Page 84 of Highlander's Captive Bride
“Grand. Have ye told him yet?” Daisy asked, her arm linked through his, bumping against him as they strolled leisurely among the flower beds.
“Nay, but I will later.”
“I’ve decided I’m going to ask Poppy if she’ll be me maid of honor. If I choose one of me sisters, they’ll only quarrel about it. I’d love Poppy to do it. We’ve grown close over the weeks.”
“Aye, ye’ve spent so much time together,” Bellamy observed.
“Can I make a suggestion, then?” she asked, a twinkle in her eyes.
“I’m nae sure. Why d’ye nae go ahead and make it, and I’ll tell ye then,” he said.
Daisy laughed. “Well, it’s Jamie and Poppy.”
Bellamy looked at her with a perplexed expression. “What about them?”
“Och, ’tis just a feeling I’ve had since the first time I saw them together. I’ve seen the way they look at each other,” she told him. “I’m sure they like each other. And if I’m right, and it works out well for them, then it’ll be grand to ken we gave them a chance to find love, too.” She beamed at him.
“I’ve never noticed,” Bellamy said, still looking puzzled.
“Why is that nae news to me?” Daisy drawled, laughing again.
“So, ’tis a bit of matchmaking ye’re up to, eh?”
Daisy smiled and nodded. “Aye, but I think ye should put them in charge of planning the wedding. A little project they can work on together.”
Bellamy nodded. “Very well, bonny lass, consider it done.”
* * *
The very next morning, Jamie and Poppy found themselves summoned to Bellamy’s study and assigned the task of planning the wedding, with as many servants at their disposal as they wanted and a limitless budget.
“Och, M’laird, the honor is too much,” Poppy had protested at first. “I cannae do it!”
“There’s no one else I trust more to do it right than ye two. Daisy and I cannae think of anyone we want to do it more. We dinnae want anything fancy, just stick to the traditions. That is if ye want the job,” Bellamy said.
Poppy said nothing for a moment, looking confused. She tottered slightly, and Jamie’s arm shot out to steady her. She looked up at him almost imploringly.
“I’m sure we can do it together,” Jamie told her with a smile, his eyes twinkling. “I ken how good ye are at organizing things, from the way ye look after Elodie. And the servants will help, too. And I’ll arrange all the other things. If the weather stays like this, we can have the party in the gardens,” he suggested.
Poppy beamed up at him. “That sounds grand. Well, if ye think I can do it,” she said breathily.
“I dinnae think it, lass, I ken it,” Jamie told her.
She blushed crimson.
“So, will ye do it?” Bellamy asked.
“Aye, we’ll do it,” Poppy and Jamie declared in unison, then laughed at themselves.
Bellamy could only stare at them in wonder, marveling at Daisy’s ability to notice such things as his best friend being obviously absolutely smitten by a woman right under his nose when he knew nothing about it.
Since then, Daisy saw the pair together often, talking animatedly about the wedding arrangements and their duties as best man and maid of honor. She shared all this with Elodie and her sisters, and they all found it most entertaining to watch what developed between the potential couple and reported regularly back to Bellamy.
Naturally, Daisy said goodnight to Bellamy on the eve of their wedding day and chastely went to share a chamber with her sisters for the night. Tradition said the groom could not see the bride until the ceremony the following day, to Bellamy’s disappointment.
“If I’m to be deprived, then I’ll just have to make up for it on our wedding night,” he had whispered to Daisy lasciviously when the subject had come up between them. His words had sent shivers of anticipation down her spine.
“Dinnae try to tempt me to go against tradition,” she had replied with pretend primness before kissing him passionately.
