Page 5 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai
Her sister’s attention remained locked with Sir Dougal.
“Certes,” she cooed.“I have missed you so very much Dougal.”
“Maeve!”
At Seona’s shout, her older sister leapt up.
Sir Dougal stood with her.
“What do you mean, Lady Seona, by shouting so rudely at Lady Maeve?”he asked.
“I mean to get her attention, which was so focused on you that she did not even hear me speak to her.”
Both Maeve and Dougal blushed.
“I’m sorry to have ignored you, Seona.It has been a very long time since I saw Dougal, and this hall is very noisy at just this moment.”
“I’m sorry as well, Maeve.I must ask, however, what possessed you to start the celebration so early?This is not what I told you to do when I asked you to take over for me.”
“No, but it is what Jessamyn asked for.She complained to Raeb of how tired she was of sitting and sewing in her solar.Raeb came to me and begged me to do something to lift her spirits.He even suggested starting our festivities early.”
“So, this is our brother’s doing?”
“As much Jessamyn’s as his.”
“I will be very happy when that child is born.”
“As will all of us.Artis assures me that this will only happen with the first child.She says Jessamyn will be much calmer with all the others?”
“Well, if anyone would know it would be Artis.However, we must deal with now, not the future.”
“There is nothing to be done about now,” Maeve replied.“I did the best I could to keep to the plan you laid out for me yesterday and still please our brother and his wife.”
“I’m sorry I blamed you for this.It wasn’t really your fault.”
“Seona, sister, come to me,” Raeb’s voice boomed over all the other noise.“Now that you are here, we can finally get started.”
“Get started?”
“Aye,” her sister-in-law spoke up with eyes shining, joy clearly evident in her expression.“’Tis past time we took care of a small problem so that you and Earl MacFearann can be on your way.”
“Sit and enjoy your time, with Sir Dougal, Maeve.I’d best go see what Raeb and Jessamyn want.”She edged along behind the chairs that lined the high table until she reached her brother.
On his right sat his wife.On his left sat Earl Rhuad MacFearann.Beside that man, Seona was surprised to see their priest Father Magnus.Oh, she wasn’t surprised to see him at a saint’s day feast, just surprised to see him at the high table.Raeb was known not to hold the priest in high regard.Nonetheless, there he sat in his finest clerical robes.A bible lay to the left of his trencher.
“Excuse me, Seona, I need to change places with you,” said Raeb.
She looked a question at him but received no response save for him to slide past, pushing her gently in the direction of the priest and Earl MacFearann.
Thoroughly confused, Seona allowed herself to be moved.
Then from behind she heard her brother, in that booming voice he used to gain attention, call for quiet.
“Friends, clan, and family, we have a very special ceremony to open the day’s festivities.”
At the word ceremony, murmurs ran through the crowd.
A chill of premonition skittered down Seona’s spine.
