She nodded, embarrassed, before following Edna to the east tower. As they walked, Edna explained that the ground floors of both towers contained armories and some store rooms. The laird’s family occupied the upper floors of the east tower, where there were rooms for guests as well.
“Laird MacIan’s chamber is on the second floor and Fingal’s is on the third. Although Diarmad isn’t family strictly speaking, he also has a room on the third floor,” she explained. “The unmarried members of the laird’s elite guard have rooms in the west tower. Hendry and Bridie also live in the west tower, as do my children and I. Some of the servants and unmarried men-at-arms sleep on the floor of the great hall, but many live in the village.”
Edna showed her into Niall’s sparsely furnished chamber. It contained a large bed, a chest, a wardrobe, two wooden chairs, a small table, and a washstand. The faded green bed hangings looked threadbare but clean and a woolen counterpane covered the coarse linen sheets. Katherine walked over to the room’s one window to look out, saying, “Oh, my, the view of the loch is beautiful.”
“Is there anything else ye need, my lady?” Edna asked.
“Nay, not really. I would like to learn more about Duncurra,” Katherine attempted a warm smile, but she felt a little lost. She wished Edna would stay and chat with her a bit.
Edna herself seemed reluctant to go, but said gently, “My lady, there will be plenty of time for that later. Ye have just arrived after a long journey, and ye have been very ill. The laird wishes ye to rest, so ye should. He would not be happy with either of us if we ignore his order.”
“I suppose he wouldn’t. I am just not in the habit of spending so much time resting.”
“Well, then, take advantage of it while ye can. When ye are fully recovered, I’m sure ye’ll find there is never a shortage of work.”
Katherine laughed. “I’m sure there isn’t.”
“If there is nothing ye need, I’ll leave ye to rest now,” and Edna left, closing the door behind her.
~ * ~
Fingal was concerned when he saw the clan’s response to Lady Katherine. Highland clans tended to be very insular; even if Lady Katherine had been from another Highland clan, it would take her a while to fit in. However, being an outsider made it much worse. Niall’s callous dismissal of her as soon as they entered the keep did nothing to alleviate the problem. If anything, it was a signal to the clan that he was less than pleased with his new bride.
According to Diarmad, the clan was ecstatic because of the financial security resulting from the union , and they considered Lady Katherine lucky to wed their laird. Lucky? Fingal thought no one who truly knew Niall would consider the lass lucky. The snatches of conversation he heard were impossible to ignore.
“Can ye believe she has the nerve to show herself like that?”
“Lowlanders must all be hussies.”
“She is obviously an embarrassment to the laird.”
Although he hadn’t given it much thought until then, he knew what the women were gossiping about. No decent, married Highland woman would appear in public without covering her hair. For them, the linen brèid, or kertch, was similar to wearing a wedding band. He shook his head in disgust at their reaction. Rather than thinking Lady Katherine might be unaware of the custom, the women saw it as an insult to the laird. Sadly, he realized this would be the first of many “mistakes” the women of the clan would tally against their laird’s new wife.
As he pondered this, he saw Edna reenter the hall. She appeared angry and strode toward the back door leading to the kitchens. Curious, Fingal followed her. He stopped outside the kitchen and was not surprised to find the women had gathered there to gossip, making no effort to keep their voices down. Although overseeing the preparation of the evening meal, Bridie led the charge, saying “A brazen thing she is, walking in here on the laird’s arm like that.”
“Aye,” said another woman, “then it’s off to bed with her for a nap. Weak she is.”
“Or plain lazy,” added another.
Then to his surprise he heard banging on the table, and in a manner befitting the laird, he heard Edna yell, “Enough!” The women grew silent.
“The ‘brazen thing’ about whom ye are speaking is our laird’s wife. Can any of ye holy women tell me how that lass was supposed to know our traditions? Do ye think the MacLennan women would have been more gracious than ye, or did ye expect our laird or the other big eejits who brought her here worried about whether she covered her hair or not?” Fingal heard only guilty silence.