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Je
"Yes, well, King Henry must have wanted this to seem a special occasion for celebration, for there are all sorts of English nobles here, too, and a few of them brought their wives. It's very wondrous to behold-the Scots and the English in their velvets and satins all gathered together…"
Je
"Why, they're either exchanging cold looks," Aunt Elinor cheerfully replied, "or pretending they don't know the other half of the room is present."
Je
An ominous hush slowly swept over the hall as Je
But it was not the guests who made Je
Je
Unable to endure his gaze, Je
Fortunately, there was little time to dwell on that, because another horror awaited her directly ahead-the signing of her betrothal contract, which was spread open upon a table. Two men stood beside it, one of them the emissary from King James's court, the other the emissary from King Henry's court, both of whom were here to witness the proceedings.
At the table, Je
The hostility in the room seemed to escalate to frighteningly tangible proportions at his words, crackling through the air like a million daggers hurtling back and forth from the Scots side of the hall to the English. In frozen, mute rebellion, Je
On the table beside the parchment lay a quill and inkhorn and, though Je
Was there an emphasis on the word "sacrifice," Je
As if from afar, she watched her hand slowly reach for it, grasp it, and then sign the loathsome document, but when she straightened, she could not tear her eyes from it. Transfixed, she stared at her own name, written in the scholarly script Mother Ambrose had made her practice and perfect. The abbey! Suddenly, she could not, would not, believe God was actually letting this happen to her. Surely, during her long years at Belkirk abbey, God must have noticed her piety and obedience and devotion… well, at least her attempt to be obedient, pious, and devoted. "Please God…" she repeated wildly, over and over again. "Don't let this happen to me."
"Ladies and gentlemen-" Stefan Westmoreland's bold voice slashed through the hall, echoing off the stone walls. "A toast to the duke of Claymore and his new bride."
His new bride … the words reverberated dizzily in Je
"Please God, don't let this happen to me…" she cried in her heart one last time, but it was too late. Her widened eyes were riveted on the great oaken doors that opened into the hall to admit the priest for whom everyone was waiting.
"Friar Benedict," her father loudly proclaimed as he stood at the doors.
Je
"Has sent us word he is unwell."
Her heart began to hammer.
"And the wedding ca
"Thank you, God!"
Je
Suddenly Aunt Elinor let out a cry of dismay as she recognized Je
The world tilted crazily, then suddenly righted itself. Joy and relief poured through Je
" 'Twill only be a day's delay," he boomed, his back turned to the English. "Friar Benedict is only mildly afflicted, and the good man promises to leave his pallet and come here on the morrow to perform the ceremony, no matter how ill he may still be."