Catriona turned and hobbled back inside, leaving Dominic with a lump in his throat, tears in his eyes, and a very English-looking carriage heading towards him.
The carriage jerked to a stop, disrupting the flow of the crowd across the courtyard towards the Keep.
It was a laird's wedding, after all. Everyone was invited, and everyone was coming. There was a lot to be done. Inside the Keep, the Great Hall was being prepared for the wedding. The floor was ankle-deep in fresh rushes, scented with herbs and wildflowers. Greenery and boughs of pine littered the tables and mantelpieces, and several huge vases of flowers were being arranged at that very moment.
In the kitchen, the cooks and their assistants were working diligently, roasting incredible amounts of meat, fowl, and fish for the feast tomorrow. There would be delicacies of all sorts, fruits, bread, vegetables, sweetmeats, and more. The whole Keep hummed with activity, and the smell of herbs, flowers, and delicious food hung in the air.
The coachman bounced down from his seat and hurried to open the door. One after the other, four people tumbled out, two ladies and two gentlemen, muttering between themselves and glancing around anxiously.
"Duke and Duchess of Danforth, I assume," Dominic said, his voice carrying easily across the courtyard. "It's a pleasure."
The newcomers flinched, glancing nervously up at him.
The oldest gentleman cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, managing what he clearly hoped was a confident and easy smile, and held out his hand.
"It is indeed. May I present my dear wife, the Duchess of Danforth, and my two youngest children, Lord Alexander and Lady Eliza. May I assume that you are Lord MacLennan?"
"Laird," Dominic corrected, grinning. "And aye, that is me. So, ye are Paisley's parents. I'd say that it's a pleasure to meet ye, but I haven't decided yet."
"Where is Paisley?" the girl, Lady Eliza, interrupted.
Dominic gave the two youngsters a calculating look. The family had an easy, good-natured air about them. Lord and Lady Danforth were jovial, round-faced sort of people, dressed in their finest and most uncomfortable best, and rather strongly resembled each other.
Alexander and Eliza looked entirely different to their parents. They were milky-skinned, tall and graceful with dark hair and large brown eyes, slim and fashionable and somewhat androgynous. They looked like two young swans, accompanied by a pair of ducks.
Dominic hid a smile at that idea.
"Paisley is her chambers. It's bad luck for a bride to see the groom the day before the wedding, I'm told."
Lady Eliza glanced at her brother for support and lifted her chin.
"We want to see her. Right away. Don't we, Alex?"
Before Alexander – Alex – could reply, Dominic inclined his head. "Certainly. I'll have someone show ye the way" he said and turned to their parents "But, I'd like a wee word with ye before ye go up to see ye daughter, if that's all the same to ye."
The Duke and Duchess of Danforth exchanged nervous glances.
"Very well," Paisley's father said.
Dominic nodded, turning to summon over a soldier.
"Lad, take Lord Alexander and Lady Eliza up to Lady Paisley's chambers, and find someone to take their things up to the guest chambers, aye?"
"Aye, laird," the man said obediently.
Lady Eliza and her brother followed the man halfway up the stairs, then she paused, and came back down.
"Since you'll be marrying my sister," Lady Eliza said firmly, "and we'll be family, you might as well just call us Eliza and Alex."
Dominic gave a twisted smile.
"And ye had better call me Dominic, then."
She gave a small smile in return, then the two young people disappeared into the Keep. Dominic turned to face the Duke and Duchess and pursed his lips.
"Right, then. Shall we talk?"
"I know what you must think of me," the Duke said, his voice quiet in Dominic's still study. "Of us, even. Believe it or not, we are not greedy, hard-hearted fools who were prepared to marry our daughter off to a madman. We... we simply thought we were doing what was best for us."
