Page 103 of Bride of Ice
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“Go back to sleep.” Hallie flounced over with her back to her pesky sister.
“Did he enjoy the bath?”
“I didn’t ask him,” Hallie muttered over her shoulder.
“Because itsoundedlike he enjoyed it.”
“What?”
“It sounded likeyouenjoyed it as well.”
Hallie flipped back over so fast it made Isabel gasp. “What are you talking about?”
Isabel feigned an unconvincing yawn. “I’m just relieved no one was hurt.” She rolled away, snuggling into her pillow. “Considering all the gasping and groaning that was—”
Hallie grabbed Isabel by the shoulder and whipped her onto her back. “You pesky imp! Were you spying on me?”
Isabel frowned and batted Hallie’s hands away. “Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’thaveto. The way you two were carrying on…”
Hallie’s eyes widened, and her mouth made an O of outrage. She couldn’t even think of words harsh enough to chastise her prying sister.
But chastising Isabel was the least of her worries. “Isabel Cameliard, don’t you dare breathe a word about this to anyone. Not Ian or Gellir or—”
“Why would I do that?” Isabel seemed hurt by the insinuation. “Colbandoesmean to marry you now, aye? He’s a gentleman, after all. He wouldn’t just swive you and—”
“Shhh!” It was bad enough that Isabel knew what she’d done. Hallie didn’t need to hear it described. “Aye. We’re going to be married.”
Isabel ducked under the coverlet to stifle a squeal of joy.
Hallie bit back a smile. Itwasgood news, even if she’d hoped to break it to her siblings herself.
Isabel popped her head back out. “I’m so happy for you, Hallie. I knew he was The One. Didn’t I tell you he was The One?”
“You did,” she admitted, feeling rather magnanimous.
If Isabel wanted to take credit for the match, she supposed there was no harm in it.
“And now you’re going to live happily ever after,” Isabel said on a sigh.
“Well, I don’t know about that.”
A lifetime of happiness was seldom guaranteed when a marriage was made for convenience. But it secretly thrilled Hallie to think about the possibility of having the kind of lasting union her parents had.
“You will,” Isabel insisted. “I can feel it.” Then she yawned and gave Hallie a patronizing pat on the arm. “In the meantime, you should get some sleep. We have to start planning the wedding feast on the morrow.”
Hallie smirked. A wedding feast was the least of her concerns. She had to secure permission for the marriage from her parents and the king first.
With great leadership came great responsibility. Certainly they’d see Hallie had done the responsible thing. She’d done what she was born to do—secured a husband who would bring a peaceful and prosperous future to the clan and strong offspring to carry on the Rivenloch line. Surely they would recognize that.
As if she’d read Hallie’s mind, Isabel sleepily murmured, “Ma and Da are going to love him. You’ll see.”
She hoped so. She hoped that once she introduced Colban an Curaidh to her parents, they would agree she’d made a wise and strategic choice.
She fell asleep, dreaming of an army of sons and daughters, children with her pale hair and his dark eyes, warriors with Highland spirit and Lowland ingenuity.
