Mairead laughed. “What about your own wedding?”
“Ah, well, that wasn’t what ye’d call a celebration now, was it? King David rather forced the issue. I found myself married and on my way to the Highlands in the blink of an eye.”
“Do ye still hold that against me, sweetling?” Laird MacIan asked as he slipped his arms around her.
“Niall, I didn’t know ye were there, but ye know I’ve never held it against ye. Ye saved me.”
“As I recall, ‘twas ye did the saving.”
“Well, the details on who saved whom are a bit muddy, the fact remains I really don’t know much about weddings, but your mother has been wonderful, Mairead. She has been anxious for ye to arrive all day. I’ll show ye to your chamber and then shall we go find her?” Katherine looped her arm through Mairead’s, prepared to draw her away, when Tadhg stopped her.
“Katherine, I’m sure Lady MacKenzie is anxious to see Mairead, but I want Mairead to take a bit of a rest first.”
Katherine arched an eyebrow at him. “Do ye? Well, perhaps ye should have a chat with Niall about the wisdom of ordering a woman to rest. Visiting with her mama is not likely to overtax her.”
Tadhg looked momentarily stunned, Niall laughed uproariously, and Mairead giggled, allowing Katherine to draw her toward the tower stairs
Katherine called over her shoulder to Tadhg, “Ye can come too if ye wish.” Katherine showed them to a cozy room on the third floor of the east tower and the rest of the afternoon passed in a flurry of activity.
As he had promised, Tadhg stayed close to her. They returned to their bedchamber only briefly to prepare for the feast that evening. Even with only the families of the betrothed and the leadership from the other visiting clans, the great hall was packed. It was wonderful but exhausting to be surrounded by her family once again. Perhaps noticing her weariness, Tadhg leaned in to her ear and said softly, “Katherine said I couldn’t order ye to rest, but she said nothing about throwing ye over my shoulder and hauling ye off to bed.”
“Ye wouldn’t,” Mairead squeaked.
Tadhg chuckled. “Nay, but I think we should say our goodnights. Ye look ready to collapse.”
~ * ~
The next day started reverently with Mass celebrating the Holy Cross, but the day progressed with more secular celebrations of the coming of summer. It culminated in a feast, which spread out of the castle and into the courtyard. Ale flowed freely and there were musicians and dancing both inside and out. Although invited, the tall auburn haired warrior had not joined the guests in the hall the previous evening and had no intention of doing so tonight either. He preferred to spend the evening drinking outside with his father’s men and perhaps finding a maid to have a tumble with. Losing the sword-fighting tournament to both Rowan MacKenzie and Tadhg Matheson still rankled, he certainly didn’t want to sit at a table with them and make polite conversation. At least the ale is plentiful. His cousin Guthrie sidled up to him and asked, “What ails ye, coz?”
“That purse for the sword fighting tournament should have been mine. I lost my footing or Matheson never would have bested me. I could have beaten Rowan MacKenzie just as I did last September at the Michaelmas Fair.”
“Coz, it seems this is the second time Matheson has beat ye to a prize.”
“Ye mean the betrothal Da wanted? Matheson did me a favor there. I didn’t want to marry MacKenzie’s Mouse. I hear she is as plain as she is timid. Imagine bedding that every night for the rest of your life?”
“Ye haven’t seen her, have ye?”
“Nay, I’ve no interest.”
“Well, Coz, I think ye might change your mind once ye have.
“What makes ye say that?”
“I was in the courtyard when Laird and Lady Matheson arrived yesterday and she is certainly not what I would call plain. Waking up next to her would be no chore at all.”
“Still, there are plenty of bonny lassies who can warm my bed.
“Aye, but if I’m not much mistaken, Lady Matheson is none other than the lass responsible for your broken nose.”
“The bitch from years ago at the Michaelmas Fair?”
“Filled out a bit from the scrawny piece she was, but aye, one and the same.”
“Did she see ye? Did she recognize ye?”
“Do ye take me for an eejit, Darcy? As soon as I recognized her, I made sure she didn’t get a look at me. She might not remember us after all these years, but I thought it best not to take the chance. Although since her brother is marrying your sister, I’m not sure how ye are going to avoid her seeing ye. She is bound to recognize ye at some point.”