Page 59 of Never Fall for a Highlander

She touched his chin.“Aye, I wish for that too, but I do want to dance in my husband’s strong arms.”

As the guests finished their meals, the kitchen lasses removed the remains and some of the younger guardsmen moved the tables against the wall.Soon the musicians started up and Finn signaled for them to stop and stood, holding his glass in the air.

“I want to wish my brother and my new sister the best of everything in life.”He looked at Robin.“Ye made an excellent choice, Brother.”He then grinned and looked at Helena.“As for ye, Sister, I’m no’ too sure ye did the right thing.”

Laughter rang out as Finn shouted, “Slainté!”

Robin and Helena started the traditional grand walk around the room, holding their hands up, followed by their family members, and then the guests.

The musicians began playing and Robin swung Helena into his arms.“Ah, I finally have ye close.”He lowered his voice.“But no’ close enough, and certainly with too much clothing on.”

The music moved on to a more riotous number and Finn grabbed Helena’s hand and whisked her off.“’Tis my turn to dance with the bonnie bride.”

After an hour or more of being passed on from one man to another, Helena looked in the crowd for Robin.He was backing away from a guest, his hands raised.It appeared he’d had enough of celebrating.

So did she.

Just then a group of women walked onto the area where the dancers had just finished a number.“’Tis time for the bedding ceremony.”

Helena’s heart dropped.She had heard of that, but as a plain, simple village girl, had ne’er expected to be involved in one.On the other hand, Robin being a laird, it was considered part of the wedding ceremony.

She looked across the large room at Robin and panic set in.He made his way to her just as the women were dragging her off.“All is well, Helena.I will see ye upstairs.”

Chapter twenty-five

The only reason Helena hadn’t run screaming from her new bedchamber was because Jena and Ainslee were there, smiling at her.Buckets of hot water and then some cold water were brought up by a string of maids who filled the bathtub a few of the servants had carried up.

The women poured sweet-smelling oil into the water and before she knew it, she’d been stripped and placed into the tub.Not ever having a maid to assist her in any way, she had never been naked in front of another person.

There was a great deal of laughter since it appeared the women had partaken of plenty of drink.Remarks were made that she didn’t understand, and a there was plenty of winking.

She was removed from the tub, dried off and stood in the center of the room wrapped in a linen while one of the women combed her hair.“I have a new night gown I am going to wear.”

The women just laughed and continued to move her toward the bed.Once she arrived there, they whipped the linen off her.“Ye doona need a night gown, lass.Yer husband will have it off ye in a flash, anyway.”

They pushed her under the bedcovers just as raucous male laughter came from outside the door.“The men are here,” one of the women shouted.

The door slammed opened and Robin was shoved into the room.There was almost more noise here in the bedchamber than there had been in the great hall.With the women still present, the men stripped Robin of his clothes, and lifted the bedcovers, shoving him in next to her.

More laughter and it appeared no one had intended to leave any time soon.Helena knew her face was bright red since it had been almost impossible for the men not to get a glimpse of her naked body when they flipped the bedcovers.

“Come on, laird, get to it.We need to make sure yer marriage is duly consummated.”

Helena sucked in a deep breath and looked frantically over at Robin who glanced in her direction and gave a slight shake of his head.“Nay, sorry, men, but my wife and I need some privacy.”

“Ye will have privacy the rest of yer life.Now ye wouldn’t want to have everything wondering if ye took care of business or no’,” Luden, one of the top guardsmen grinned at him and the rest roared with laughter.

Finn stepped to the front of the group.“Now, lads and lasses, the laird has requested privacy.I’m sure he’ll be happy to hang the sheet tomorrow for ye all to see, but for now I suggest we return to the great hall and continue our celebration.”

Groans of unhappiness filled the room, then one of the women said, “Just be sure no’ to make more noise than we will downstairs, Laird.”

Hoards of laughter, again.The group had truly been celebrating and between the stress of what they’d put her through and the loud voices and hilarity, Helena had the beginnings of a headache as large as the ones those celebrating would have in the morn.

Finn started moving the crowd outside the room, with continued groans and complaints.Once the last of the folks left, Finn turned to them and winked.“I’ll have Maude send up food in the morning.You’ll need yer strength.”With those words he closed the door and she could hear him laughing as he walked away.

Helena let out a deep breath.“That was quite embarrassing.”

“Aye.They mean well, though.And with how soused they all are they won’t remember anything about this in the morn.”