But here was a kindly soul who didn’t blame her, even though she blamed herself.
“Will yer be wearing this lovely blue gown, lass? It do bring out the color of yer hair, making it glow as if ’twere on fire.”
Sheena looked at the gowns, Lydia’s lovely ones and her own threadbare one. “I’ll wear the green.” It was her own.
Gertie’s look registered her disapproval. “As yer wish,” she said tightly. “But if yer dinna mind my saying so, yer should be telling the laird ’tis high time he was seeing to yer needs. “Tis no’ as if he doesna hae cloth to spare and wouldna give it gladly.”
“’Tis no’ for me to be asking,” Sheena said.
“Och, now, who has more right than yerself, eh?” Gertie clucked. “’Tis his wife yer are, or hae yer forgotten that sae soon?”
“I didna forget.”
Gertie didn’t hear, or chose to ignore, the bitterness in Sheena’s voice. “Well, then, yer must be dressing as befits the wife of a Highland laird. Greatbeastie that he is. Sir Jamie doesna ken the needs of a wife. Yer could start by insisting he send for yer own lovely things. I’m sure yer father would no’ begrudge yer, even after what’s happened.”
“I’d rather no’ be discussing this right now, Gertie, if you dinna mind.”
“Of course, lassie. I’ll be going.”
“Gertie, wait.” Sheena stopped her. “You said there are guests?”
“Aye, there are indeed. Keiths and MacDonoughs hae arrived, and Gregorys and Martins will nae doubt come ’afore the end of the day.”
Sheena turned sickly pale. Those were clans aligned with the MacKinnions, clans Jamie could call on for war. So he had not attacked yet, but was instead planning a full-scale slaughter! Why else would he send for all those clans?
“What is amiss, lass?” Gertie asked worriedly.
“He…he’s brought them all here to…” She stopped herself from going too far.
Gertie clucked again, misunderstanding Sheena’s distress. “Och, you’ve naught to fear meeting friends of the MacKinnions. Why, Thais is sae eager to meet yer, ’twas she who sent me up here to see how soon yer’d be coming down.”
“Thais?”
“Sir Jamie’s younger sister,” Gertie explained. “Fair fashed she was wi’ him, too, for no’ waiting till she and her husband arrived.”
Sheena was going to be wretchedly sick. Not waiting? So he had attacked after all!
“Och, what did I say, lass?” Gertie was at her side in an instant. “Yer wait right here, and I’ll be getting Sir Jamie.”
“He’shere?”
“Where else would he be, wi’ sae many wedding guests to attend?”
“Wedding…” Sheena was beside herself with relief. “Why did you no’ say so, Gertie? I thought the guests were…”
“Och, the celebrating will go on for days. Sir Jamie didna tell yer he’s invited one and all to meet his new bride?”
“Nay. After yesterday…”
“Dinna fash yerself about yesterday, lassie,” Gertie said firmly. “Sir Jamie’s no’ going to let it spoil the wedding, and neither should yerself.”
“When did Jamie return?”
“He didna leave the castle, except to see what could be done for Jock and Hamish. He wasna gone long.”
“Did…Hamish…?”
Gertie patted her shoulder. “He’s holding his own, bless him. He may recover. Now are yer sure about the green gown?”
