Chapter Ten

"M y lord, Duke and Duchess Gordon have arrived," Archibald announced as Finlay sat at the desk in his study, mulling over the books containing the estate's finances.

"Ah, great news, Archibald." Finlay clapped him on the shoulder as he stood and pushed past him to make his way to the courtyard.

One of his best friends, Nicholas, was helping his lovely wife, Gwen from the carriage. The footmen were unloading the trunk from the back with Archibald showing them where to carry it.

"Nicholas! Gwen!" Finlay bounded down the steps to meet them. The men shook hands, clapping each other on the back, and Finlay placed a kiss on Gwen's cheek. "I am so glad ye came. Ye look lovely, Gwen. Motherhood suits ye well."

"Hey, ye're getting married, leave my wife alone," Nicholas chuckled. "And we wouldna miss it," he added.

"Hello, wee one," Finlay tickled the brown-haired bairn Gwen held in her arms, eliciting a drool-filled smile from the lad. "Arena ye a handsome fellow?"

"He takes after his father, obviously," Nicholas joked.

Finlay smiled. His friend had come such a long way when it came to dealing with the scars that marred half his face. Before he met Gwen, he was always hiding behind a mask. Now, it was more common to see him sans mask than with it.

"Finlay, I have to say, we were both shocked when we heard the news. But also verra happy for ye." Gwen gave him a warm smile that would melt the heart of even the coldest man.

"Aye, when do we get to meet the poor lass?" Nicholas asked.

Finlay pierced his friend with a look that told him he was not amused.

"Ye ken I jest, brother."

"But we do want to know when we can meet her," Gwen said excitedly.

"Ye both must be exhausted and hungry from the ride. Come on inside and I shall have Cook put something together to hold ye o'er until dinner. Willamina will be here then."

"Och, lovely. I canna wait to meet her. I need to know the woman who won o'er your heart, Finlay. I didna think it would happen. Ye seemed so happy to remain single."

Even his best friends did not know that he had to marry by the time he was twenty-eight. And he was not about to tell them of his and Willamina's plan to get everyone to leave them alone.

"Well, Gwen, when ye meet someone and right away, ye know they are something special, 'tis hard to deny."

Gwen sighed. "How swoonworthy, Finlay. She is a lucky lady."

He felt like he was the lucky one. He just needed to convince Willamina of that. He realized this started as a way for him to keep the busy-body mamas away, but the more time he spent with her, the more he knew he was on the path of no return.

Showing her that they did not need to go their separate ways once all of this blew over was going to be the hard part, considering her stance. There was no clause in his father's will that alluded to a certain length of time for the marriage, but it did not matter. Willamina Watson was wiggling her way into his heart, and he was not about to let her go. Somehow, some way, he would make her see that.

"Have ye heard from the others?" Nicholas asked, drawing his thoughts back to the conversation at hand.

"Aye, they should all arrive shortly. Tomorrow at the latest, I anticipate."

They settled in the salon, and soon Cook brought them finger sandwiches and tea to snack upon.

"'Twill be nice to see e'eryone. It has been far too long since we have all gathered together," Nicholas said.

"Aye, since Alexander's wedding. How are he and Clarissa getting on?" Finlay asked of their friend and his new wife, who was also Nicholas's sister.

"They are well. Ye will see," Gwen said with a secretive smile.

Finlay raised a brow in question. "Am I missing something?"

"Ye shall see." Was all she would say and then bit into the cucumber sandwich she had plucked off the tray.

As the day wore on, his other friends arrived. First, it was Gunn Burnett, Laird of Leys, who owned an inn and pub in Banchory. Then Alexander and Clarissa, the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, who were soon to be parents from the swell of Clarissa's belly. And finally, Malcolm Kennedy, Earl of Cassilis.

By the time Willamina arrived for dinner, Rosewood Manor was a raucous affair.

Introductions were made and before he could blink Gwen and Clarissa had whisked Willamina away. Lord only knew the things they would tell her.

The men had moved into the study, nursing whisky and smoking cigars.

"I canna believe ye made the jump, Finlay," Alexander commented, taking a long pull from his cigar, then making smoke rings as he exhaled.

"And I canna believe ye are going to be a da. Poor Clarissa, how is she going to handle having two children in the house now?"

Laughter erupted in the room, and Alexander took the jab in stride. "She is a saint. Willamina looks like a lovely lass. I do hope my wife and Gwen arena corrupting the poor woman."

"Och, I dinna think we need to fash about that."

Let us hope no'," Nicholas said. "How did the two of ye meet?"

Finlay chuckled. "A garden party of all places."

A chorus of nays sounded off.

"Ye hate parties," Malcolm said.

"I know. I was guilted into attending this one." A bit of a lie, though he had told Northington he would make an appearance; if it had not been for his father's will, he probably would have found some excuse to not attend. But he could not tell his friends that. They needed to believe this marriage was real. He would in no way bring the slightest inkling of embarrassment to Willamina. Their secret would remain their own.

"Well, I am happy for ye," Gunn announced. "She is lovely and must be one special lass to have caught your interest. Congratulations, brother."

They all held up their glasses and cheered.

"Slainte!" They shouted and downed the rest of their whisky.

Finlay poured them all another round, and they sipped this glass a little slower. There was no need for him to get so deep into his cups tonight that he lost his wits about him, making him say things that should stay private.

His mind wandered to Willamina. He had not seen much of her today, apart from when they sat down to dinner. But before and after then, Clarissa and Gwen had occupied her time. He was sure they were busy discussing whatever women talked about when it came to weddings, but he would be lying if he said he did not miss having her by his side.

A few more days and she would be his. He was eagerly awaiting the time when he could call her wife.

Even if it was not real.

He would make it so.

*

Willamina was overwhelmed by the kindness shown to her by Clarissa and Gwen. They welcomed her with open arms into their friend group and she could not help but feel a wave of guilt every time they talked about how great it would be to add another woman to the group.

Gwen talked about her wee bairn that had settled in for the night.

And Clarissa talked about how she could not wait to give birth and for her bairn to meet her cousin. "Ye know, we must all stick together," she said. "Have ye and Finlay discussed children?"

Willamina nearly choked on the sip of wine she had just taken.

Gwen rushed toward her, patting her on the back.

Once she had her wits about her, she apologized. "So sorry, I fear I swallowed that wrong. But, nay, we have had no such discussion." It was not a lie. They had not. Nor would they. Why for? For a farce of a marriage that they would escape from as soon as it was possible to do so.

Clarissa waddled over, her hands lovingly stroking her rounded stomach. Each time she rubbed her belly, she got a dreamy look in her eyes. "I am certain the conversation will happen soon enough." Being with child suited her well. Her skin positively glowed, her eyes bright.

"Do ye have plans for more children, Gwen?" It felt a bit odd addressing the duchess by her first name, but she had insisted earlier that she wanted to be called Gwen. Clarissa did the same.

They were both lovely women, and if her situation was different, Willamina thought that she would enjoy being friends with both women.

"Both Nicholas and I have fairly large families. Both of us want the same for ourselves."

Clarissa giggled. "Nicholas is going to have to build another wing on the house to accommodate e'eryone."

Being an only child, Willamina had no experience with large families, even when she was married. Gerard was also an only child, so she had no idea how to handle multiple siblings.

"Surely, your family must no' be that big?"

Gwen shrugged. "Well, Nicholas and I, and the wee one. Nicholas has six siblings; obviously, Clarissa no longer lives at Huntly, but the other five still do, along with his mother. Though she spends a lot of time in Edinburgh since we married. I have three younger brothers that also live with us."

Willamina did the quick addition. Ye have 9 children living with ye?" She could not hide the disbelief in her question.

With a laugh, Gwen nodded. "Aye, but most are older. We just have our youngest siblings that we need to worry about. They are forever causing a ruckus."

"And ye wouldna have it any other way, sister," Clarissa quipped.

Gwen rolled her lips, her eyes filled with glee. "'Tis true. I love them all and having them with us brings me joy."

"I am verra happy that ye both have found such happiness in your marriages."

Clarissa waved her hand in the air. "As will ye, Willamina. Finlay really is a caring man. Even if he seems a bit stiff on the outside. Break through that barrier and he will be like putty in your hands."

She caught her lip between her teeth and nodded. Looking out the window so that they could not read her thoughts.

"Finlay is indeed verra kind."

"Ye arena from Edinburgh, I believe I heard Finlay say, aye?"

"Correct, I am from Inverness."

"What brought ye here?" Gwen swatted at Clarissa for her question. "What?" She rolled her eyes. "Ye dinna have to answer if the question makes ye feel uncomfortable. Curiosity got the better of me."

Willamina had no plans to tell them the full story, but she did explain how after the passing of her husband and her parents, her cousin thought it a good idea to come to Edinburgh to find a husband.

Clarissa shook her head. "Leave it to a man to pull ye away from a place that makes ye happy so he can tell ye what to do."

"Clarissa!" Gwen chided. "Watch your tongue. If Alexander hears ye speaking that way…"

"He will do naught. He loves me. My outspokenness and all."

And that was how the rest of the time spent with Gwen and Clarissa went. They fell into easy conversation, and they teased each other relentlessly as if they truly were siblings. But just looking at them and their interactions together one could tell they loved each other very much.

Willamina, in some odd way, found herself longing for such acceptance. She had never received it from her parents and certainly not from Gerard. Would she ever find herself surrounded by such love?

She could only hope.