Mackenzie(ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

I turn from the mirror when there is a knock at the door, before Adonna makes her way in, holding a bin of fresh water.

She glances at me, nodding curtly when I smile.

"Hello... Adonna, is it?"

"Aye, mistress. I've brought ye fresh water for the night."

"Thank you," I murmur, as she pours the water into the porcelain bowl set on top of the table. She doesn't answer me, let alone look my way. "So, have you been here long?"

Stupid question.

"Aye," she says, shortly. I get the picture. She's not chatty. She's on her way out when she stops by me, glancing at my laces. "Would ye like me to tighten up your laces, miss?"

I look down dubiously and chuckle. "... Are they done wrong?"

"Do ye always have them done up loosely?"

I stare at her, blinking. "Um, usually. I don't like them done up too tight."

"Of course. S'not my place to infer on it."

She bounds to the door and leaves as quickly as she appeared. I stare at the door for a moment, dumbfounded, unable to tell if she was insulting me or not. I look back into the mirror, glancing over the dress before I begin to undo the laces.

...

"You're lovely."

I take MacCallan's hand, smiling wide. Maybe too wide. The constriction on my midsection may be impairing my brain. Maybe even killing brain cells... I'm not sure.

"Thank you," I murmur, shutting the bedroom door. "Are they here?"

He nods, walking forward with me. "Aye, they're here. And rather excited to meet ye."

Taking a deep breath, I follow him down the hall, knowing my future rests upon this night. My marriage to MacCallan has equal meaning but this is when it's decided whether this place is a house or a home. Whether his family will also be my family.

I close my eyes, nervous enough to be sick. I wish Ann were here.

Chatter begins to sound as we near the drawing room and I consider stopping in my tracks and making a run for it back into my room. It's only MacCallan's reassuring squeeze of my hand before he lets go that keeps me moving forward.

The room is well-lit and rather full. They turn, all of them, at our entrance. I see Cullen, seated with a shawl of plaid around his shoulders. Beside him, standing is Ennis, the man I met coming in to Calluna. There's a woman next to him, regarding me warmly, with a little girl clutching her skirts. My eyes scan over to the other strangers in the room, who I can only guess is MacCallan's youngest brother, Macadie. He looks the most like MacCallan- dark, long hair, tall and lean. There's a sharpness to his face that is different though. He's the only one in the room regarding me in suspicion, which is better than I could have expected.

"Gillian, this is my family." He steps forward, walking to clap his hand on Macadies back. "This here is Macadie... You've met Ennis. His wife, Nora, and little Kerry."

I smile, as warmly as I'm capable of, clasping my hands to stop the appearance of shaking. "Hello."

The woman, Nora, steps away from her husband, holding Kerry's hand and stands before me. She's tall, as tall as I am and blonde. I never thought it could be possible for someone to have more freckles than I do but I'm proven wrong. They're lightly painted across the ridges of her cheeks and nose, present from her hairline down to where her tight-fitted dress begins. She looks no more than twenty.