“An hour?” he protested with dismay.
“This is yer life we are about to negotiate, Geordie,” he pointed out. “And hers. Ye can spare an hour to see ’tis done right.”
Sighing at that, Geordie glanced toward Dwyn as she laughed again.
“Aye,” was all he said, but he followed silently as Aulay led him to the lower table where Dwyn’s father sat talking to Unaand Aileen.
Chapter 8
“Tonight?” Baron James Innes squawked. He’d been most accommodating until this point in the conversation, nodding calmly asAulay explained that Geordie would like Dwyn to wife. The man did not even seem surprised. He’d agreed with all the pointsAulay had made, assuring them that Geordie would be his heir and the next laird, even saying that he grew weary of the taskand would be pleased to share it with him until Geordie had a chance to get a feel for the place and the people and was readyto take over fully as laird. It was only when Aulay got to the part about the marriage taking place right away, that veryevening, that James Innes had balked.
“Are ye mad?” the man asked now. “How would that look?”
“I do no’ care how it looks. I want her. Now,” Geordie said grimly.
James Innes narrowed his eyes on him, and then dropped to sit on the edge of Aulay’s desk and shook his head. “Ye’ve fallenhard fer the lass, just like I did her mother all those years ago. The two are so much alike, I sometimes . . .” He sighedand glanced to Geordie. “It snuck up on ye, did it no’? Ye most like looked at Dwyn and thought she was a nice enough lass,a small wren, not displeasing to the eye, but by no means as lovely as a white swan, or as majestic as the golden eagle. Andthen she smiled, and laughed, and began to speak, and ye saw the swan hiding behind the wren. And did ye kiss her, or anythingelse, ye found the golden eagle and its mighty talons have got ye by the scruff o’ the neck now.”
Geordie remained silent, but blinked at the words. They described things pretty well, except he would have said it was hisballocks the eagle had in its talons, and he liked it. In fact, he wanted more of it.
“Well.” James stood up and straightened his shoulders. “I understand yer eagerness. I have been there meself. But I’m goingto make ye wait until tomorrow night.” He held up a hand for silence when Geordie started to protest, and pointed out, “LadyJetta already planned for a feast tomorrow, and me daughter deserves a feast fer her wedding. She deserves to remember herwedding day fondly, and as special. No’ as some rushed affair ere ye tumble her and take her maiden’s veil.”
Geordie forced himself to relax. Dwyn did deserve a wedding feast. He could wait one night and day to give her a celebrationshe might be able to remember fondly.
“Very well,” Laird Innes said solemnly, correctly taking his silence as agreement. “Then let’s get this contract drawn upand signed.”
“There we go, then. This leather should protect the linen that protects yer feet.”
Dwyn smiled at Rory Buchanan as he finished wrapping a soft thin leather around the linens he’d already bound her injuredfeet with. They looked ridiculously big now he was done, but she could sit on the bench seat and set them in the rushes withoutworry of infection. Which was something at least.
“No more airing them out,” Rory added firmly now. “I ken most people think ’tis good for a wound to be aired on occasion,but I’ve found it slows healing rather than aids it. And the risk o’ infection increases, especially on feet.” Straightening,he met her gaze. “And ye must still stay off them fer now, especially the right foot. Ye’ve a couple o’ deep cuts there thatare like to split open the minute ye put weight on it. They’ll heal quicker do ye stay off them.”
“Aye. I’ll stay off them,” Dwyn assured him when he paused expectantly.
“Will she be able to dance by tomorrow night?” Una asked as Rory started putting his medicinals back in his bag. She and Aileenhad come to join them shortly after Aulay and Geordie had disappeared above stairs with their father. The pair had hoveredbehind the men, paying close attention to everything Rory had said.
“Me sisters,” Dwyn explained when Rory and the other two men turned to peer at the two brunettes eyeing them with concern.Gesturing to the taller lass wearing a cream dress today, she said, “This is Una, and—” she gestured to the shorter lass ina dark green gown “—Aileen.”
A moment was spared for the men to offer up greetings and for Una and Aileen to respond, and then Rory answered Una’s question.
“I’m thinking she will,” he said cautiously. “At least for a dance or two.” Turning back to Dwyn, he added, “I would no’ overdueit though. And I’d advise ye to stay off yer feet until then. But keep the linens on until I look at them again. Do no’ eventake them off in bed.”
“I will,” Dwyn promised, but asked, “Can I sit on the bench seat now rather than the tabletop?”
Chuckling, Rory moved his bag of medicinals and then clasped her by the waist and lifted her off the table, to set her onthe bench.
“Thank ye,” she murmured as she swung her feet over the bench and turned to face the table. Her gaze struck on Catriona andSasha as she turned, and Dwyn noted the looks being sent her way by the pair, but merely sighed wearily at the sight. Truly,the two women were always glaring at her, and she was growing sick of it. She knew they saw her as somehow usurping attentionthey wanted, but one would think they’d realize by now that it wasn’t intentional, and that their own attitudes were not gainingthem attention, at least not the kind they wanted.
“So,” Rory said now, settling on her right while Una
