Page 38 of Her Highland Prophecy
He spent the walk to the dining hall pointing out some things to help her navigate the Castle. It would take a much more thorough explanation, but that would have to wait.
He could hear the dull roar of voices coming from the hall as they approached. If everything had gone as planned, anyone who lived in the Castle and many of those whose homes were within an hour’s ride were waiting for them.
“Ready?” he asked Diana.
“As I’ll ever be,” she responded with a sigh.
With a smile he rounded the last corner and then they were within sight of the double doors leading into the large room. He felt Diana’s hand tense on his arm, so he placed his other hand over hers, hoping to calm her. The next few minutes were probably the most important in gaining a positive reaction from the Clan.
A hush fell across the crowded room as he and Diana walked through the long tables. He looked around at the faces he had known since childhood trying to gauge the general feeling in the room. The Sutherford Clan was extensively large and he could see a large number of his cousins, aunts and uncles dotted around.
A murmur arose in the crowd, becoming louder and louder as they passed each section of the laden tables. What felt like a lifetime later they finally stood in front of the head table.
His father was in front of him, his face betraying nothing of the apprehension he had shown earlier. Their eyes met for a moment, his father giving him a tiny nod before standing. The Clan instantly fell silent again.
“Failte, family, friends. Welcome to ye all. I ken that ye are all hungry, but we have all gathered here this evening to celebrate me son’s betrothal to this fine young lady, Miss Diana Huntington.”
A polite smattering of applause greeted his words. Next to him, Diana smiled and he admired how steady it looked despite her earlier bout of nerves. He would never have known she felt uneasy at all if it hadn’t been for the way she had clung to him before they entered the room.
His father lifted his glass toward them.
“May ye be blessed with a long and happy life together.Slainte!”
“Slainte!” echoed the Clan, more boisterously than before as they drank to their health.
He reached up to the table, poured two glasses of whisky and handed one to Diana. He turned them to face the crowd.
“Thank ye all!” he called. “We are verra happy to be here, celebrating with ye.Slainte!”
He lifted his cup and then drained it, urging Diana to drink as well. He was both amused and impressed when she barely grimaced at the taste of the drink. She must have had some in her time.
After they were finished, everyone slowly started turning back to their own groups to eat and talk. He and Diana walked around the head table and took their seats to the right of the Laird’s chair as was customary.
The table was laden with food of all different kinds, but he noticed that even so, Diana was looking around at the platters around them with a mild look of disgust on her face.
“Ye truly are a Princess,” he chuckled, and she turned around to look at him. Her eyes were wide and he realized that what he had taken for disgust was actually mild panic.
“Gordain!” she whispered. “I don’t know what any of this is.”
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice.
“Dinna fash,a nighean. Here, why don’t ye try this one? It is fish,” he suggested, discreetly pointing out the dish he was talking about. She deflated slightly and nodded.
“Thank you.”
He picked up her plate, put a small amount of food on it for her and then handed it back.
“Ye should also try the pheasant. It is verra guid,” Bhaltair said from her other side. She startled and looked over at him.
“Diana, this clot heid is me cousin, Bhaltair,” Gordain introduced.
“Pleasure to make yer acquaintance, Diana,” Bhaltair said charmingly. “Ye need to tell me how ye managed to persuade that one to marry ye. We thought it wouldnae ever happen.”
Diana and Gordain both chuckled.
“Shut yer gob, Bhaltair,” Gordain said. “Ye ken well that nay lass can resist me.”
“I ken a few lasses who would say otherwise!” Bhaltair retorted.
