If he were to stay here, to share a quarters with Katherine, he didn’t think he’d be able to control himself any longer. She was beautiful, her body shapely, her breasts perfect, her eyes shining with an excitement for life that her circumstances hadn’t beatenout of her. And, despite his best efforts, he’d grown to enjoy having her around.
She made the two women who were most important to him happier than they’d been in years.
“Are ye well, Me Laird?” Harold asked. “Occupied with preparations for tomorrow?”
“Aye,” Liam said, wondering when the man had begun walking so lightly. “Come with me. I’d like to hear what ye and the others put together. I’m nae sure that we’ll be able to meet again for some time after the ceremony.”
* * *
“Yer dress has arrived!” Tilly sing-songed as she burst into Katherine’s room.
The maid’s arms were loaded with garments, all of which Katherine had been fitted for a few days after arriving. At the time, she hadn’t registered that she would be getting anything more than several casual dresses. It wasn’t until several days ago that she’d thought to ask about her wedding gown.
“I was beginnin’ to worry that it wouldnae arrive in time,” Katherine admitted, pushing herself out of the armchair by the fire.
“The seamstress was just takin’ her time puttin’ on the finishin’ touches,” Tilly assured her, carefully laying out the garments on the bed.
Katherine’s eyes were drawn to the dress first. It was a darling purple with intricate embroidery on the bodice. Her fingers brushed over the fine details, her touch delicate so she wouldn’t ruin it.
I daenae deserve somethin’ as nice as this.
Blinking away tears, she brought her hand back to her chest. She wasn’t sure why, but she’d become less and less sure that Liam wouldn’t send her back to her father. It was such a silly worry, she knew, but things felt too good to be true. She got along with Agnes, even if the child was still occasionally closed off. Lady Agnes had become a maternal figure in her life.
Seeing this dress solidified in her mind that she would truly be staying here, that he wouldn’t be able to send her back.
“It’s more bonnie than I imagined it would be,” she said finally, her voice thick with the tangle of emotions.
“It’ll be even bonnier on ye,” Tilly said. Then, apparently misjudging Katherine’s feelings, she added, “I’m sure ye’ve been lookin’ forward to this.”
“Truthfully, I havenae thought about it much,” Katherine answered. “I ken the increased guards are because of the ceremony, but I havenae felt… festive.”
Tilly’s face softened, and she stopped fussing with the other garments. With a knowing smile, she said, “Nerves then, aye?”
“I suppose ye could say that,” Katherine said, grateful to be given an excuse.
“I’ve heard that many women feel jittery before their handfastin’. If it helps to settle ye any, the ceremony willnae be very big,” Tilly said brightly. “There willnae be too many eyes on ye.”
“That makes me feel better,” Katherine lied.
Somehow, the lack of pomp and circumstance around the binding made it all feel less certain. Less eyes on her meant more chances for plausible deniability that the union even took place. Would the marriage be anything other than words spoken between the two of them if no one else knew? Perhaps she’d think differently about having such a private ceremony if she were in love.
Or if he even made an effort to speak to me, I may nae feel as if me time here was about to come to an end.
“Here, look!” Tilly said after a beat. She was practically bouncing as she went through the bundle of clothing. “She even made ye a new corset and stays.”
“She didnae have to do that,” Katherine said, flustered by the sheer amount of things she was being given. She’d done nothing to earn these, nor had she asked for them. “Me old corset and stays still fit me just fine.”
Tilly gave her an unimpressed look. “I daenae mean to offend ye, Miss, but I’ve seen the corset and stays that ye’re wearin’. I will be sendin’ them to the seamstress as soon as I can now that ye’ve got somethin’ decent.”
“If it pleases ye, I suppose I cannae stop ye,” Katherine said softly. She found it easier to go along with Tilly’s whims. It was still difficult for her to accept that she would never have to worry about having basic necessities.
Tilly grinned, then. As she began gathering the new garments, she said, “Ye have the rest of the afternoon and evenin’ to yerself. Are there any preparations ye’d like to make before the ceremony tomorrow? I’d be glad to help ye.”
“Nay, I…” Katherine began, trailing off as an idea began to take shape in her mind. “Actually… do ye think it would be acceptable to prepare Brimstone for tomorrow? I havenae seen the beast since I arrived.”
“Aye!” Tilly said, hanging Katherine’s wedding gown on the privacy screen. “Ye must have been so excited when ye heard that he would be pullin’ yer carriage to the kirk.”
“I was,” Katherine said, smiling at the one part of the day she’d been looking forward to. She walked over to her table, plucking several ribbons from the surface. “I’m glad to have him be part of the day.”
