“It seems while Sister Eve was attempting to get the marriage document sealed,” Deirdre said, “she ran into Adam—”
“Adam?”Hew asked.
Feiyan glanced at Carenza and clarified, “My brother.”
Carenza nodded.She already had Hew’s cousins memorized.
Deirdre continued.“They apparently had a series of rather wild misadventures, and Sister Eve landed in…some serious trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”Hew asked.
Deirdre shuddered.“I’ll leave that to them to explain.In any event, Adam managed to rescue her.”
Carenza was glad to hear that.As odd as Eve was, she liked the lass, and she still wanted to return that lovely gown to her.
“After that,” Deirdre said, “they procured the king’s signature and seal by some rather questionable means.”
Carenza furrowed her brows.Generally the royal seal was the last to go on a marriage decree.“But how did they get the king’s seal before my father’s?”
“Exactly,” Deirdre said.“In any event, they rushed to Rivenloch for my seal.And we were forced to rush to Dunlop to get your father’s.”
Carenza felt awful about making the Laird of Rivenloch go to all that trouble, until Deirdre bent over wee Bethac and cooed, “But ’twas all worth it, wasn’t it, my precious lass?”
Carenza added, “We’re so grateful ye came.I’m gratefulallo’ ye came.I’ve so looked forward to meetin’ ye.”
Hew’s sister Jenefer leaned forward eagerly.“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you as well, ever since I heard about your coo reiving.”
“Aye,” Feiyan said.“Is it true you were once a cateran?”
“Just for one night,” Carenza said.“And only one coo in particular.”
“Why?”Hallie asked.
“I raised Hamish from the time he was a calf, and I didn’t want him to be culled.”
By the expressions on the faces of the three cousins—Jenefer, Hallie, and Feiyan—they thought that was ridiculous.The warrior maids probably wouldn’t hesitate to cull a coo, any more than they’d hesitate to kill a foe.
But Laird Deirdre came to her defense.“You know, ’twas a coo, Audhumbla, that licked the first Viking god into being.”
“Aunt Deirdre,” Logan chided, “are you sure you should be speaking of Viking gods in front of Hew?He’s a monk now, you know.”
“Logan,” Hew growled.
“What was it like,” Logan taunted, “that vast sea of men and not a selkie in sight?”
“’Twas worth the sacrifice,” Hew told him, wrapping his arm around Carenza, “to end up with the most beautiful selkie of all.”
Isabel clasped her hands and sighed.
“Well, that explains it,” Feiyan said.“No wonder she had such a craving for pickled eels.”
Everyone laughed.
Suddenly, Hallie hissed, “Nobody move.”
Everyone froze with Rivenloch warrior precision.
Hallie had drawn her dagger, and was holding the blade, preparing to hurl it.
