Page 160 of Laird of Flint
She took the scroll from him and made her way across the hall and up the stairs.
Of course, he realized. Carenza might never admit it, but as someone who had been raised to be a perfect laird’s daughter, she was probably reluctant to give birth to a bastard child. Perhaps seeing the marriage decree, signed and sealed by the king, would relieve her conscience and make the birth easier.
Sure enough, when Hallie returned several moments later, it was with a brilliant smile.
“Sir Hew du Lac of Rivenloch,” she announced, “you have a daughter.”
The day dawned crisp and clear, with a fine coverlet of snow that reflected light into the crowded solar.
Carenza gazed at the Rivenloch clanfolk gathered around her and Hew—Laird Deirdre, Hallie, Jenefer, Feiyan, Logan, and Isabel—and felt as if she knew and loved them already. Hew had spent many hours in the byre retelling their stories. She couldn’t wait to visit Rivenloch and meet the rest.
“What are ye goin’ to call her?” Carenza’s father asked as he smiled fondly down at the wee bairn cradled in his arms.
Carenza exchanged a secret smile with Hew, whose eyes hadn’t stopped shining since she’d first shown him his daughter.
“We’re namin’ her Bethac.”
“Ah.” That was all her father could manage. He nodded, and Carenza saw his eyes fill with tears. But he was the Laird of Dunlop. Strong and stiff and stoic. So he cleared his throat and quickly handed Bethac off to her grandmother, Laird Deirdre. Then he mumbled, “I’ll make arrangements for the baptism,” before he rushed out the door.
“Bethac?” Laird Deirdre asked.
Hew replied, “’Twas the name of Carenza’s mother.”
Everyone nodded in approval.
“’Tis a good name for a warrior,” Deirdre teased, gazing down at Bethac with affection.
Hew asked her, “So what happened to Sister Eve? Why did the marriage contract take so long?”
“It seems while Sister Eve was attempting to get the marriage document sealed,” Deirdre said, “she ran into Adam—”
“Adam?” Hew asked.
Feiyan glanced at Carenza and clarified, “My brother.”
Carenza nodded. She already had Hew’s cousins memorized.
Deirdre continued. “They apparently had a series of rather wild misadventures, and Sister Eve landed in…some serious trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Hew asked.
Deirdre shuddered. “I’ll leave that to them to explain. In any event, Adam managed to rescue her.”
Carenza was glad to hear that. As odd as Eve was, she liked the lass, and she still wanted to return that lovely gown to her.
“After that,” Deirdre said, “they procured the king’s signature and seal by some rather questionable means.”
Carenza furrowed her brows. Generally the royal seal was the last to go on a marriage decree. “But how did they get the king’s seal before my father’s?”
“Exactly,” Deirdre said. “In any event, they rushed to Rivenloch for my seal. And we were forced to rush to Dunlop to get your father’s.”
Carenza felt awful about making the Laird of Rivenloch go to all that trouble, until Deirdre bent over wee Bethac and cooed, “But ’twas all worth it, wasn’t it, my precious lass?”
Carenza added, “We’re so grateful ye came. I’m gratefulallo’ ye came. I’ve so looked forward to meetin’ ye.”
Hew’s sister Jenefer leaned forward eagerly. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you as well, ever since I heard about your coo reiving.”
“Aye,” Feiyan said. “Is it true you were once a cateran?”
