Page 26 of The Highlander’s Tempting Touch

“O’ course she is. Her faither’s fair protective of her.” And Niamh herself was so terrified of childbirth or anything that could lead to it that he couldn’t imagine she’d ever let any man touch her in such a fashion. He didn’t think she’d even been kissed before that day at the Festival, from the way she had reacted.

Not that he was going to tell the council that. Some things were private, even for a laird and lady. Niamh’s fears and nightmares were one of those things.

“Then bring the sheets from yer marriage bed, the day after yer wedding. ‘Twill be proof enough.”

Alistair scowled. His first impulse was to refuse. Niamh might be more trusting of him now than she had been, but her nightmares were proof enough that she wasn’t ready for what the council would consider a proper wedding night. For that matter, he wasn’t sure he was ready, even if the sight of her did make his blood heat and his manhood stiffen.

On the other hand, the elders had good reason for their demands. To refuse would arouse suspicions neither her nor Niamh needed to be dealing with. The last thing he needed was someone questioning why he felt ‘unable’ to consummate the marriage properly.

Ultimately, he needed an heir. More immediately, he couldn’t afford rumors to begin about either of them being lacking in that department. No matter what reason he gave, if he refused the Council’s demand, rumors would spread that one or both of them were incapable.

“Ye’ll have yer sheet.” Alistair growled the words out. He didn’t like the idea, but it was the best solution he could think of, and the only answer he knew the Council would accept.

He only hoped he could convince his very unwilling – and very wary – bride-to-be of the necessity.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Niamh soon found Catriona MacLean to be a wonderful person, easy to listen to and easier still to talk to.

Catriona, Niamh learned, was five years her elder, and married with a husband and a son – however, she was also Clan MacDuff’s healer and midwife and had foregone setting up a traditional home apart from the castle in pursuit of her calling. Instead of a home of their own, her family lived in the little used guesting wing of Castle MacDuff, close to the cottage in the courtyard where she tended to her patients.

She was easily one of the most intriguing women Niamh had ever met, with her brown hair braided about her head in an intricate, tightly woven crown, and her body as muscled and browned as a farming lass’s from her work gathering herbs and tending to the clan folk.

She was stern, yet kind and gentle. With her help, Niamh was soon fed, watered, and guided to a set of rooms in the guesting wing. “These will be yer rooms just fer taenight, so dinnae worry about anything more than ye’ll need fer the evening.”

Niamh blinked. “Why?”

“Laird MacDuff sent a message ahead. The wedding is tae be taemorrow, since we dinnae ken how much longer the weather will permit such things. Normally, ye’d have rooms in the laird’s family corridor, but ‘tis tradition that man and woman nae see each other the night afore the wedding. So ye’ll be housed here taenight, with the rest o’ the extended clan.”

Niamh nodded. She felt a little bit numb, listening to Catriona chatter on.

Tomorrow – she hadn’t expected to wed so soon. She’d thought they’d arrive at MacDuff Castle, and then she’d have a seven-day, a fortnight, perhaps even as long as month, before she was expected to marry Alistair. Long enough for her father to arrive.

But her father would have difficulty leaving his lands during the end of the harvest season. And Samhain was coming, after which there would be preparations for Yule and Midwinter festivities. And with her father hoping to see his castle repaired before snows made the work impossible, that would make it twice as difficult.

She hadn’t thought of that when she’d left. She’d been too angry. Now her heart ached with the knowledge that her father would not walk her to her new husband’s side, or give her hand over in blessing.

“Och, lass, ye look like rain on a sunny day. What’s the matter?”

Niamh swallowed back tears. “I... I had tae leave me faither behind. I dinnae... there’s nae one tae walk me…”

“There’s Laird Alistair’s brother Ewan, and the elder o’ the MacLean branch – yer mother’s kinfolk – if ye like.” Catriona patted her hand sympathetically. “I ken ‘tis nae the same, but perhaps one o’ them can stand with ye.”

“Perhaps.” Niamh wasn’t so sure she wanted anything to do with her mother’s kin, not when they were part of the reason she’d been forced into that situation in the first place. But thinking of her wedding led to thoughts of the wedding night. She bit her lip. “Catriona... can I ask ye something?”

“Aye. Whatever ye like.” Catriona pressed a cup of mulled wine into her hands, then guided her over to sit by the fire in the hearth. “I cannae promise tae have all the answers, but I’ll help ye as best I can, cousin.”

Niamh nodded and sipped the wine, wondering where to begin. Finally, when she could delay no longer, she took a deep breath. “There’s things... things I dinnae ken... I mean…” Her cheeks burned hot, and the words tangled her tongue.

She took another swallow of wine and tried again. “Me maither died when I was born, ye ken, and I’ve nay older sisters or aunts. The only women I kent were the castle servants and me friend Grace, but she’s a year younger than me, and I dinnae see her all that often. So, there’s things... I didnae...there’s things a maither is supposed tae teach her daughter…” Her words faltered to a stop once more.

“Ye didnae have anyone tae teach ye the ways o’ bein’ a woman? Nae even yer clan healer?”

“The clan healer fer Cameron was – she’s older, and very stern. She wasnae the easiest tae talk tae. The only time we ever touched on the matter was when me moon cycles began. And even then ‘twas only fer her tae tell me it was part o’ growin up and what herbs tae tak’ fer the crampin’. I didnae ken aught else about, nae even about using rags tae stem the flow, until one o’ the servant lasses brought me the things I needed.”

Niamh colored further, remembering that conversation. “She thought I kent more than I did, and I had tae... I didnae want tae look ignorant, so I pretended. But…”

“But ye’ve been in the dark about everything else, poor lass. And now ye’re facing yer marriage bed, with nae idea what tae expect.” Catriona reached across and patted her hand gently. “Well, I’m nae a blushing maiden, nor an elder who’s tae modest and proper tae speak o’ such things. Ye can ask me whatever ye like.”