The Laird of Lochlannan (Bonnie Bride Series Book 2) by Fiona Monroe

Author:Fiona Monroe [Monroe, Fiona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fionna Monroe
Published: 2015-09-27T17:00:00+00:00

Sir John and Lady Ross, with an impressive retinue of servants, arrived within three days. Their son had already returned ahead of them on horseback, and the wedding was set for Friday, three days after this.

Sir John was an energetic, excitable man who seemed younger than Catriona had imagined he would be. He appeared to have lost none of the vigour of youth, and she supposed he must have married early and be not yet fifty. He had the same flaming red hair as his son, peppered only slightly by age. Lady Ross was a quiet, faded woman with little to say, and this clearly suited her great friend Lady Buccleuch; one talked about nothing and the other said nothing, for happy hours at a time.

Sir Duncan talked loudly and cheerfully about arrangements for the wedding to everyone, while Caroline sat by silent and glum. Catriona watched Caroline anxiously, unable to believe that she would not speak to Mr. Ross before Friday came. She could not imagine allowing herself to be married against her will, through inaction or fear. And yet it was Tuesday, and then it was Wednesday, and Friday was only two days away; and still, it seemed, Caroline was allowing the preparations to go ahead.

Catriona had asked her cousin several times whether she intended to speak to Mr. Ross, and attempted on each occasion to urge her to do so. Caroline's response was always, "I cannot, I cannot," uttered in a low agitated voice, and she always got away from her as soon as possible. Then Catriona began to suspect that Caroline was actively avoiding her, or at least being alone with her.

It worried her very much, perhaps more than it ought. She was mindful of Sir Duncan's clear and not perhaps unjust warning, that this was a family matter of no concern to her; she who was no more than a distant connection, lately arrived in the household. But exasperating as she could be, Caroline was her friend as well as her cousin-in-law, and she was moreover her only companion at Lochlannan. She did not want to see her take this serious, irredeemable step in such a frame of mind. She did not want her to leave Lochlannan, not under these circumstances anyway.

She even felt sorry for Mr. Ross. He was a decent young man, and clearly did adore Caroline, and tried in his unimaginative way to cheer and comfort her. She felt he did not deserve to have a wife who cared nothing for him and loved another; she thought he would be better advised by Sir Duncan, who obviously had great influence over him, to go away and put Caroline out of his mind and find another young lady who could return his love. But it all seemed far too late now.

On Wednesday evening after dinner, Caroline looked particularly miserable. She had kept up a decent pretence of conversation with Mr. Ross at dinner, although he had done most of the talking as usual. But as soon as the ladies withdrew, she pleaded a headache and said she would go straight to bed.

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