Highland Courage(20)

When she released him, he hugged her tightly. “Ye delight me, lass.” He stepped back, took her hand firmly in his, and said, “Lady Matheson, may I escort ye to breakfast?”

“Anything ye wish, Laird Matheson,” she answered. The heat in his gaze warmed her to her very soul.

They descended to the great hall where Mairead’s mother and sisters did indeed meet them. In her hand, her mother held a linen brèid or kertch. Made from a square of pure white linen and folded into a triangle, it was a headdress worn by every married woman in the Highlands and was as important as a wedding band. It was a symbol of the Holy Trinity under whose guidance the bride would walk. Traditionally, the bride’s mother tied it on her head the morning after the wedding.

Her mother hugged her. “May the blessings of the Holy Trinity be on ye, and protect ye from all evil. May ye have health and strength and peace and may ye live a life that is pleasing to God. As ye began your married life blessed by God’s Holy Church, may ye continue to trust in Him and may He always hear the prayers ye hold in your heart.”

Then her mother tied the kertch on Mairead’s head. “As ye go forward now under this sign of the Trinity, may the Holy Spirit bless ye with wisdom, understanding, courage, right judgment, knowledge, reverence, and piety.”

Annag stepped forward and, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Through His grace may the Lord help ye to be virtuous, and gracious.”

Then each sister and sister-in-law followed suit.

“May He help ye to be pure in word and deed,” said Rhona.

“May He help ye to be hospitable and generous,” said Marjean.

“May He help ye to be kind and compassionate,” said Naveen.

“May He help ye to be strong and honorable,” said Lily.

“May He bless ye richly with children,” said Rose.

Then her mother ended the prayer with, “May the sacrifice which Christ made on the Holy Cross keep ye humble and help your faith never waiver. In the name of the Holy Trinity may more than a hundred thousand blessings go with ye under this kertch. Amen.”

Then she hugged her daughter. The great hall had fallen silent, but as her sisters also hugged her, the noise level returned to normal. Eventually 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.