fashion. He would learn.
She had little time to think about such things, however, for after retiring briefly to repair the disorder of their dress, the bride and groom were enthusiastically escorted by the wedding party in the traditional walk around the kirk. To ensure good luck and good fortune, it was necessary to keep the walls always upon their right hand, not so easy a task as one might have thought, since a good many of the gentlemen had been celebrating the nuptial day since breakfast and, in consequence, experienced more than a little difficulty with their navigation.
Mary Kate was escorted back to Speyside House by the married gentlemen and accompanied by triumphantly skirling pipes, while Douglas, the ladies, and all the unmarried men followed after. Altogether, theirs was a merry company, and during the next two hours it became merrier still. Just as much drinking of good Scotch whiskey took place as the eating of tasty victuals: The bride cakes were ceremoniously crumbled over the bride’s head, and the bridegroom was toasted until by rights every gentleman present—including the groom, who punctiliously returned each toast with one of his own—ought to have collapsed under the tables in a drunken stupor.
The new Lady Douglas had lost all of her ribbons, but the rest of her costume was still intact when Douglas gave the prearranged signal for her to retire. Since no one was expecting her to leave the festivities so early, the exuberant dancing and general rowdiness covered her exit. Only Margaret, who had also been watching for Douglas’s sign, saw her go. She, too, slipped away, joining her new sister in Mary Kate’s bedchamber.
“Godamercy!” Margaret exclaimed, shutting the door and leaning back against it. “What can Adam be thinking of? There will be a riot when he announces that you are leaving.”
Mary Kate grinned, her head disappearing into folds of silver and lace as Morag, who had been awaiting her, pulled the dress off over her head. Shaking herself free, Mary Kate reached for her hairbrush. “Here, Margaret, be useful as well as decorative. You may brush the cake crumbs out of my hair.” She sat on a stool and stretched out her legs, flexing her bare toes in front of the crackling fire. Margaret took the hairbrush and obediently began brushing the glowing red-gold curls. The maid Polly entered with mugs of ale and a platter of thick-sliced bread, cold lamb, and cheese.
“I mean what I say, Mary Kate.” Margaret absently took a piece of cheese and nibbled at it while she brushed. “Those men below are nearly ape-drunk already, and they expect to take part in a proper bedding. I’ve heard them talking.”
“Pass me some of that bread and meat, if you please. You trouble yourself without cause.” Mary Kate bit into the slab of bread and meat and washed it down with a generous swallow of ale before adding, “Adam said he will attend to everything, and don’t forget, a good many of those men below are his own, drunk or sober. They may not like his orders, but they will obey him.”
Nodding, albeit doubtfully, Margaret observed that she wasn’t certain she had the same blind faith in Douglas’s ability to control his men as Mary Kate had. “But then,” she added with a twinkle, “you have never seen him wrestled to the ground by a mere stableboy. ’Tis true that Adam was but fifteen at the time and the stableboy was three or four years older, but nonetheless, there it is.”
Laughing, Mary Kate bestirred herself and soon changed into her traveling dress. The plain safeguard and black jerkin that would protect her gown during the journey and the dark-green-wool hooded cloak she carried over her arm, seemed plainer than ever by contrast to her rich bride clothes, and despite what Douglas had said, she knew she would cause a sensation when she appeared thus attired before the rowdy wedding party. Drawing a long breath, she turned toward the door and the stairs beyond.
6
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She had little time to think about such things, however, for after retiring briefly to repair the disorder of their dress, the bride and groom were enthusiastically escorted by the wedding party in the traditional walk around the kirk. To ensure good luck and good fortune, it was necessary to keep the walls always upon their right hand, not so easy a task as one might have thought, since a good many of the gentlemen had been celebrating the nuptial day since breakfast and, in consequence, experienced more than a little difficulty with their navigation.
Mary Kate was escorted back to Speyside House by the married gentlemen and accompanied by triumphantly skirling pipes, while Douglas, the ladies, and all the unmarried men followed after. Altogether, theirs was a merry company, and during the next two hours it became merrier still. Just as much drinking of good Scotch whiskey took place as the eating of tasty victuals: The bride cakes were ceremoniously crumbled over the bride’s head, and the bridegroom was toasted until by rights every gentleman present—including the groom, who punctiliously returned each toast with one of his own—ought to have collapsed under the tables in a drunken stupor.
The new Lady Douglas had lost all of her ribbons, but the rest of her costume was still intact when Douglas gave the prearranged signal for her to retire. Since no one was expecting her to leave the festivities so early, the exuberant dancing and general rowdiness covered her exit. Only Margaret, who had also been watching for Douglas’s sign, saw her go. She, too, slipped away, joining her new sister in Mary Kate’s bedchamber.
“Godamercy!” Margaret exclaimed, shutting the door and leaning back against it. “What can Adam be thinking of? There will be a riot when he announces that you are leaving.”
Mary Kate grinned, her head disappearing into folds of silver and lace as Morag, who had been awaiting her, pulled the dress off over her head. Shaking herself free, Mary Kate reached for her hairbrush. “Here, Margaret, be useful as well as decorative. You may brush the cake crumbs out of my hair.” She sat on a stool and stretched out her legs, flexing her bare toes in front of the crackling fire. Margaret took the hairbrush and obediently began brushing the glowing red-gold curls. The maid Polly entered with mugs of ale and a platter of thick-sliced bread, cold lamb, and cheese.
“I mean what I say, Mary Kate.” Margaret absently took a piece of cheese and nibbled at it while she brushed. “Those men below are nearly ape-drunk already, and they expect to take part in a proper bedding. I’ve heard them talking.”
“Pass me some of that bread and meat, if you please. You trouble yourself without cause.” Mary Kate bit into the slab of bread and meat and washed it down with a generous swallow of ale before adding, “Adam said he will attend to everything, and don’t forget, a good many of those men below are his own, drunk or sober. They may not like his orders, but they will obey him.”
Nodding, albeit doubtfully, Margaret observed that she wasn’t certain she had the same blind faith in Douglas’s ability to control his men as Mary Kate had. “But then,” she added with a twinkle, “you have never seen him wrestled to the ground by a mere stableboy. ’Tis true that Adam was but fifteen at the time and the stableboy was three or four years older, but nonetheless, there it is.”
Laughing, Mary Kate bestirred herself and soon changed into her traveling dress. The plain safeguard and black jerkin that would protect her gown during the journey and the dark-green-wool hooded cloak she carried over her arm, seemed plainer than ever by contrast to her rich bride clothes, and despite what Douglas had said, she knew she would cause a sensation when she appeared thus attired before the rowdy wedding party. Drawing a long breath, she turned toward the door and the stairs beyond.
6
H OW
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