Highland Courage(13)
“Nothing happened, Da.” Still as bashful as ever, a hot blush rose in her cheeks.
“I don’t think I have ever seen ye like this. Laird Matheson, what did ye say to my wee daughter last night to bring about this change?”
“Da!” she admonished, while glancing quickly at Tadhg whose eyes danced with mirth.
He simply shrugged. “We just had a wee chat is all. She is the same lovely lass ye arrived with last night, Laird MacKenzie.”
“Well, some miracle happened, but frankly, Mairead, as long as ye have stopped scowling at me, I don’t care what it was.”
Mairead was so embarrassed she wanted to sink into the floorboards.
“Cathal, please,” her mother said quietly. “I’m sure she was just worried about the unknown. Come and eat something, Mairead, then we will put the finishing touches on your dress. Cathal, ye were looking for Flan before Mairead joined us, were ye not?”
“Oh, aye, love, I was,” he answered. “Matheson, do ye know where I might find your squire?”
“Aye, Laird MacKenzie, he should be on the training field, I’ll walk with ye.” He seemed vastly amused as he walked out of the great hall with Cathal.
In her typical gentle manner, her mother had closed the conversation and redirected attention away from the uncomfortable topic. “Thank ye, Mama,” she whispered.
Her mother smiled knowingly before saying softly, “Sweetheart, redirecting someone’s attention works as well with men as it does with children. Ask your sisters.”
Mairead laughed for what must have been the first time in months.
~ * ~
Late that afternoon the first guests began to arrive. Clan leaders from all over the Highlands who were allied with either the MacKenzies or the Mathesons would be attending the wedding. The men-at-arms accompanying them set up camps outside Cnocreidh’s walls, but the lairds, their wives and other honored guests were given rooms within the keep. Among the first guests to arrive were Laird and Lady Chisholm, who had traveled with the MacIans. Laird and Lady MacIan brought their new baby, Beitris, and their foster son, Tomas. Tadhg’s good friend and Laird MacIan’s brother, Fingal MacIan, also accompanied them. Tadhg welcomed them all before saying to Lady MacIan, “Katherine, I am honored to have ye as a visitor again. I trust I won’t have to lock ye in this time.”
Everyone laughed except Laird MacIan, who growled, “I may have forgiven ye, but I don’t find the fact that ye abducted my wife even remotely amusing.”
Fingal grinned broadly. “Tadhg, ye should know better than to bait Niall, particularly where Katherine is concerned.”
Tadhg laughed again. “Niall, my friend, ye are going to have to scrape off some of your crust and find a sense of humor.” Some of the MacKenzies were aware of what had happened the previous winter, but for those who weren’t, Tadhg explained. “I abducted Katherine when I thought Niall had been persistently raiding my border. I intended to force Niall into negotiating a truce. It turned out for the best because together Lady Katherine and I determined the truth about who was behind it all. Niall grudgingly forgave the minor transgression.”
Niall looked askance. “Minor transgression? Shall I abduct your wife and let ye judge how ‘minor’ ye think it is?”
Mairead looked shocked, but Tadhg grasped her hand and pulled her closer to his side, saying, “That won’t be necessary. I take it all back. I feel fairly certain I would never forgive ye if ye even glanced cross-eyed at my sweet bride. I offer ye my humblest apologies for saving yer arse, Niall.”
This time Laird MacIan laughed heartily with everyone else at the backhanded apology.
Tadhg turned to greet another friend who traveled with the MacIans. “Father Colm, it is good to see ye again, thank ye for coming. Mairead, Father Colm is the MacIan’s resident priest. Our priest, Father Keenan, received word about a week ago his father had fallen gravely ill. I insisted he travel to his home in the west to be with his family. Father Colm agreed to come to Cnocreidh in the meantime, to perform the wedding.” To his surprise, Mairead blushed profusely. She looked embarrassed and very uncomfortable. Although Tadhg was puzzled by her reaction, the reason for it became immediately apparent.
Cathal stepped forward to greet the priest saying, “Well, by the saints, ye’re the priest who fetched my two wayward children home from the Michaelmas Fair years ago. It is good to see ye, Father. Mairead, do ye remember Father Colm?”
Father Colm had evidently been the priest who had saved her from her attackers. “Aye, Da, I do. It is nice to see ye again, Father.” Although overtly polite, Tadhg could tell she was profoundly distressed.