Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ididnae expect her to be so upset when we left.
Hugh did his best not to stare at Anna, though it was hard to keep his eyes to himself. Salty tracks glistened on her cheeks, and the relative quiet of the carriage was occasionally punctuated by a sniffle from her.
Part of him warred with the fact that she was upset; another part wanted to explain the practicality of his decision. The best he could do for her now was to let her think without his input. He'd wait until she calmed herself down.
For two hours, they rode in a somber silence. Several times, he considered apologizing to her for having her leave so quickly. He stopped himself, knowing that the apology would ring hollow. They'd left out of necessity, and he would do it again if need demanded it.
Finally, Anna spoke, her voice soft with resignation as she asked, "How long is this trip? I don't believe you told me."
"Five days if the weather permits," he said gruffly as he nodded toward the open window. "Rain may delay our travel, but it looks as though we'll miss any storms."
"Five days?" she repeated, sounding horrified. "I've never been on the road so long. I… carriage rides make me feel a bit sick."
"Aye, it isnae a quick journey," he agreed. "Though we are movin' slower than normal on account of all yer things. If it were just the two of us and nothin' else, it would take three and a half. I daenae think the road should be too hard on ye at the pace we're movin'."
For a moment, she remained silent. Then, she nodded, accepting the information. "I suppose the shorter trip would be much more manageable. Perhaps we could make it once a year. And my father could come to the Highlands once a year as well."
"Aye, that could be arranged," Hugh said, glad to have her engaged once more. "Me people would be proud to host yer faither, and we can plan yearly trips."
The compromise seemed more than fair, and it erased some of the deep gloom that hung around her.
She finally looked away from her lap to the scenery passing them by.
Her shoulders were more relaxed, and as they rode into the English countryside, her face seemed to light up at the flora and fauna that existed there.
Hugh hid his satisfaction. If she enjoyed the views here, she would love the landscape beyond the border. He imagined that the first sunrise she saw in the Highlands would leave her speechless.
"So, what will it be like?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the trees that passed them by. "You've mentioned a castle before."
"Aye, Castle McDonald," Hugh confirmed, a hint of pride leaking through. Despite the castle's need for maintenance, it was still a gorgeous home, one that he was glad to be in charge of. "It's a bonnie place, the safest in all of Scotland."
That drew a genuine smile from Anna. Her fingers trailed over her thighs, and her eyes took on a cloudiness that told him she was trying to picture it. Like this, she seemed at peace, revealing the same beauty he'd noticed when he first arrived at her manor.
"Ye will be treated as a queen," he said, meaning each word.
He knew that he'd run into issues with his council.
They were set in their ways, but he knew he'd be able to convince them of her worth.
He knew that her dowry would help win their approval, but he'd demand that she be treated with respect.
All of his people, not just his council, would see her worth.
"That can't be true," she said with a giggle. "Me? A queen?"
"Nay, it's correct," he said with deadly seriousness. "Me maither will love ye. Me brother, he's a bit of a character. Might take a while to warm up to ye, but he will. They're both awaitin' our arrival."
Well, they're awaitin' me arrival, but they'll accept her when they meet her.
"So I didn't just gain a husband," she said, a tremor of awe in her voice. "I gained an entire family."
"Ye did," Hugh confirmed. "And a sister as well. But Arianna is currently away for a few months. She'll be beside herself to finally have a sister."
"That's what I'm most excited about," Anna said with a grin. "I always wanted a sister."
He laughed, imagining Arianna telling him that he must get married soon. If she could not have a blood sister, she would have one by marriage. Though he imagined he'd get an earful from her when she returned and learned that he'd had the ceremony without her.
"Ye'll get along with her quite nicely," he admitted when he recovered. "She'll be the most thrilled to learn about our weddin'. I imagine she'll be beggin' to throw a ceilidh to celebrate all over again."
"Perhaps that will work in our favor. I am quite sore that we didn't get to celebrate properly," she admitted after a beat. "My father would attend. Martha, too. I could even write to my other married friends. Perhaps if we plan the gathering now, everyone will be able to attend."
It dawned on Hugh that Anna may be the most loyal and thoughtful woman that he'd ever met. Already, she was planning a party that included the people from her home and people she hadn't even met yet. Once she was properly acquainted with them, he imagined she'd do whatever she could for them.
"I believe that can be arranged," he conceded, taking a moment to follow her gaze. "Me council will want to meet ye. And they seem to enjoy makin' everyone's lives difficult. I imagine it will take some time to get them to approve a date."
From the corner of his eye, he saw her brow furrow. The confused tilt of her head followed. Finally, she said, "I'm not sure I understand why the council would care about a wedding celebration. Truthfully, I can't quite reason what purpose they serve."
"Ye probably call them somethin' else in England," Hugh said. "Or ye daenae use them at all. Me council is a group of men charged with givin' me advice on decisions. They're supposed to ensure I act in the best interest of me people."
She nodded as she absorbed his words. A chill swept in from the window, causing her to wrap her arms around her body. "That does make sense. Unbiased voices of reason."
"That's the purpose they should serve, aye," he said, unable to cover the hard edge of his voice.
It seemed as though Anna understood what he wasn't saying. She kept her tongue, even as she visibly tucked the information away in her mind. That trait, he thought, would either serve him well or come back to haunt him. With her, he was fairly certain it would be the former rather than the latter.
But I shouldnae underestimate her.
"Ye look as if ye're catchin' a chill," he said, pivoting away from the subject for the time being.
She'd encounter the council on her own soon enough.
"When we arrive at the castle, me first order of business will be gettin' ye a new set of robes.
It gets colder in the Highlands than it does in England. "
"That would be appreciated," she murmured as she closed her window for the evening. "I would hate to be stuck in the castle during the winter."
"It'll get cold even within the castle, Anna," he said, noting the way she pulled her arms more tightly around herself as if to combat the imagined chill. "But ye willnae freeze there. Ye'll only be a bit chilled."
"That makes me feel a little better," she said, nodding after digesting the information. "Though I may have to spend winters next to the hearth."
"Ye and me maither both," he grunted.
The soft sound of Anna's laughter carried them into their next comfortable silence. Hugh knew that it would be a sound he would never stop enjoying.
The road was grueling. Anna's experience of traveling was limited, and she'd never been in a carriage for more than two days.
By the third day, she had welcomed the dingy inn filled with rough-looking characters.
Having a room to herself where she could enjoy not being in motion made these places feel like she was staying in the Queen's castle.
Anything would have been better than being on the bumpy road.
When the dawn of the final day of their journey came, she felt as though she might burst from relief.
She was practically bouncing in her seat, sliding from one side of the carriage to the other.
The sights were so different, especially the further north they went.
They seemed to reinvigorate her as they finished the final leg of their trip.
"You were right," she said breathlessly, her eyes wide. The place had a wild feel to it, as if it were mostly untouched by humans. "I've never seen green so green in my entire life."
"Aye, she's bonnie," Hugh said, though Anna had suspicions that he wasn't talking about the landscape.
"I can't believe I'm goin' to live here," she said, her mind too overwhelmed to take in her observation about her husband. There would be time for that later, she was sure. "I know you told me, but it's so different now that I'm here."
"I ken what ye mean." His agreement was instantaneous, almost wistful, as wistful as a man like him can be. "Words cannae describe it."
She hummed in acknowledgment, seemingly unable to focus on anything but the lush green trees they passed. Along the dirt path, flowers that she'd never seen before bloomed proudly. This was the kind of place that she'd never even dared to dream she'd visit. And now… now, this was where she lived.
Finally, nearly an hour later, Hugh's voice cut through her appreciation. "We're approachin' the village now. They'll be waitin' to greet us, I imagine. Word probably got to them from someone at last night's inn. News travels fast around here."
She nodded, then realized that in the distance, there was a kind of roar. It wasn't distracting, nor indicative of danger. Instead, it was celebratory. It was the sound of someone beloved being welcomed back after time away.
They must really like him. No one responds to English Lords this way.
As they approached the village, the sounds grew louder. Hugh seemed unaffected, but Anna's own excitement grew. She wasn't just married, she was married to someone respected. Her life had undergone a complete transformation, right down to her place in the complicated social stratum.
"We'll have to stop," he said, sounding resigned to the fact. It was clear that he was eager to finish their journey. "They'll want to see me. And ye. They didnae ken I was gettin' married when I left. They'll have heard, and they'll be… insistent. Daenae let them overwhelm ye."
"I won't," she promised, grinning as they approached.
The carriage slowed after a few minutes, then eventually came to a stop.
The sound there was intense, almost deafening.
If Anna were to really listen, she could make out bits of the appreciation that was being offered.
The noise didn't faze Hugh. He stood, stepping up to the door and throwing it open, making the sounds even louder.
"Thank ye for yer warm welcome," he said, the crowd outside quieting themselves to a hush to listen to every word. "I trust ye've been well while I was on me trip."
There was a flurry of voices, each speaking over the other as though eager to report on the happenings that he missed. She caught a flurry of names, confirmation of a pregnancy, and word that someone was stepping in for Hugh while he was out.
"Ach, I approved it," he said, though Anna caught the hesitation in his voice, as though he were telling a lie simply to calm any fears the villagers may have. "Seems everythin' has been goin' as expected, then."
"Yer wife!" someone, a woman, shouted. "Is it true that we have a Lady McDonald now?"
"Aye," Hugh confirmed, offering his hand to Anna. She took it, allowing herself to be brought to her feet. Then, he exited the carriage with her in tow, saying, "This is yer Lady McDonald, Anna. Ye will treat her with utmost respect and honor the authority she holds."
The response was instantaneous. All eyes were on her, looking at her with a type of acceptance that she'd only dreamed of having.
The closest thing to this that she had felt had been her wedding day.
When no one said anything, she realized they were waiting for her to speak, for her to address them as Lady McDonald.
"I'm very happy to be here," she said, picking each word carefully. Her voice threatened to shake with her nerves at being in this kind of crowd. "I will do my best to be the kind of Lady you're proud of."
Immediately, there was an influx of words. People pushed themselves toward her, all asking questions and letting out satisfied cheers. The most she could do was grab onto one of the hands reaching toward her.
"We'll be here for a wee bit," Hugh said, leaning in close to whisper directly into her ear. His hand rested on her back, a solid anchor in the madness. "They willnae be satisfied until they've all had a good look at ye. We still have another hour of travel to get to the castle."
She nodded, shaking hands and listening to the compliments that rolled from the tongues of the villagers without pretense. They didn't seem to want anything in return. They were simply… kind.
I don't know if I'm happy about this or overwhelmed… Perhaps I'm both. But I'm certainly not complaining.