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"Looks like the sup will be a wedding feast," Aulay said, and then added with a grin, "And judging by the way ye were looking down Murine's top, it's no' a moment too soon."
When Murine turned her face into his chest with a moan of embarrassment, Dougall suggested his brother do something that was physically impossible and put his spurs to his horse. He was eager to get Murine to MacDonnell and get her wedded.
"Truly?" Murine asked, watching Saidh closely. They had arrived a little more than two hours ago. There had been greetings and quick explanations and then Saidh had rushed Murine above stairs to her bedchamber to "prepare" her for the wedding. She'd been bathed and powdered, and now Saidh's maid, Joyce, was fussing with her hair while Saidh searched through her chest of gowns for one Murine could wear.
"Truly, what?" Saidh asked distractedly, holding up a gown, considering it, then tossing it aside.
"Ye do no' mind? About Dougall marrying me?"
"Murine," Saidh drew out her name with exasperation, dropped the gown she'd just picked up and crossed the room to clasp her by the arms. "I truly am glad that ye're marrying Dougall," she assured her solemnly, then smiled wryly and admitted, "It ne'er occurred to me until Dougall announced he was wedding ye, but I think the two o' ye are perfect for each other. I should ha'e dragged ye home to him that first time we met."
Murine let her breath out on a relieved little sigh, and pulled away from Joyce's fussing to hug her friend. "Thank goodness."
"I do no' ken why ye'd think I would no' be pleased," Saidh commented, hugging her back. "Ye've become a dear friend. I'm happy ye and Dougall found each other."
Murine's eyes opened and she frowned at the words and stepped back to remind her, "I ha'e no dower, Saidh. Does he marry me, he gets only me."
"And that is a lot," Saidh assured her firmly. Releasing her then, she turned to walk back across the room. Bending to continue her sorting of gowns, she added, "Dowers are quickly spent and soon forgotten. The bride is not and ye will be a fine wife to Dougall. He's lucky to ha'e ye."
Murine sagged with relief at these words. She'd been concerned that Saidh might think Dougall deserved a bride with a dower, not a bride with a brother who not only gambled away her dower, but then tried to whore her out like a--
"Do ye ken?" Saidh said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts and Murine glanced over as her friend turned from the chest to stare at her briefly before pointing out, "We'll be sisters."
Murine blinked at the announcement and then a slow smile blossomed on her face. "Aye, we will."
"Me best friend and me sister," Saidh said with a smile and shook her head as she turned back to her chest. "I ne'er imagined for a minute the day we arrived at Sinclair that I would gain so much and it would all turn out so well."
"Neither did I," Murine murmured and realized that it had all turned out well. She'd learned on arriving that Saidh had never received the messages she'd sent to her. She'd also learned that Saidh had sent her several as well. None of which had reached her. Montrose had obviously been blocking the messages both ways. And probably any messages to and from Jo and Edith too. They were all still her friends. And now, she was about to marry Dougall and not just gain a wonderful husband, but Saidh for sister, six wonderful brothers, and countless cousins, aunts and uncles.
The thought of the number of relatives she was gaining was rather dizzying. On the ride here, Conran and Rory had been discussing how disappointed their extended family would be at missing Dougall's wedding. Rory had even suggested that perhaps they should hold a belated wedding feast for the whole family at some later date after everything was cleared up and they were sure she was safe. Curious, Murine had asked about their family and the men had started listing off the Buchanans . . . and there were many. The Buchanans were a prolific lot. She was gaining a large family and while it couldn't make up for the loss of her parents and brothers, it would go a long way toward helping soothe the hurt.
At the moment, her future looked very bright indeed.
So long as Montrose didn't arrive before they could exchange vows, she thought a little anxiously.
And so long as whoever had shot her with an arrow, and then drugged the cider and set the hunting lodge on fire didn't attack again and hurt or kill any of her new family.
Perhaps everything was not as settled as she'd hoped, Murine now thought with a frown.
"Here!" Saidh straightened from the chest and held up a golden gown with satisfaction. "This will look perfect on ye. Do ye like it?" she asked, turning the gown so Murine could get a better look.
"Aye," she whispered, reaching out to touch it when Saidh brought it closer. The gown was beautiful.
"'Twill bring out the gold in yer hair," Saidh murmured, glancing to her head and then smiled and added, "Ye've outdone yerself, Joyce. Her hair looks perfect."
"Thank ye, m'lady," Joyce murmured as she stepped away. "Shall we get her dressed then?"
"I'll help her with that," Saidh said quickly. "Why do ye no' go see if ye can help below? I want a few minutes to talk to Murine alone . . . about the night ahead," she added meaningfully.
"Ah. O' course," Joyce murmured, and then squeezing Murine's arm she said, "Ye make a beautiful bride," before slipping from the room.
Murine watched her go, then turned reluctantly back to Saidh, wondering if she dare tell her that there was no talk necessary. Before she could decide, a knock sounded at the door and Saidh tossed the gold gown over the end of the bed and rushed to answer the summons. Murine watched her accept a tray from the woman in the hall with a thank-you, then push the door closed with her foot as she turned back into the room.
"Here we are," Saidh said cheerfully, carrying the tray to a table by the fire. "Ye go ahead and start dressing, and I'll pour us both some wine, then help ye with the stays," she suggested.
Nodding, Murine dropped the linen Joyce had wrapped around her after her bath and picked up the gown Saidh had set on the end of the bed. By the time she pulled on the gown and crossed the room to Saidh, the drinks were poured and waiting and Saidh had taken two other items from the tray and appeared to be contemplating them solemnly.
"Oh, good," Saidh said, noting her arrival. Setting down the loaf of bread and carrot she'd been considering, Saidh hurried to help her with her stays, then stepped back to look her over. Smiling, she said, "Perfect."
Murine grinned and relaxed a bit, then glanced to the loaf of bread and carrot and asked, "What's this?" The bread might have been meant as a snack to have with the wine, she suppose
d, but had no idea why the servants would send up a knobby, dirty carrot, so fresh from the ground there was still dirt clinging to it.
"Sit down," Saidh instructed, moving to the table to collect their wine.
Murine dutifully sat down, accepted her wine when Saidh held one out to her, then sipped at it, when Saidh raised her own drink to her lips. Much to her surprise, rather than sip at her own wine, Saidh downed the liquid in one long gulp, then set her goblet down with a little grimace.
"All right," Saidh murmured, picking up the loaf of bread and the carrot and turning to her. Holding the loaf up, she announced, "This is you."
Murine's eyebrows rose and she murmured uncertainly, "It is?"
Saidh frowned and peered at the loaf, then turned to set it on the table, pulled a sgian-dubh from her waist and sliced it in half. She then sliced a slit down the center of the loaf as well before setting down her sgian-dubh and turning back to Murine with them.
"This is you," she said, holding up the altered bread so the crusty side was against her hand and the soft center with the slit faced Murine. Raising the carrot, she added, "And this is Dougall."
"Oh," Murine breathed, suddenly understanding what Saidh was doing. Shaking her head, she murmured, "Saidh, I--"
"Do no' interrupt, Muri," Saidh admonished, using the nickname the other women had taken to using when they were all together. "This is difficult enough."
"Sorry," Murine murmured.
Saidh nodded, sighed, considered her props, and then stuck the carrot down the neckline of her gown between her breasts and moved back to the table to pour herself another goblet of wine. After downing that one as quickly as the first, she turned back to move in front of Murine again.
"Right. This is you, and this is--oh hell," she muttered, realizing she held the empty goblet instead of the carrot. The carrot was still in her decolletage. Saidh hurriedly set the empty goblet on the table, retrieved the carrot from her gown, then positioned herself in front of Murine and started again. "This is you, and this is Dougall."
She turned the loaf of bread so the open side with the slit faced the carrot, then proceeded to push the larger end of the carrot into the slit of the bread. "And this," she said, withdrawing and pushing the carrot back into the bread, "is what will happen tonight."
