“Craig is a natural commander of soldiers. In that arena he is self-assured and an incredible asset to any clan. But I knew from the first time I met Crevan that he could be a great leader and that his greatest challenge in becoming one was himself. Until he realized what he wanted and believed in himself enough to fight for it, he would continue to capitulate to how others saw him.”
“Lucky for you, Raelynd was what he wanted.”
Rae swirled the ale in the mug and smiled. “Luck had nothing to do with it.”
Braeden arched his back and puffed out his chest the way he saw his father do when he wanted to look more powerful. “You both should thank me,” he said seriously.
Gideon and Brenna looked at each other and then at him. “And why should we thank you?” Brenna asked.
“Because if it wasn’t for me, Crevan wouldn’t have gotten married and there wouldn’t be a party. It was my idea to listen at the doors. If it wasn’t for that, we wouldn’t know about them being mad and giving Crevan the idea to carry Raelynd to the chapel. I’m trying to think of the ways you could show your appreciation.”
Brenna’s jaw dropped open, but Gideon was the first to protest. “If anyone should show appreciation, it is you and your sister to me,” he stated emphatically.
“And how is that?” Braeden challenged.
“You only listened at the door. I was the one who got Father Lanaghly to come to the room and convince Raelynd to marry your uncle. I told him that she was mad and that carrying a girl was a bad idea. And I was right. If I hadn’t gotten the priest, no one would have gotten married today. And I know exactly how you can show me your appreciation. You can do my chores.”
Brenna stomped her foot. She absolutely refused to do anyone’s chores. Besides, Braeden and Gideon should be thanking her. “Neither one of you did anything. If it wasn’t for me, Raelynd and Rowena would still not know who they loved! I was the one who told them. Until then, they were going to marry the wrong person. Everyone knows that love is more important than anything else.”
Gideon started to make gagging noises. “You just proved, Brenna, that you know nothing about boys. We don’t care about love.”
“Then what do you care about?”
Braeden shrugged his shoulders and looked at her as if the answer were obvious. “Fighting. And now that Crevan is going to be laird of the Schellden clan, he can fight whoever he wants.”
Brenna narrowed her gray eyes and pressed her lips together in anger. “You are impossible!”
Gideon watched her stomp off. “I guess it is something girls just don’t understand about us until they get older.”
Aileen licked her lips, unable to hide her grin. “If only Hagatha were here and not playing midwife,” she said.
“Aye,” Laurel agreed. “She should be enjoying this victory as well. It was her idea.”
Aileen tilted her head in a nod and watched the couple across the room. “If it wasn’t for us, I doubt they would have ever gotten together. It was under our guidance that Meriel and Raelynd truly blossomed into beautiful women.”
Laurel popped an almond in her mouth. “In truth, my friend, Hagatha may have had the idea, I might have laid out the plan, but it was you who executed it brilliantly.”
“Don’t forget Fallon. He was the one who guided Meriel,” Aileen pointed out.
Laurel waved her hand dismissively. “Fallon simply did the job he always did. He did not have to sit and watch as Raelynd slowly learned from her mistakes. I would have gone mad.”
“My contribution was less than a week. You had to guide her the rest of the month.”
“You are right. We truly pulled off a miracle,” Laurel conceded. “If only Hagatha were here to enjoy our success,” she sighed again.
“Do you think anyone appreciates us, Fallon?” Fiona posed.
The steward frowned. “Most days I would say no. I doubt anyone truly understands the effort you and I put in daily to see this castle runs as well as it does. But that happy couple over there? They are the exception. I have no doubt that Crevan and Raelynd recognize that it was our activities and support that enabled their union.”
“I hope so,” Fiona muttered. “I hope they know all the times I made that food just suddenly appear when they needed it, sent it to their rooms and helped Meriel not poison everyone with her meal selections. People forget how important food is to a situation, and not just any food. The right food. That takes time and preparation.”
Fallon nodded in agreement. The old cook was by far the most cranky soul who worked at the castle, but he understood why. It was the same reason he was often classified as having a sour attitude. Taking care of everyone and anticipating their needs was extremely taxing.
Added to that, the responsibility of guiding and helping not just Meriel, but Raelynd was very difficult. One had to choose the lessons very carefully, knowing that Meriel would discuss them with her sister. It was through those chats that Raelynd and Meriel had grown as women, and now Raelynd possessed the skills to be a great lady.
The facts were inarguable. Without him and Fiona, Raelynd would not have turned into the woman with whom Crevan fell in love. This family once again was in his debt.
“Look at your father,” Crevan instructed Raelynd when they got a moment alone.
Raelynd smiled. “He looks happy. I think he is glad I finally agreed to marry.”
“Aye,” Crevan said under his breath, “but he doesn’t look surprised.”
Raelynd took another look at her father. “What do you mean?”
“Simply, that he is strangely at ease with all that has happened. I have seen your father surprised before and trust me, that is not the expression he wears.”
Raelynd grimaced, finally understanding what her husband was hinting at but finding it hard to believe. “Maybe he just has had enough time to get used to the idea or maybe he is just pretending so as not to alarm anyone into thinking he is unhappy with our union.”
Crevan gave his wife a squeeze and said no more, letting her believe that her arguments explained her father’s behavior. But he was far from convinced.
The man learned that Raelynd was not to join with Cyric, his nephew, but a fourth son of a neighboring clan. He agreed too quickly to Crevan being named as the Schellden heir, and the fact that they had not handfasted but married had not fazed Rae in the slightest.
Crevan had never met a better strategist when it came to human interactions than Rae Schellden. A month ago, when Rae first persuaded them into the ruse, Crevan had been suspicious of his motives.
“You really think my father orchestrated this whole thing?” Raelynd teased.
Crevan frowned and nodded with a taut jerk of his head. “I do.”
“But my father coupled you with Meriel and me with Craig,” she reminded him. “Do you really believe he planned for us to switch partners and then for you and I to fall in love knowing how much we didn’t care for each other? And what about Cyric and Rowena? Were they part of his grand scheme too?”
“Maybe you’re right,” he conceded. “That much planning would be too much even for a McTiernay. Besides, your father had no control over what happened while you were here. And that is when everything changed.”
Raelynd rested her cheek on Crevan’s chest so that he couldn’t see her face. But while she didn’t think it possible for anyone, including her father, to arrange all that happened that led to today’s vows, she was not at all sure that none of it was planned.
From the very beginning Laurel had seemed to be aware of the true nature of their relationship. And she was behind much of what had happened to her and her sister. Crevan was wrong.
Raelynd lifted her head up and smiled. Plans to orchestrate events to lead up to their wedding might have been impossible for the male side of the McTiernay clan, but thank the good Lord, McTiernay women were more than capable of achieving such a mission.
“Look at them,” Craig said, with mock disgust.
Meriel l
aughed and elbowed his side. “You are just jealous. You wish you could be that happy.”
“I am that happy,” Craig argued. “And it is precisely because I am not married.”
“I thought all you men were eager to find wives who adored you and were willing to do anything you asked.”
A deep chuckle bubbled in his chest. “Ahh, how mistaken you are. Besides, I am not sure that description fits your sister.”
“She adores Crevan.”
“And can you see her doing anything he asked?”
Meriel bit her bottom lip and flashes of her experiences with Raelynd ran through her mind. She loved her sister, and while Raelynd was much more appreciative and understanding, she was still the stubborn, opinionated person she always had been. And Crevan, he was never going to be the life of the party. He was steady and solid, but she could not see him matching Raelynd’s excitement for life. “No,” she finally answered. “I almost feel sorry for them now that I think of it.”
Craig nodded and gave her a quick, platonic hug. “I’m glad we are just friends. We have everything they do without all the complications.”
“I agree,” Meriel said, leaning against his hard frame. Marriage meant change and compromise. Neither of which she could see herself desiring.
“Promise me we will never fall in love.”
Meriel sighed and her mouth curved into an unconscious smile. “Don’t worry. I am quite certain we are both smart enough to avoid that fate.”
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