Read Online Highland Courage (Highland Brides) by Ceci Giltenan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ceci Giltenan
Tags: Historical Romance
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extricating herself from them, she walked with Tadhg to the head table to break their fast. Niall and Katherine MacIan sat there and Katherine’s eyes looked misty as she cuddled her baby daughter in her arms.
“Is aught amiss?” asked Mairead with concern.
“I think those are happy tears,” said the MacIan’s foster son, Tomas, in a loud whisper.
“Aye, they are, Tomas.” Katherine laughed and brushed the tears away. “I was just thinking back to the morning when I received my kertch.”
Mairead smiled politely and nodded. According to the stories, Lady Katherine was from the lowlands, and while Katherine wore a kertch, Mairead was fairly certain it wasn’t a practice in the lowlands. Also, the story of how the MacIans were married had spread to the farthest reaches of the Highlands. Mairead couldn’t imagine who gave Katherine her kertch, but she was not comfortable asking her about it. She was pleased when Katherine told the story anyway.
“It was my first morning at Duncurra and my wonderful new clanswomen presented it to me and said the blessing. I was so touched by the way they immediately accepted me.”
“I remember that day too,” said Tomas, “because it was the day ye became my mama.”
“Aye, it was,” she hugged him tightly with one arm until he wiggled away from her, causing her to chuckle.
~ * ~
As was traditional, the wedding festivities continued for two more days. It was all a bit overwhelming, but Mairead found she became more relaxed and less reserved as the days passed. She assumed it might have something to do with the wonderful nights with her new husband that followed each day of feasting. He loved her well, and her shyness fled when she was alone with him. It felt comfortable and right simply being with him. It was as if she found a piece of herself she didn’t even know she had been missing.
Most guests began leaving the morning after the third day of feasting, particularly those who had a great distance to travel. Winter snows could begin to fall in November and travel through the Highlands became treacherous. A few stayed one or two more nights. It was finally time to say goodbye to her family, and she had been dreading it. At dawn, five days after the wedding, the great procession of MacKenzies left in the same way they arrived less than a fortnight earlier, minus one daughter. She and Flan waved and watched until they were out of sight. Tadhg stood silently beside her with a slightly worried expression. Mairead thought perhaps he was expecting tears. After she had sobbed all over him the evening they met, Mairead couldn’t blame him. Frankly, although seeing them leave made her heart ache, she would not allow herself to give in to tears.
As they walked back to the keep together, Mairead said, “This seems so odd. I have always been ‘the sister,’ or ‘the daughter’ or ‘the aunt,’ but here I won’t be those things.”
“Ye’ll still be my sister,” said Flan.
“Aye, she will,” said Tadhg, “but now she will be your lady as well, just as I am your brother-in-law, but I am your laird, too.”
“Laird MacBain is also my brother-in-law.”
“Aye, but ye aren’t Laird MacBain’s squire; ye are mine. Ye must never forget that now.”
He nodded solemnly. “Aye, Laird, I won’t forget it.”
“Lady Matheson,” said Mairead, as if trying to become accustomed to the sound of it. “It’s a little daunting. I mean—I know what is expected and how to manage a laird’s household. Mama made sure we all did. But still, I never really thought...” Truthfully, she was more than well equipped to manage his household. As the last unmarried daughter at home, she had taken on many responsibilities to help her mother.
“What, lass?” he prodded.
“I guess I just never imagined being married to the laird of a clan. I assumed the only home I would ever manage would be the one I was raised in.” She considered everything for a moment before adding,
“Is aught amiss?” asked Mairead with concern.
“I think those are happy tears,” said the MacIan’s foster son, Tomas, in a loud whisper.
“Aye, they are, Tomas.” Katherine laughed and brushed the tears away. “I was just thinking back to the morning when I received my kertch.”
Mairead smiled politely and nodded. According to the stories, Lady Katherine was from the lowlands, and while Katherine wore a kertch, Mairead was fairly certain it wasn’t a practice in the lowlands. Also, the story of how the MacIans were married had spread to the farthest reaches of the Highlands. Mairead couldn’t imagine who gave Katherine her kertch, but she was not comfortable asking her about it. She was pleased when Katherine told the story anyway.
“It was my first morning at Duncurra and my wonderful new clanswomen presented it to me and said the blessing. I was so touched by the way they immediately accepted me.”
“I remember that day too,” said Tomas, “because it was the day ye became my mama.”
“Aye, it was,” she hugged him tightly with one arm until he wiggled away from her, causing her to chuckle.
~ * ~
As was traditional, the wedding festivities continued for two more days. It was all a bit overwhelming, but Mairead found she became more relaxed and less reserved as the days passed. She assumed it might have something to do with the wonderful nights with her new husband that followed each day of feasting. He loved her well, and her shyness fled when she was alone with him. It felt comfortable and right simply being with him. It was as if she found a piece of herself she didn’t even know she had been missing.
Most guests began leaving the morning after the third day of feasting, particularly those who had a great distance to travel. Winter snows could begin to fall in November and travel through the Highlands became treacherous. A few stayed one or two more nights. It was finally time to say goodbye to her family, and she had been dreading it. At dawn, five days after the wedding, the great procession of MacKenzies left in the same way they arrived less than a fortnight earlier, minus one daughter. She and Flan waved and watched until they were out of sight. Tadhg stood silently beside her with a slightly worried expression. Mairead thought perhaps he was expecting tears. After she had sobbed all over him the evening they met, Mairead couldn’t blame him. Frankly, although seeing them leave made her heart ache, she would not allow herself to give in to tears.
As they walked back to the keep together, Mairead said, “This seems so odd. I have always been ‘the sister,’ or ‘the daughter’ or ‘the aunt,’ but here I won’t be those things.”
“Ye’ll still be my sister,” said Flan.
“Aye, she will,” said Tadhg, “but now she will be your lady as well, just as I am your brother-in-law, but I am your laird, too.”
“Laird MacBain is also my brother-in-law.”
“Aye, but ye aren’t Laird MacBain’s squire; ye are mine. Ye must never forget that now.”
He nodded solemnly. “Aye, Laird, I won’t forget it.”
“Lady Matheson,” said Mairead, as if trying to become accustomed to the sound of it. “It’s a little daunting. I mean—I know what is expected and how to manage a laird’s household. Mama made sure we all did. But still, I never really thought...” Truthfully, she was more than well equipped to manage his household. As the last unmarried daughter at home, she had taken on many responsibilities to help her mother.
“What, lass?” he prodded.
“I guess I just never imagined being married to the laird of a clan. I assumed the only home I would ever manage would be the one I was raised in.” She considered everything for a moment before adding,
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