weekend.” Jamesina’s voice was hard, uncompromising.

“...a- greed” Delwyn replied, surprised but pleased.

* * *

“Ye dinnae seem as excited as ye should aboot yer wedding, Jamesina.” Fiona gave her a sidelong glance as she pinned her new muslin gown.

Jamesina snorted. “What would ye like me to do? Dance aboot like a goblin?”

Fiona shrugged. “It’s just that I have fond memories of my own wedding day and I dinnae want ye to miss out.”

“Weel, it isnae exactly the same. I’m nae getting marrit after saving the love o’ my life frae hangin’.”

Fiona grimaced. “Tha’s true and thank th’ lord for tha’. It isnae as nice as it sounds.”

“Aye. I prefer this quiet normal wedding we’re havin’. Besides, ùna is excited enough for all o’ us.”

Fiona chuckled. “Tha’s true. I think if she could she’d be the one marryin’ yer betrothed on Saturday. She’s quite taken wi’ him.”

Jamesina’s belly curdled at the thought of anyone else marrying Delwyn, even her delightful younger sister. She forced a smile anyway. “Aye, tha’s true.”

She felt the prick of a pin at her side and jerked. “Be careful!”

“I’m sorry Jamie.” Fiona rubbed at her side to relieve the pain. “I’ll go slower.”

“Aye alrigh’.”

She looked down at her gown, made of plaid and wool, hoping that it became her. She wanted Delwyn to look upon her favorably. Once fitting was done, she and Fiona parted ways; Fiona to check on the progress of the cooking and Jamesina to welcome the new guests.

* * *

Delwyn was skulking about the camp set up by the incoming guests, hoping to hear something that might be to his advantage. If he was guessing correctly, his sister had been sequestered somewhere at or near the mines. If he could find out where she was, he might avoid having to use Jamesina in a heinous manner. As his wedding drew closer, he became more and more reluctant to complete his mission.

He had watched the sisters for days, and Jamesina in particular and was enamored with the sisters love for each other. In fact, he felt a little envious of them, as they seemed so supportive of each other. The way they spoke of their father, it was clear that they held a large amount of respect and love for the man.

The way they spoke of him was completely foreign to anything he was used to. His father was a colossus in his life, looming over him like a god, dictating his actions or inactions. However, he was not a man that Delwyn loved. He was not a man whose respect Delwyn wanted .

But when he looked at Daividh, the laird was everything he hoped to be one day. Strong, capable, a family man who attended to those under his care with thoughtful intensity.

Delwyn found that he was ashamed to be starting a marriage with the opposite objective. Yet, as a brother, he owed it to his sister to do everything he could to save her.

Maegan .

They had always been a comfort to each other. Hostages to the whims and expectations of their parents. While their older brother reveled in the attention and adulation of being the heir, they cowered in the corners, grabbing whatever scraps they could for themselves.

He had shared his dreams of going to sea with her, of becoming a privateer, an explorer, a seeker of adventure. She had laughed at him, cried with him, lamented the fact that those dreams would likely never come true.

She was his blood and deserved his loyalty.

But what about your wife-to-be ?

He pushed the thought away, focusing on listening to the conversations around him.

“Delwyn?” He whipped around, eyes wide, to see Jamesina watching him with a quizzical look on her face. For a moment, he wondered if he had given himself away somehow.

“Miss Douglass. What are you doing here?”

“I…came tae see tae our guests. Why are ye here?”

He grinned, feeling uncomfortable. “I simply wanted to observe, to see what people might be saying…”

Her brow was still furrowed with confusion and he knew she doubted his words. His shoulders slumped and he looked at her in defeat.

“No, that is a lie. I came here to…escape.”

She cocked her eyebrows in surprise. “Escape from wha’?”

He sighed deeply and glanced at her. “Your brother-in-law looks at me as if I am the mud at the bottom of his shoe. He stares at me as if he is waiting for me to run off with the family silver. It gets a little fatiguing.”

Jamesina bit her lip as if hiding a smile, her face getting redder and redder until she finally burst out laughing. The sound of her hilarity had him smiling, just to hear it. She wiped her face, still snorting occasionally as she shook her head. “That is…quite amusing. Daividh is an intimidating man I suppose but wi’ a heart of gold.”

“I do not doubt it. You clearly all respect him quite a lot, as a family. He has earned your trust and your regard.”

Jamesina took a step closer, putting a hand on his arm and looking into his eyes. “Ye will too. One day, they’ll look at ye the same.”

Delwyn squeezed her hand. “And what about you? Will you look at me the same?”

Jamesina’s eyes dipped as her face colored. “I already do.”

He felt his heart jump with the shock of her words. He opened his mouth, looking for something to say but his mind was blank. “I…do as well.” He thought he’d been lying when he said the words but when they came out, they rang true.

“We should return t’ the keep. We shouldnae be oot here on our own.”

“Alright. Lead the way.”

Jamesina smiled as she stepped in front of him.

* * *

Jamesina woke up the morning of her wedding day feeling quite exuberant and excited. ùna didn’t even have to wake her up by bursting into her chambers and jumping on her bed. Her lady’s maid had not yet brought hot water for her morning ablutions. She crossed to the fireplace and reignited the fire before crossing to the bedside table to ring the bell.

Two minutes later, the lady’s maid appeared, heavy-laden with buckets of water.

“Guid morning my lady. Ye’re up early today.”

“Aye weel, ’tis not every day a person gets marrit.”

“Tha’s true.” She poured the water in the cauldron and then went to the table to arrange Jamesina’s combs and brushes. The cold morning air drifted into the room, and Jamesina drew her arisaid tighter as she sat back on her bed and began to undo the scarf around her head as Freya pulled the wooden tub into place, close enough to the fire for Jamesina to be warmed by it without burning. As soon as Freya upended the steaming water into the tub, Jamesina divested herself of her clothes and jumped in.