Chapter 21
The Gathering – Edinburgh Castle
Una stood before the looking glass and barely recognized herself.
She wore the deep blue gown from Bella's boist, the one she had spent months making and never imagined wearing.
The embroidery at the cuffs caught the candlelight as she moved.
Nessa's maid had dressed her hair up at the sides, the rest falling in dark waves down her back.
The earbobs were in her ears. The wedding ring on her finger.
She took one breath. Then she picked up the small, folded cloth from the writing table and went to the door.
***
CORMAC WAS WAITING in the corridor.
He turned when she stepped out and stopped. He stood very still. She watched his face and said nothing.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"No." He crossed to her and took her hand. "Ye are breathtaking, Una. I need ye to hear that and believe it."
She looked at him for a moment. "Thank ye," she replied quietly.
It was only then that she properly took him in.
She had not seen Cormac like this. The full Stewart plaid, the leather belt, crisp white leine, hair tied back, clean-shaved. He looked so braw.
"Ye look very handsome, husband," she said.
"Do I?"
"Insufferably so. Ye know what ye look like. There is no need for me to encourage ye further."
He laughed and drew her hand through his arm.
"Wait," she said.
He stopped.
She held out the folded cloth. He looked at it, then at her, then opened it.
The new purse lay in his palm. Dark linen, flat and wide-mouthed, buttonhole stitch along the edges. On the face, in gold thread, his initials: C.S. Beneath them a small thistle no larger than his thumbnail.
He was quiet for a long moment.
"Una, this is exquisite," he whispered.
"It is nothing elaborate. I had limited material on the road."
"Hush," he said. "I love it."
He turned it over in his hands. Then he unhooked the old pouch at his belt, transferred the contents, and fastened her purse in its place. He pressed it flat and looked down at it. Then he looked at her.
"Perfect," he said. "Just like ye."
She blushed.
He placed his old purse on the corridor table, then reached into the breast pocket of his leine and drew out a fine gold chain. "Turn around."
She turned. The intricate gold chain settled cool at her collarbone and she felt his fingers at her nape, then his lips brush against the back of her neck.
"There," he said. He turned her back, straightened the pendant, and held her at arm's length. "Now ye're ready."
***
THEY WALKED DOWN THE corridor and Ros and Tam straightened. Ros looked at Cormac, then at Una, then back at Cormac. He said nothing. His expression said everything.
Seumas appeared from the alcove and stopped. He took them both in: the matching plaid, the gold at her throat, the purse at Cormac's hip. He grinned. "My lady. Ye look exceptionally well."
"Aye, now stop gawking at my wife," Cormac said with a smirk.
***
AT THE DOORS TO THE assembly hall, Cormac and Una were about to enter when a messenger handed him a note. His jaw set. Then he looked at her.
"There is a matter I must attend to." He pocketed the note. "I cannot bring ye with me and I am not happy about leaving ye to walk in there alone."
"Is it from yer friend ye met with this morning?" she asked.
"Aye."
"All right," she said.
He exhaled. "Seek out Nessa the moment ye are inside.
She will find ye if ye cannot find her." He took her hand in both of his.
"Ye are my wife and ye are the bonniest woman in all the world.
That is all anyone needs to know, and it is more than enough.
" He kissed her firmly. "I will come to ye as soon as I am able. "
Then he was gone down the side corridor.
Una stood alone in front of the double doors. She heard the noise of the gathering on the other side.
She lifted her chin, took a deep breath, and walked in.
***
THE ROOM WAS LARGE and bright with candles along the walls and the last of the afternoon light through high windows. Perhaps seventy people. Una stepped through and stood still a moment, taking it all in. Heads turned. She kept her chin level and scanned the room for Nessa.
She found her in the distance, half the room away, making directly toward her with an open, warm expression. Nessa reached her quickly and took both her hands.
"Una." She stood back and looked at her. "Where is my brother?"
"He had an urgent message. He will join us soon."
"Well, ye look just glorious this evening. That dress is divine. Such tremendous skill in every detail."
The tension in Una's shoulders eased. "Ye look bonnie yerself," she replied. "And thank ye for yer maid. She was wonderful."
"I had a feeling she'd suit ye." Nessa ushered her across the room. "Stay close. Some of these people are polite. Others are not."
Una nodded. She was already making her own assessments. Her gaze moved across the room and stopped.
An older couple stood near the far window. The woman handsome and sharp-eyed. The man broad-shouldered and grey-bearded. She knew that jaw. She had seen it recently on someone younger.
"The couple by the window," she asked quietly.
"Aye," Nessa said. "They are my parents."
Una caught her breath.
"Dinnae fash, they will love ye," Nessa said. "Ma will be surprised at first because she is always startled by things that happen without her arranging them. Then they will both be pleased that Cormac has finally wed."
"Una?" The voice came from her other side. "What are ye doing here?"
Una froze.
Fenella Lockhart stood three feet away in pale rose silk with pearls at her throat. Her eyes moved over Una slowly, taking in the gown, the jewels. Una could see her mind working to process it.
"Hello, Fenella," Una replied.
"Ye should not be here!"
Nessa frowned at the woman's rudeness.
"I assure ye I have every right to be here," Una replied.
Before Fenella could say more, Una heard her aunt's voice.
"Una? What in heaven's name..."
She turned. Her aunt stood close, dressed in deep burgundy silk with the thane at her elbow and Elspeth and Catriona behind. The thane was a tall man with sharp facial features. Elspeth looked equally perturbed. Catriona had gone quite still, her eyes moving over Una with a small smile.
Una's aunt pressed forward and lowered her voice.
"What are ye doing here? Did someone lend ye these clothes?
Are ye working as a seamstress this evening?
I would have thought even ye would understand that there are standards.
The help ought not to be present at a castle gathering. 'Tis most irregular—"
"I am not working this evening," Una said. "I am attending."
"Attending?" Her aunt looked again at the gown, the necklace. "As what, precisely?"
"As a very special guest," Nessa replied for her. "I apologize, but I don't believe we have met."
***
HER AUNT'S ATTENTION snapped to Nessa. She took in the gown, the bearing, the confidence.
"My lady," her aunt said, with an amiable tone she had not used with Una. "I did not realize ye were acquainted with my niece."
"Oh, we are very well acquainted," Nessa replied. "We are practically related." She smiled and said nothing further, not even giving a name.
Her aunt waited for it. None came. She pressed forward. "Una has been a great help to our family. She tutors our daughters in needlework. A remarkable skill."
Una kept a pleasant expression on her face and ignored her aunt's slight.
Nessa did not flinch. "Aye, I hear Una's skills are highly sought after. I have no doubt that soon no noblewoman would be caught dead without one of her creations."
Elspeth and Fenella were still watching Una, eyes moving over the length of her gown. Catriona stood quietly at the edge of the group.
The thane cleared his throat. "Do ye have rooms here in the castle?" he asked Nessa.
"Aye, we do," Nessa replied.
"Then ye must be from a fine family?"
"I am."
The thane nodded and they all stood about awkwardly.
Then the doors at the far end of the room opened.
"His Majesty, King David," was announced.
Every conversation stopped. The room dropped into deference, bows and curtseys exchanged, as the royal procession moved through the assembly. Una lowered her head with the rest until the king asked everyone to rise and be at ease.
She looked up.
The king moved through the room. Behind him, attendants and advisors walked in close formation. Her eyes moved along the line and stopped when she saw Cormac among them.
He was one pace behind to the king's left, scanning the room. He found her. Their eyes met and held. Then he winked.
Una's cheeks warmed.
Beside her, her aunt had forgotten entirely about Una.
"Cormac Stewart," her aunt breathed, watching the procession.
"I had not realized he would be in attendance.
And so close to the king." She touched Elspeth's elbow.
"A man of considerable fortune and excellent family.
His father holds the Stewart lairdship. Unmarried, as far as I am aware.
" She straightened. "I think he will make a good match for ye, Elspeth. But don't stare so openly!"
"I am not staring," Elspeth said, staring.
Fenella remained silent. Her eyes were fixed on Cormac with an expression Una could not quite read.
Her aunt turned briefly to Una and Nessa, as if suddenly remembering they existed. "A fine-looking man, is he not?" She did not wait for an answer. She was already nudging Elspeth and Fenella forward, adjusting her own posture.
Nessa glanced at Una.
Una quietly shrugged.
The king moved through the room, speaking to various assembled parties. Cormac remained with the king's group, listening, nodding occasionally, his posture easy. Several men spoke to him. He answered briefly. He did not look her way again, but she knew he was aware of exactly where she stood.
Una's aunt continued a running commentary directed at Elspeth and Fenella.
"If one of ye could secure even a brief introduction.
He is the sort of match that does not present itself twice.
His father's lands alone, and by all accounts Cormac Stewart himself has considerable means of his own.
Elspeth, ye look well this evening. Fenella, stand up straight. "
Catriona observed her mother with mild amusement.
Then, across the room, there was a small parting in the crowd.
Cormac had stepped away from the king's side. He moved through the gathering toward them.
Una's aunt saw him coming. She drew herself up, touched her hair, and plastered on a smile. Elspeth did the same. Fenella lifted her chin.
Cormac reached them.
Her aunt stepped forward. "Master Stewart. What a pleasure. I am Lady Morag Lockhart, and these are my elder daughters Elspeth and Fenella. We are great admirers of yer family."
Elspeth extended her hand. Fenella offered hers a moment after.
Cormac acknowledged them both with a brief, civil nod. "Miss Fenella Lockhart. At last, we meet," he said. "I believe the king shall have a word with yer father."
The family preened. Fenella looked somewhat flattered that Cormac had singled her out specifically.
Her aunt pressed on. "I do hope we might have the opportunity to further our acquaintance while ye are in Edinburgh. My daughters are very eager to—"
"It was a pleasure to meet ye all. But if ye will excuse me," Cormac said, "I must speak to my wife."
They froze.
Cormac stepped past them entirely. He came directly to Una, stopped in front of her, and gazed at her with the full appreciation he made no effort to conceal. He kissed her cheek.
"Hello, wife," he said. "Did ye miss me?"
"Aye," Una replied. "I did indeed."
He took her hand firmly in his and did not let go. "Come, love. I would like ye to meet my parents and my friend."
Behind him, there was absolute silence.
Then Catriona made a strangled sound as if she was trying not to laugh. "Well done, Una," she whispered. "Very well done indeed."
Cormac turned with Una firmly at his side.
Her aunt's mouth had fallen open. She closed it. Opened it again. The thane had gone rigid. Elspeth looked as though the floor had shifted beneath her. Fenella had gone quite pale.
Her aunt found her voice. "Ye are ... she is ... Una is yer—"
"My wife," Cormac replied. "We are recently wed. This is my sister, Nessa."
Nessa smirked.
***
UNA'S AUNT RECOVERED herself with visible effort.
"Well." A breath. Another. "How wonderful. What a surprise." She looked between them. "I had no idea the two of ye were acquainted, let alone... Una, ye might have said something!"
"There was not much opportunity," Una replied.
"No, I suppose... well." Her aunt rallied. "We must have ye all to dine while ye are in Edinburgh. My husband would be delighted, would he not?" She looked at her husband.
"Delighted," he said with a weak smile.
Cormac inclined his head. "Ye are very kind." He looked at Una. "Shall we go?" he murmured.
Una nodded. His grip tightened briefly.
They moved through the gathering. Una kept her chin up and her steps steady, focused on the warmth of his hand.
***