Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

nodded, took the Kilt and the extra measure of cloth, and hurried out of the room.
    “ How old do you think this is?” Hannish asked, examining the leather shoes and the laces that crisscrossed up to the knee.
    “ I have no idea, but the kilt wears well and the shoes are quite comfortable. I hope the belt fits.” He unrolled it, reached around Hannish and smiled when it fit. “I could not find the dagger and I looked everywhere in the cottage for it. I suppose it is lost to us.”
    “ What time is it? I do not wish to be late.”
    Cameron laughed. “Fret not brother, they’ll not start without you.”
    “ Has my bride run off yet?”
    “ The last I heard, she was calmly getting dressed. I like her by the way, if any woman can keep you in line, I believe she can.”
    Hannish took off his jacket, laid it of the back of a chair and then sat down to take his shoes off. “I do not deserve her.” Next, he took off his trousers, tried on the shoes and was surprised that they fit so well. “Is it possible we are the same size as our ancestors?”
    “ It appears so, not a runt in the bunch.” Cameron helped him lace the shoes up and then there was nothing left to do but wait. It seemed like it took an hour, but in just a few minutes, Alistair was back with the pressed kilt carefully laid across his arm. After they put the extra length of green with light blue plaid cloth over Hannish’s heart and the shoulder of his white shirt, he tied the wide leather belt around his waist. It took all three of them two complete tries before they got the pleats tucked under the belt right.
    At last, the groom was ready, and the three of them went downstairs.

    The ballroom was the perfect place to hold the wedding and at first Hannish thought they should have a much more lavish affair to celebrate properly. However, preparations for big weddings usually took a couple of months, and Cameron and Flora needed to get back to his business in Scotland. Naturally, everyone on the orphanage committee was invited, but those were the only ones, other than the MacGreagor staff.
    As the time neared, everyone left Sassy and Cathleen alone, and went downstairs. “You can still change your mind,” Cathleen said.
    “ Why would I do that?”
    “ I always thought you loved James.”
    Sassy giggled. “I think of him still, but I do not love him the way I love Hannish. James is more like a brother to me.”
    “ Me too. I hope to marry someday?”
    “ Truly? Do you fancy someone?”
    Cathleen twirled around in her new summer gown. “Brookton is very handsome?”
    “ Sister, you do remember what James taught us, do you not?”
    “ I remember; I will not go willingly.”
    “ I am happy to hear that. Men can be very tempting, I am learning.”
    Cathleen caught her breath. “Leesil, I think I hear the music starting.”
    Sassy put her hand on her chest just the way Abigail always did. She’s been practicing. “Alistair will come for me when…” She heard the knock on the door, watched it open and remembered to breathe. She hugged her sister, took Alistair’s arm and walked with him down the hall, down the magnificent Marblestone stairs, across the parlor and into the ballroom. Alistair walked her down the isle and proudly delivered her to a smiling Hannish dressed in his Scottish tradition.

    Mrs. Leesil MacGreagor would never remember what was said, only that Hannish said, “I do,” and so did she. He kissed her and later, even that was a blur. What she thought about was the wonder of it all.
    She remembered the day the woman told her to carry Cathleen through the front door of the orphanage. Leesil was five, and when they tried to take her baby from her, she put up quite a fight. After they succeeded, she ran back out of the orphanage, but the woman was gone. Each day she prayed for her to come back and get them, but her prayers were never answered. Even now, Leesil wondered who she was – an aunt, an older sister perhaps. Yet years later, Leesil went from being a frightened little girl hiding in a broom closet, to a grown woman in love with a man who was in love with her. What were the chances of becoming a member of the best of all families?
    Furthermore, she was surrounded by all the people she loved…all except Donnel and James. McKenna, whom she adored from that very first day, was now her sister, and Cathleen, whom she feared would one day starve to death, was with her in a wondrous place she never dreamed existed.
    How