“Are ye all right, lass?” Rory asked suddenly, and when she glanced at him in question, he pointed out, “Ye’re rubbing yerstomach. Is it paining ye?”
Dwyn glanced down at herself to see that she was indeed rubbing her stomach, but then it was troubling her a bit. Probably just a result of her worry, she thought, and took another drink.
“So, we’re agreed?” James Innes asked. “We’ll have a ceremony here tomorrow, and hold a second ceremony and celebration atInnes for our people to witness?”
Geordie nodded impatiently. He was fine with that; he just wanted this over with so that he could go tell Dwyn he was marryingher. Or should he ask her? He wondered over that briefly, and frowned. Surely she’d be willing? He didn’t want her to marryhim only because her father had agreed to it. He wanted her to want to be married to him, and her response to him in the orchardmade him think she would. But they hadn’t known each other long, and she had mentioned those worries she had about dying onthe birthing bed.
Geordie frowned as he recalled that. He didn’t intend to allow that to happen. In fact, he decided he’d best press Rory intopromising to stay with them during the last weeks of her every pregnancy so that he was sure to be there to attend it. Ifanyone could see her safely through giving birth to their children, it was Rory. Geordie wasn’t losing her to the birthingbed. In fact, mayhap he should avoid spilling his seed in her. He could live without a child for a while. It was her he didn’twant to do without.
“That’s it, then,” Aulay said, straightening. “If ye’ll just both sign . . .”
Geordie glanced around to see Baron Innes bending to sign the marriage contract. When the man finished, he took the quilland signed his own name, the tension in him easing as he did. It was done. Dwyn would be his.
“I’ll just go talk to Dwyn and tell her—” James Innes began.
“Nay,” Geordie interrupted, straightening from the desk. “I will ask her first.”
Baron Innes raised his eyebrows at that. “There’s no need to ask, lad. The contract is done. She’s yours.”
“I will still ask anyway,” Geordie insisted.
Dwyn’s father shrugged. “As ye will.”
Geordie turned to head for the door, aware that the other two men were following. He led the way out into the hall, and washeaded for the stairs, when he noticed the activity down by the garderobe. Alick, Uncle Acair, Jetta and Dwyn’s sisters, Unaand Aileen, were all standing about outside the garderobe door, looking anxious. He was just wondering what was about whenAlick glanced around and spotted him. The way his brother’s eyes widened just before he rushed toward them, his hands risingas if to soothe a skittish horse, immediately sent alarm coursing through him.
“What’s happening?” he asked sharply.
“’Tis fine. Do no’ panic,” Alick said soothingly. “Rory says she’ll most like be fine.”
“What?” he asked with alarm. “No’ Dwyn?”
His expression was answer enough, and Geordie went to move past him, but paused when Jetta now reached them too, and pattedhis arm, her face a mask of concern. “Dwyn is purging, Geordie. But Rory does no’ think the poison was deadly. Just one tomake her ill.”
“Poison!” he bellowed with alarm, and nothing could have kept him from hurrying forward then.
“Aye,” Alick said as he, Aulay, Jetta and Laird Innes rushed to keep up with him. “’Twas in her drink. She complained hertummy was upset, and Rory grabbed a pitcher to refill her glass thinking a drink might settle her stomach, but then he suddenlystopped and sniffed her mug. The next thing we all knew, he’d jumped up, scooped up Dwyn and rushed away from the table. Bothgarderobes below were busy and he had to bring her up to this one. He was just in time too. She started retching just as Igot the door open.”
“It was in her mug, no’ the ale?” Aulay asked behind him.
“As far as I ken,” Alick said with a frown.
“Go and check,” Aulay ordered, and Alick turned and hurried away to the stairs as Geordie urged Dwyn’s sisters aside so thathe could get to the garderobe door. He reached for the handle, but paused as he heard the violent retching coming from theother side of the door.
“She’ll be embarrassed do ye see her getting sick like this,” Una said quietly. “She does no’ like to appear weak in fronto’ anyone.”
“Aye,” Aileen said sadly. “She’s always had to be strong fer us, ye see. ’Tis why we are so determined to see her married.She was a good mother to us. She should have children o’ her own, and a husband to care for her, instead o’ always havingto be the strong one.”
The words struck Geordie like a blow, and he turned to spear her father with a furious gaze. “Dwyn was nine when yer secondwife died. I knew she helped take care o’ her sisters after that, but surely ye did no’ leave her to raise them on her own?”
“Aye, he did,” Una said, and he could hear the resentment in her voice. “She ran the keep too, and even took care o’ listeningto the villagers’ complaints, and judging disputes.”
“She also arranged our betrothal contracts,” Aileen said quietly.
“Like Conran’s Evina,” Aulay said grimly.
“Dwyn wanted to do all that,” Laird Innes said with exasperation.
