“Aye. Wasn’t that clear?”
Anna gave a very unladylike snort. “Nay, not really.”
Grizel winked at her. “Well ye know now. He was meant for ye. His heart beats with yers.
Never forget that. Ye will share lots of blackberry kisses. ‘Tis a good year for blackberries.”
Anna glanced back at the blossom-laden bushes. “Aye, it looks like it will be.”
Grizel smiled, looking very satisfied. “Give me a hug now, sweetling, it’s time to go.”
Anna hugged her, absorbing her warmth and love. “Aye, I suppose I should go home.”
“Ye are home, Anna. Look there.”
Curacridhe’s village lay just ahead, the castle not far beyond it.
“Aye, Grizel, I’m home.”
~ * ~
Anna woke the next morning to a cold, damp April day, but the warmth of Grizel’s love enveloped her, banishing the chill. She smiled to herself as she dressed quickly. Perhaps it wasn’t just the warmth of Grizel’s love. She was marrying Andrew MacLeod in three days. Representatives from clans all over the Highlands had already begun arriving at Curacridhe and her family would arrive today.
She could barely contain her excitement as she and Ena put the finishing touches on the dress she would be married in.
“Good heavens, Anna, ye’re nearly worse than Mairi today.” The grin on Ena’s face belied the severity of her tone.
“I can’t help it. It’s been nearly five weeks since I’ve seen my brothers and over two months since I’ve seen Fiona or little Adam—I missed his first birthday.”
Ena smiled indulgently. “I know ye’re excited. I would be too.”
“They’ll be here before the midday meal. Ye’ll adore Fiona.”
“Anna, I know Fiona. Or at least we’ve met over the years. She was just a child at the time, but she was at my wedding.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“That’s understandable. While not allies precisely, the MacNicols and the MacLeods were friendly, but the MacNicols and the Chisholms have been allies for many years.”
Anna sighed. “And the MacKays weren’t allies with any of them.”
“So, I’m wondering if ye’ve thought about how the first few minutes might go after yer family arrives.”
“Nay. Should I have?”
“When ye last saw yer brothers, was everyone as happy as ye are today?”
Anna gave a very unladylike snort. “Not exactly. Eoin had been forced into something he didn’t want, I had just sobbed all over him, begging him to take me home. I was so angry, given a weapon and the opportunity, I might have killed yer da.”
Ena chuckled. “I can well imagine.”
Anna blushed. “Things have changed a bit since then”
“I know they have. We’ve both gotten over being angry with Da and ye don’t hate Andrew.”
Anna’s face split in a smile, “Nay, I don’t.”
“And he’s come to his senses too. But, Anna, while things here have changed and ye’ve come to love us as much as we love ye, yer family probably hasn’t changed. Things might be tense for a bit when they arrive. The last time yer brothers saw ye, ye were heartbroken and angry, and they were not happy with the MacLeods. I expect they’ll be no happier when they arrive today.”
Anna frowned. “I hadn’t thought about that. What should I do?”
Ena laughed. “Ye don’t have to do anything. Just be yourself. Everything will be resolved with time. I just didn’t want ye to be upset or disappointed if things don’t go perfectly smoothly at first.”
Several hours later when her family arrived, Anna was extremely thankful for Ena’s insight. She waited in the bailey flanked by Andrew and his father. Graham, Davy, Mairi, Ena and her family as well as the Sinclairs stood with them.
When her brothers rode into the bailey, all three of them looked grim. If possible, Marcus, the captain of Eoin’s guard and the other guardsmen who rode with them looked even grimmer. The only person who didn’t appear ready to do battle was Fiona, who held a very happy Adam on her lap.
There was a tense silence for a moment until Dougal said, “Laird MacKay, ye and yer family are most welcome to Curacridhe. Please allow my stable hands to tend to yer horses and join me in the great hall for a welcome feast in yer honor.”
Eoin nodded. “Thank ye, Laird MacLeod.” He dismounted, and as soon as his feet hit the ground, Anna ran to embrace him while Aidan and Tasgall dismounted.
“Ah, sweetling, we’ve missed ye so,” said Eoin, adding, “Are ye all right?” in a softer voice.
“I’ve missed ye too and I’m more than all right. I’m very happy.”
“I’m glad ye’re happy, pet,” said Tasgall as he gave her a hug.
When Tasgall released her, she hugged Aidan. “Are ye still sick of MacLeods telling ye what to do?”
“It’s really more a case of her having us wrapped around her little finger,” said Dougal, stepping forward and offering Eoin his hand.
Eoin took Dougal’s hand but cast a skeptical glance at Anna.
She smiled and shrugged.
Dougal introduced the remainder of the family and visitors.
The only member of Anna’s family who expressed genuine warmth was Fiona. She greeted the MacLeods and the Chisholms with hugs and kisses.
Otherwise, there was a palpable tension between the two families. That was until Dougal introduced Davy to Eoin.
“Laird MacKay, this is my grandson, David. Davy, this is Laird MacKay, Anna’s brother.”
“How do ye do, David,” Eoin asked, smiling for the first time since entering Curacridhe. “Are ye the young man who my sister fished out of the frozen loch?”
Davy grinned. “Aye. I thought she was an angel.”
Eoin stifled a smile, but both Tasgall and Aidan chuckled, Aidan adding, “I can assure ye, she’s not an angel, lad.”
“That’s what my da said.”
None of her brothers could keep from laughing at that.
At Davy’s slightly confused expression, Fiona smiled and said, “They’re just jealous because no one has ever mistaken any of them for angels.
That raised a few chuckles on both sides.
Davy smiled again, slipping his hand into Anna’s. “But she is going to be my mama and that’s better than an angel.”
Eoin crouched down and smiled broadly at Davy. “Aye, lad, I think so too. And I expect Anna will be a very good mama.”
Davy nodded. “Aye, she already is. But I was wondering something.”
“What’s that lad?”
“If Anna is going to be my mama, and ye’re her brother, does that make ye my uncle?”
Eoin smiled resignedly and looked up at Anna for a moment. “Aye, lad, I suppose it does. Ye can call me Uncle Eoin.”
If that small interaction greatly eased the tension between the clans, the feast broke down the final barriers. Andrew was very clearly a man deeply in love, and Anna basked in the glow of that love.
It didn’t take long for all of her brothers to notice and make small comments, but Eoin finally addressed it head-on. “Anna, the last time we saw ye, ye clung to me, crying and begging for me to take ye home and, if anything, ye were more furious with the MacLeods than I was. What happened?”
Anna shrugged. “The betrothals were signed, nothing would change that and going to Naomh-dùn was not an option. I had two choices. Stay here and be miserable or stay here and be happy. I decided to stay here and be happy. Everything just grew from there.”
Laird MacLeod gave her a smile so filled with fatherly love it warmed her to her toes. “Aye, it did, because when Anna decides to be happy, she pulls everyone along with her.”
Chapter 21
After tensions had relaxed the previous day, Anna was thrilled to see both of her families begin to forge tentative friendships. Five weeks ago she had never imagined this was possible. But then she never imagined falling so much in love with Andrew MacLeod. Now she was in the great hall trying to
oversee final preparations for the midday meal, but she couldn’t get her mind off the fact that she was going to marry him in two days and all she wanted to do was jump up and down, squealing like a wee lassie.
Janet interrupted her daydreams. “Excuse me, Lady Anna, my mother said she will have yer arisaidh finished today. She was hoping ye’d stop by in the afternoon so she can see it on ye.”
Anna had to suppress another urge to squeal with glee. “That’s wonderful, Janet, thank ye. I’ll take a walk down after the midday meal.”
“Can I come with ye?” asked Mairi.
Mairi was the one tiny problem that remained. She had been introduced to all of Anna’s family, but upon meeting Tasgall, she scowled. As much as Anna had been determined to be happy, Mairi seemed to be determined to be unhappy.
It would be three years before Mairi would marry him and Anna knew there was plenty of time for her to get over her pique, but still, Anna wished the lass wasn’t so dead set against even being friendly. Well, Laird MacLeod had said it the day before, when Anna was determined to be happy, she pulled everyone along, and she would drag Mairi kicking and screaming to happiness if she had to.
“Certainly ye can come, if ye don’t mind Tasgall coming too.”
“That’s blackmail.”
Anna laughed. “Mairi, ye’re hopeless. But I haven’t spent time with my brothers in months, so if ye want to do anything with me while they’re here, ye’ll have to put up with one of them.”
Eoin’s wife, Fiona, tried to suppress her amusement. “Ye know, Mairi, my clan was feuding with the MacKays when I was…ah…a guest at Naomh-dùn.” She grinned at Anna. “The MacKays grow on ye.”
Mairi didn’t look convinced. “Maybe.” Her expression brightened. “Do ye want to come with us?”
Anna gave Fiona the slightest shake of the head. Having someone else along, someone with whom Mairi felt more comfortable, would give her someone other than Tasgall on whom to focus. She knew Andrew would insist on sending a MacLeod guard with them, so she even intended to ask for Barclay who was not particularly outgoing and always difficult to pull into conversation.
Fiona smiled at Mairi. “Thank ye ever so much for asking me along, but this wee lad,” she bounced her son on her hip, “has been cutting a new tooth and kept me up last night. I think I shall take a rest when he does this afternoon.”
~ * ~
Fearchar had arrived with Darach and his men in the wee hours of the morning. The rising smoke from fires told him visiting clans were encamped all around Curacridhe. It would be best to stay a bit farther afield until he had a plan.
“But Fearchar, we should tell them we’re here.”
“It’s late. Tomorrow will be soon enough for that. Let’s get some rest.”
The next morning Darach had been even more insistent about riding up to the gates and announcing themselves.
Finally, a little before midday, Fearchar agreed. “I’m going for a walk for a bit and when I return we will ride to the castle.” Privately, he gave his men orders to keep Darach away from Curacridhe, using any means necessary, until he had returned.
Fearchar needed to think and he needed to be alone to do that. He had to figure out a way to rescue Anna from Curacridhe. It was probably best if they announced their arrival. He and Darach would be given lodging within the castle, and that would give him access to his betrothed. Perhaps it would only be necessary to offer his assistance and the poor lass would be thrilled for the chance to escape. But he had to have another plan too—just in case.
As he walked, a faint whining drew his attention. He followed the sound and discovered a small dog, a puppy who had been caught in some dense undergrowth.
“Here now, lad, what’ve ye done?”
The puppy just whimpered. Fearchar chuckled. It looked as if the pup had managed to squeeze into a spot and didn’t know how to back out of it. “Let’s see if we can help ye.”
He gently maneuvered the beastie’s head backwards and pulled him free of his trap. Fearchar held him for a moment, scratching behind his ears. The exuberant puppy wiggled and licked him in the face.
“Well, ye’re free now, lad. Do ye know which direction yer home is?”
Even as he said it, little voices drifted to him. “Shep. Sheeeh-ep.”
He grinned. “Ye wouldn’t happen to be Shep, would ye?” He rubbed the dog’s head again. “I’m betting ye are. Let’s see if we can find yer owners.”
He walked towards the sound of their voices until two lassies came into view. “Is this the wee beastie ye’re looking for?”
“There he is, Bridget,” squealed the younger one.
The lassies ran to him. “Oh, aye, it is. That’s our Shep. He wandered away,” said Bridget, who looked to be about ten.
Fearchar continued to hold the puppy, cuddling and petting him. “He’s a lovely puppy. And where dodo ye fine lassies live?”
“In the village, at the edge of the forest. Ye just walk that way until ye come to a glade. It’s not far beyond that,” answered the little one, who he figured was six or seven at most.
“Does yer da know ye’re out here? I don’t think I’d want wee lassies of mine wandering off.”
The little one’s lower lip began to tremble. Her sister put her arm around her. “Wheest, Molly. Our da died a few years ago,” Bridget offered by way of explanation.
“I’m sorry to hear that, lass. So ye live with yer mother?”
Bridget nodded. “Aye, and our older sister.”
“She works at the keep,” offered Molly proudly.
“Does she?” He had planned to walk them home, but this opened up new possibilities. “And does yer mama work at the keep too?”
“Nay, she’s a weaver,” said Bridget. “She wove the arasaidh Lady Anna will wear for the wedding,” she added proudly.
Molly nodded. “And Lady Anna is coming to our house to get it this afternoon.”
Oh, this was even better.
“And ye like Lady Anna?”
Both girls nodded.
“She’s nice,” said Molly.
“Hmm. I think I’d like to meet her.”
“Just go up to the keep,” said Molly. “There are lots of visitors right now.”
“Aye, that there are. I think I would rather meet her alone. When she comes to yer house, would ye bring her here to meet me?”
Bridget frowned. “I think if ye want to meet her, ye should go up to the keep.”
“But that isn’t what I want to do.”
“Can we have our puppy back now?”
Wee Bridget had clearly caught on. Bright lass.
“Now Bridget, I think a trade is in order. Ye bring me Lady Anna, and ye can have Shep back.”
She nodded. “I will. Come on, Molly.” She pulled Molly’s hand, stumbling backwards.
Fearchar reached forward with his free hand, grabbing Molly’s arm. “Nay, now that I think on it, Lady Anna for a puppy isn’t a fair trade. I think, I’ll keep Molly here with me. Ye can have them both back when ye bring me Lady Anna.”
“Please, sir, ye can keep Shep. Please let my sister go.”
“I said I will.” His tone was sharper. “When ye bring me Lady Anna.”
“What if she won’t come with me?”
“A bright lass such as ye should be able to think of something. Tell her ye want her to see yer new puppy. I don’t care what you tell her.”
Bridget nodded. “And ye’ll be here?”
“Did ye say there is a glade close by?”
Bridget nodded again.
“That sounds like a lovely place to meet Lady Anna. Bring her there. But lass, pay close attention, because this is very important. Ye must bring her alone and ye mustn’t tell anyone I’m here. It’s our secret. If ye tell anyone, I’ll know and I’ll kill Molly.” He smiled at her. “Ye wouldn’t want that, would ye?”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Nay. B-b-b-but she’ll have a guard. Lady Anna always h-has a g-guard.”
&nb
sp; “I see.” He considered her for a moment. “I suppose one guard will be fine. But if there is more than one, I’ll know ye told someone our secret.”
The tears slipped down Bridget’s cheeks. She was terrified. That wouldn’t do. How could he fix this?
“Now, Bridget lass, there’s no need to cry. Ye aren’t doing anything wrong. Do ye know why Lady Anna is marrying yer laird’s son?”
“Sh-she saved D-davy.”
“Aye, that’s right. Ye’re a smart one. That was very nice of her, and I’m glad she did that, but Lady Anna was supposed to marry me. It doesn’t seem fair that she did something so nice, and now she can’t marry me. Does it?”
“N-nay.”
“So ye understand and ye’ll bring Anna to the glade, with no more than one guard and then I’ll give ye back Shep and Molly.”
She nodded.
“Good lass. Run on now. I’ll see ye later in the glade.”
Bridget turned and ran away, stumbling occasionally in her haste.
He looked down at Mollie, who also had tears streaming down her face. “Wheesht, Molly. We’ll just take a stroll and meet Bridget again very soon. Would ye like to hold yer puppy?”
Molly sniffed and nodded, taking Shep in her arms.
Not knowing exactly how much time he had, Fearchar had to work fast to set his trap. He returned to the clearing in which they had camped for the night. He didn’t want Darach to see him so he stayed out of sight until he could catch the eye of one of his men. Kenneth finally saw him and sauntered over.
“Get three other men to come with me. Tell the rest to wait until after midday then saddle the horses and be ready to leave when we return.”
Kenneth glanced down at the wee lass holding the puppy but made no comment. “Aye, Laird.” He did as he was bid and within minutes they were following Fearchar towards the glade.
Fearchar explained as they went. “I figure, if we tie this lassie to a tree on this side of the glade when Lady Anna and her guard see her, they’ll rush to save her.”
“What if they suspect a trap, Fearchar?”
“That’s why I brought all of ye. Several of us will hide on the village side of the glade. If they turn around, we’ll stop them there. If they don’t, we’ll close in behind them in the glade.”
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