Night Before the Wedding by Debra Mullins

Author:Debra Mullins
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Publisher: ePub Bud (www.epubbud.com)
Published: 2012-11-08T22:00:00+00:00

and found their pleasures elsewhere. Was Gabriel such a man?

Fay tugged on her mother’s hand. “Mama, I am hungry.”

“Patience, Fay,” her mother said.

Gabriel crouched down to look Fay in the eye.

“We’re having fresh venison in just a while with potatoes and bannocks and maybe some soup.” The little girl’s mouth fell open. “Truly?”

“I am the chief, and I have declared it so.” Fay sucked in an excited breath, her eyes sparkling. “I canna wait!”

“Neither can I.” Gabriel stood and offered his arm to Catherine. “May I see you to your seat, Catherine?”

“That would be lovely.” She presented her society smile to Vivian and Jean. “I look forward to seeing you again.”

“We’re sitting at the same table,” Jean said. “So we will be dining together.”

“Oh.” Catherine cleared her throat. “How lovely.”

“Fay and Jean always have a place at the chief’s table,” Vivian said. “If you will excuse me, I must go find my husband.” She bustled off into the crowd.

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DEBRA MULLINS

“Mama, come sit!” Fay cried, tugging on her mother’s hand.

Jean sighed and sent a tolerant glance at her daughter. “Please excuse us while we take our seats.”

The two Farlan ladies walked away. Catherine looked at Gabriel. Though nothing was overtly out of place, her instincts were jangling about Jean Farlan. “Jean is a beautiful woman.”

“Beauty runs in your family.” He lifted her hand and brushed his mouth over her fingers.

She tilted her head, watching his face carefully.

“Where is her husband?”

“Jean is a widow.”

“I am sorry to hear that.” She took her hand from his grasp. “And why do they always sit at the chief’s table?”

He frowned at the loss of contact. “Because they are part of the household. Anyone in the household sits at the chief’s table.”

“Part of the household? How so?” He looked at her in genuine puzzlement. “Because they live here.”

“Here?”

“Aye, here. In the castle.”

She let out a slow breath. Could it be he kept his leman here, close under hand? She cast a quick glance at Jean and found the other woman watch-286

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING

ing them. Jean instantly lowered her gaze. Fay bounced beside her, chattering nonstop.

He had told her once that there had been someone precious to him, someone from before he had come looking for his destined bride. Someone he had had to give up.

“Catherine.” Gabriel waited until she looked at him before continuing, “Is something wrong?” She pasted a wide smile on her face. “Not at all.

Let us take our seats, shall we? I am eager for the feast to begin.”

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Chapter 16

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Lachlan Drummond had had way too much to drink. Catherine watched as he roared with laughter and tried to pinch the bottoms of the women who served the food to their table.

She leaned toward Gabriel, who was seated at her left at the head of the table. “Do you see your stepfather?”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “I do.”

“He has had too much ale.”

“Indeed.” Gabriel met her gaze, lowering his voice in conspiracy so only she could hear. “Perhaps after the meal is done, you can ask my mother to escort you to your room.

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