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insisted that Alex must have a drink to toast it with, else he’d be insulting the Stewarts. Alex had reluctantly allowed some whiskey to be poured into the empty mug he’d been drinking mead from ere that, but had stopped them after only a couple of drops had been poured in. However, he’d obviously topped it up since then. The man was unmistakably in his cups. Aside from slurring, he was also unsteady in his seat, and twice she’d seen him reach for something on the table and miss it.
    Merry feared it didn’t bode well for the night ahead. She couldn’t be sure, of course. Her mother had died when she was just sixteen, and the matter of the marriage bed had never come up between them. Still, she suspected what was to come was not going to be made easier by her husband’s being drunk.
    A tap on her shoulder distracted Merry from this worry and she glanced back to see Edda. The woman wore a smile that was a little crooked and uncertain. There was a gaggle of maids gathered behind her, however, who were all grinning widely.
    “’Tis time for the bedding,” Edda announced, not sounding sure whether Merry would welcome the announcement or not.
    The answer was decidedly “not,” but despite wishing she could scream, Nay , Merry forced a smile to her own lips and got to her feet. Her brothers immediately began cheering, laughing, and making lewd comments, and she felt a blush claim her cheeks. There was nothing she could do about that, but Merry did her best to ignore them otherwise and—resisting the urge to box their ears—mustered all the dignity she possessed and forced her head up and shoulders straight as she allowed herself to be led away.
    With so many to help, Merry found herself stripped and bathed in no time. She was perfumed and oiled until she felt like a boar being prepared for the spit before she was allowed to climb into bed. Most of the women left the room then, taking the bath with them, but Una and Edda remained behind. As Una quickly cleaned up the room and put away her clothes, Edda settled herself on the edge of the bed next to Merry and took her hands in her own.
    “Merry dear, I know we do not know each other well yet, but I went to my wedding bed not knowing what to expect and I really think it just made things harder and more scary than it needed to be. I know your mother passed away some time ago and so may not have had the chance to talk to you about your wedding night.” She paused then and bit her lip briefly before asking, “Do you know what to expect?”
    Merry briefly considered lying. Part of her duties as lady at Stewart had been to help their healer tend to the ill and injured. She’d seen boys naked and even a wounded man or two. She’d also helped with more births than she could recall. She did know the physical differences between a man and a woman. She even had some idea of what actually took place but wouldn’t mind knowing exactly what to expect. “Nay.”
    Edda nodded. “Well then…” She paused and bit her lip again and then grimaced and said with a light laugh, “I can see why my mother did not explain, but simply said, ‘He will know what to do, just obey your husband and do as he says.’”
    Merry smiled, but it was a tense smile, and she said, “If ’tis making ye uncomfortable, ye need no’ explain.”
    “Nay. ’Tis all right.” Edda patted her hand. “’Twill be easier on you do you know.”
    Merry nodded solemnly and waited…and waited.
    “Well,” Edda said finally. “You see, men are built differently than we women. The man has a…” She paused again and chewed on her lip briefly before brightening and saying, “Have you ever been in the kitchens at Stewart while your cook was preparing a chicken?”
    Merry blinked at the question, not at all sure what a chicken had to do with this, but said, “Aye.”
    “Well, think of the neck when the cook has plucked and cut it off to throw it in soup. A man has one of those between his