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“William!” Grace cried, feeling a great wave of relief wash over her. “Thank God! He will see to everything.” She sipped her whisky, relishing its sweet burn as it made its way down her throat and settled in her stomach.
* * *
Grace could barely sleep, waiting for her brother’s arrival. Waking up at first light, she kept pacing around the room, constantly checking outside her window, until her brother’s carriage appeared in the distance. She ran to the main gates and embraced her brother. “Will! I am so glad to see you!” She hugged him tightly, taking solace in his warm embrace. Will had always been her support during difficult times, and she hoped that he would do the same now that she needed him the most.
William looked shocked for a second, then he laughed as he wrapped his arms around his sister, thinking that she was merely giving him a warm welcome. “Good day to you too, wee sister!” he said fondly. “How was your journey? It’s bucketing down outside—I was worried that our carriages might become stuck in the mud.”
“I am fine.” Grace drew out of his arms and sat down in a chair by the fireplace. Then she sighed in anger and frustration. “No, that is a lie. I am not fine. Will, I have just had some sudden and terrible news.”
Will rushed to her side at once. Grace was his only sibling and he was fiercely protective of her. He put an arm around her shoulders and looked into her face. “Tell me about it,” he said anxiously.
Once again, Grace went through the story of Robert’s sudden announcement and her reaction to it. William was appalled, absolutely unable to believe what he was hearing.
“This is no way to treat a person to whom you have made a solemn promise!” he said angrily. “I will speak to both of them at once!”
He jumped to his feet, but Grace caught hold of his arm and stopped him from leaving.
“It’s best you are not angry when you speak to them, Will,” she said gently. “Then you will have less control of yourself. We are all having dinner together tonight. Perhaps there will be a chance to talk to him then.”
Will nodded his head slowly. “I know you are right, but I feel like going to see both of them now so that I can bash their heads together!” He began to pace, then eventually stopped and flopped down onto the chair again.
“You look tired,” Grace observed, sighing. “You should rest for a while, Will.”
“I’ll try, but I think I am too angry!” William growled. He looked closely at his sister, frowning.
“Grace, I would not pin too much hope on having this matter resolved in your favor. This marriage was and is a political one, and the fact that you and Fergus cared about each other only mattered to you and him. Mother and Father will be sad that you are not marrying the man you love, but it may not make them change their minds about marrying into this family. It is the alliance that matters, and although it sounds callous, yours and Fergus’s feelings don’t matter too much.” He sat down again. “I will speak to them and try to talk some sense into them, but please don't hold out too much hope. At the moment, Robert will seem as good as Fergus to them, maybe even better since he is Laird.”
“Thank you, for wanting to stand up for me, William.” Grace smiled at him sadly, then bent down to kiss his forehead.
“I’m sorry I cannot be of more help, but I will do my best for you,” he assured her.
“I know you will,” Grace said fondly. “None of this is your fault, big brother. Have a rest, and I will meet you at dinner.”
William watched Grace as she went out, sighing. He was not looking forward to meeting either of the two MacAndrew brothers again. Of the two of them, he was more angry with Fergus, for not standing up against his brother, but he could not share that with Grace. She was far too upset already.
* * *
Crissy turned Grace around so many times to look at her, that she was almost beginning to feel dizzy. She was dressed in a mustard-colored velvet dress with a sweetheart neckline which was edged in lace, long bell sleeves, and a skirt with a slit down the front which showed her lacy, frilly petticoats. Her hair was swept up in a loose knot and studded with pearls, and she wore a diamond pendant on a gold chain around her neck.
“Ye look very smart, hen,” Crissy observed, smiling.
“Pfft!” Grace said dismissively. “I feel overdressed and uncomfortable, Crissy. I would like nothing more than to go to bed and read until I go to sleep. I have the feeling that I’m going to be eaten alive!”
Crissy laughed, then grew serious. “Put a’ your worries behind ye for tonight, hen, an’ try tae enjoy yourself. Try tae meet some nice people, especially lassies your own age. Ye will need all the friends ye can get in this new place. Go out there an’ enjoy yourself!”
Grace did as she had been bidden, but as soon as she entered the dining room she saw every eye in the room swivel towards her, and felt like turning and running back out of the door again. However, she raised her chin and smiled at everyone, just as Robert arrived at her side and escorted her to the table.
There were twenty guests in all, and everyone was scrutinizing her and making sure she passed muster as Robert introduced her to everyone as ‘his betrothed’.
This was a lie. She had never been betrothed to Robert, and never would be, if she had anything to do with it. Still, Grace allowed herself to be paraded around the table until it was time to be seated. Hopefully, Robert would now stop talking, and begin to eat his food, she thought.
She thought wrong. When he sat down, Robert became more voluble than ever, not giving Grace a chance to get a word in edgewise, and she had a feeling that the more whisky he drank, the more talkative Robert would become.
Grace looked across at Fergus, who was sitting further down the table on the other side. He was eating silently, ignoring all conversation around him, but he looked up suddenly, straight into Grace’s eyes. They stared at each other for a split second, then he dropped his gaze to his plate again, looking angry.
‘What have I done to make you treat me this way?’Grace wondered. She felt utterly miserable, but did her best to conceal it, as she joined in a conversation with a few other young ladies. It was mostly about trivial things, but it briefly diverted her attention from Robert, who was pontificating at the end of the table. Grace wished he would keep his mouth shut and give someone else a chance to speak.
“When Grace and I are married,” he said with an air of self-importance, “we plan to have a big family. At least six. Eh, Grace?” He looked up at her with raised eyebrows and gave her an encouraging smile.
