Her bedroom was beside Alexander’s in one of those towers. The stone construction made it colder at night than she was used to. Sounds echoed off the walls, resulting in eerie noises at all hours of the night, making it hard for her to sleep.
“Which dress do ye want to wear for this evening, before ye retire to the Laird’s chambers?” the maid asked, proceeding to hold up two thin nightdresses impatiently.
The first dress was made of soft white linen, with varying flower embroidery around the neck and sleeves. It looked silky soft andbeautiful. The second dress was made of cream silk, with brown rose embroidery along the waistline and hemline.
Helena had never given much thought to her nightwear, preferring simple white silk slips to anything fancy. She had never had a reason to wear anything fancier. Even that was changing suddenly.
“I… uh… hadnae given it much thought,” she stammered.
Shehadgiven it extensive thought but not the gown-wearing part. She had focused more on the part of not wearing a gown and everything that would follow.
To even consider that anyone would see her naked embarrassed her to no end. Her aunt had spoken with her briefly about such things on a single occasion, but she truly didn’t know what to expect.
“Well, now is the time to think about it, lass. The Laird will expect ye to be waitin’ for him when he retires from the celebration tonight,” Margaret insisted, scowling at her.
“Come now, dinnae frighten the poor lass, Margaret. She’ll think that me braither is a brute at this point,” a new voice sounded from the doorway.
Helena turned to see who it belonged to.
A dark-haired woman slightly younger than her strode in, carrying a vase of flowers, her silken blue dress flowing around her like water beneath her grey woolen coat. She glided across the room and set the vase on the table beside the window.
“I must apologize for nae comin’ to meet ye sooner, Helena. We are about to become sisters, after all. I’m Alice, the youngest of the Gordon brood.” Her voice was light and airy, matching her energy.
“If ye’re the youngest, it seems the dark and broody Gordon genes all went to yer braithers. I wouldnae have guessed that ye were related, with the light that surrounds ye. Perhaps ye stole all the light from that hulkin’ braither of yers,” Helena teased with a sly wink.
“Fine then, I will decide for ye. This one will look best with yer hair and skin color. It’ll do.” Margaret rolled her eyes, ignoring the two young women. She laid the cream nightdress on the bed and put the white one back in the wardrobe before leaving the room.
What possessed Helena to act so familiar with the youngest Gordon sibling was beyond her.
The two young women stared at each other for a long moment, each assessing the other.
Alice broke their gaze first with a light laugh. Her wide, curious eyes flickered to the canvas that Helena had been working on before their arrival, scrutinizing it.
“My, that is rather good. Perhaps ye can teach me sometime.” Alice clasped her hand and dragged her excitedly to the settee, motioning for her to sit. “For now, though, let’s get ye ready for yer big day.”
She picked up the hairbrush on the vanity and began brushing Helena’s long black hair. Margaret returned with a white silk dress and a beautiful blue and green arisaid to go over it. Helena could smell the fresh dye as the maid swept through the room.
This evening would be the first time she wore MacAllister colors. Alice continued to fiddle with her hair, arranging it in an intricate braid.
This entire thing almost feels like treason.
Helena’s thoughts were morbid and dull as she wondered if she had made the right choice.
Once Margaret was done fluffing, primping, and prepping the various garments, she bowed quickly and then left, the same grimace on her face since Helena’s arrival.
“Dinnae let Margaret bother ye; she has been with us since we were bairns. She is more attached to me and me braither than ye would expect. She’s protective of Alexander, but dinnae worry. She ensures that he follows tradition, aye. Relax, lass. He isnae a cruel man. He willnae make it miserable for ye, I swear it.”
Before Helena could respond, a young girl skipped into the room with a basket full of freshly trimmed flowers. She handed one to Helena and smiled widely at Alice.
“These are for ye, Me Lady,” she proclaimed.
Her happy giggle made Helena’s heart soar.
Yes, this is the right decision. For these people, for me people. This is the only way.
This generation deserved to know peace—something she had never known.
Margaret and Alice helped place the remaining flowers throughout her long fishtail braid. When Margaret left the room again to help arrange the decorations downstairs, Helena worked up the courage to resume the previous conversation.
