Caledonia

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The crowd was chuckling at this brash reply. He quickly dismounted, helping Callie down, and gave the older woman a bear hug, completely lifting her off the ground before putting her back down as gently as he lifted her. He smiled at the woman before turning to wink at his wife. "Callie, this is my Aunt Glenna. She is my father's only sister. She's the one lucky to call Malcolm her husband."

"Lucky indeed!" Glenna agreed with a genuine smile for her nephew's wife. "It's so lovely to meet you, Mistress Callie. It's my honour to be the first to welcome you home."

"I'm pleased to meet you." Callie answered.

Glenna pronounced. "Alex, we will be needing to throw you two a wedding feast and have a ceilidh, so the rest of our clan can meet your lovely bride!"

"Aye, that's a grand idea. We can have it in a few nights to give time for word of it to spread. I'm tired out from the journey here, so we'll sup in our room tonight." Alex said, his strong arm snug around Callie's waist. "Can you arrange for some clothes to be made for Callie, Auntie?"

"Aye, with pleasure." Glenna shot Alex a knowing look. Never once had he admitted fatigue and she had known him since the day he was born. She teased him. "I shall order a bath brought up to your room. You smell like you could use one."

"Aye, that's true enough." Alex laughed heartily again. "It's good to be home."

"Did you not think we might like to attend a wedding of yours, brother?" A younger woman with hair a bit lighter than Alex's was staring rudely at Callie.

"Bella, it couldn't wait." Alex offered a kiss on her forehead, but she backed away and continued to pout.

"Did you get her with child? Is that why you did it on the sly?" His sister pointedly asked, staring at Callie's midsection. 

"Bella, hush!" The dark-haired girl said, standing next to her. "Don't be so rude."

"Nay!" Alex glared at her. "Callie, this is my rude, baby sister, Bella, and the lovely, quiet one next to her is our cousin, Phoebe."

"Isobel." His younger sister corrected Alex with a pout. "Only family get to call me Bella."

"She is married to Alex. That makes her part of our family now, you dolt!" Phoebe admonished her cousin before smiling at Callie. "Delighted to meet you." 

"Thank you, Phoebe. It's nice to meet you both." Callie tried to smile, but didn't quite make it, still shocked by the bold accusation of Alex's younger sister about him only marrying her if she was expecting a baby. 

Bella didn't return it or reply leaving an awkward silence while Alex glared at his sister. He pulled Callie even further into his embrace with no explanation needed in terms of who came first with him now. Phoebe looked amused at the silent gestures being exchanged by the Campbell siblings. Alex had explained to Callie on their way to the castle about his maternal cousin who was raised in Ireland, then adopted by his parents into their clan after the death of her own. Callie realised the girl must have been young when she came to live with Alex's family, as there was no trace of Irish in her accent.

"I'm Rory." A young man moved in front of Callie to kiss her hand with a twinkle of his eyes and a grin. "I'm Bella's more handsome twin. It's lovely to meet you, Callie. We never expected Alex to marry, let alone to such a beauty!"

Rory had the same dark hair and light brown eyes as Bella. He was nearly as tall as Alex, but lanky in build. However, his breezy speech left Callie turning pink at his praise. Alex was torn between wanting to throttle Rory and grin wickedly back at him with pride. Callie recovered, smiling shyly at her new husband. "I see you aren't the only one who was blessed with the famous Campbell charm."

Rory grinned. "Any younger sisters by chance?"

"Nay, just me." Callie shook her head no. "Sadly, I don't have any siblings."

"Too bad." Her new brother-in-law mocked a pout not unlike the one of his twin sister.