Page 46 of A Highlander's Bride

*

Lady Chisholm stoodin a shadow against the wall after watching the laird leave the meeting with his advisors. He’d been so angry he didn’t see her, which was perfect because she wanted to speak with the elders without the laird knowing.

Hearing voices from within, she stopped before knocking on the door, listening to what the men said.

“’Tis time to have the chatelaine prepare for the wedding,” one of the men said.

Another one spoke. “Between Laird Mackenzie and who?”

“I doona ken. But there will be a wedding tomorrow no matter who stands before Father Matthew.”

The three elders remained silent after that, so Lady Chisholm knocked softly on the door. After they allowed her entrance, she walked into the room and took a seat in front of the table where the men sat.

“Lady Alice is quite anxious to get the wedding underway since Lady Beth has apparently left the castle. I ken the king is on his way and I doona want The Mackenzie to have problems with the monarch.”

The one she knew as Abraham leaned back in his chair. “And how is it ye ken that Lady Beth willno’ return before the king arrives?”

She shrugged, attempting to appear indifferent. “No more than anyone else in the castle kens with men running all over the place looking for her. And it has been days.”

After a few moments of silence, Morgan said, “We have decided to go ahead and set a wedding up for tomorrow. We expect our king to arrive in a day or two. I suggest ye get yer daughter ready to marry the laird. We canno’ continue to wait for Lady Beth to appear.”

Lady Chisholm hopped up, smiling brightly. “I shall speak with my daughter immediately. I will also offer yer chatelaine, Louise, my assistance with planning the wedding festivities.”

Abraham nodded and waved her off.

Finally, things were going her way. She would get Alice’s gown that they’d brought with them freshened up and pressed.

Back when they had received word from the king that Alice would be one of two choices for Lady Mackenzie, she’d had no intention of the laird choosing anyone else besides her daughter. And quickly.

She’d seen it as an answer to her prayers. Alice would become thelaird’s wife and there would be plenty of money to support her and Lord Chisholm.

And the little romance Alice was having with that common man would come to an end.

She hurried up to the bedchamber to which Alice had been assigned. “Get up ye lazy lass. I have great news for ye!”

Alice rolled over in the bed. “I doona feel so well.”

Lady Chisholm strode over to her daughter and bent over. “That is yer own fault for getting yerself in this mess.” She stood and placed her hands at her waist. “Ye will marry the laird tomorrow.”

Alice shot up from the bed. “What! He doesna want to marry me. He wants to marry Lady Beth.”

“Ye ken she has disappeared. She’s run off because she doesna want to marry him.”

Alice threw the bedcovers off and sat up. “I doona want to marry him either.” She pulled on a dressing gown, rubbing her hands up and down her arms against the chill in the room.

“And we all ken Lady Beth is missing,” she continued. “If she did run off on her own, Laird Mackenzie will find her and convince her to marry him. I just need time.”

“There is no time, young lady. The king arrives in a day or two and expects to see the laird married to one of ye.”

Alice crossed her arms over her chest and sat on the bed. “It willna be me.”

Lady Chisholm reached out and pulled her daughter forward by her hair. “Aye, it will be ye. I’m trying to get ye out of the mess ye got yerself into. Now get dressed and meet me in the great hall. We have a wedding to plan.”

*

Gregory, along withLaird and Lady Grant, rode into the outerbailey shortly after sunrise. It had been a gruesome trip back from Castle Grant. They had selected three of the sturdier horses from the Grant stable for the trip.

At Lady Grant’s insistence they only slept for a few hours and took short breaks through the days mostly to give their horses a rest.