The Bairn of Brianag

A beautiful dark-eyed woman stepped forward. "Forgive us, dear; I am Eleanor, Hamish's wife. We are so happy that you have come!" she said, taking my hands and kissing my cheek.

I curtsied. "Madam McDonald. You are most gracious," I said.

"Robbie has told us what a beautiful girl you are; and I can see that he spoke rightly."

Robbie had said that I was a beautiful girl? I felt bemused. I could not answer her, but nodded my head, glancing toward Robbie; he only smiled at me.

Hamish was a very large man; I'd never met anyone so big. His hair was loose, his beard long and streaked with gray, and his cheeks were browned from the sun. His green eyes were exactly like Robbie's. As I curtsied, I met his gaze steadily.

"So, Robbie, this is the bairn you married!" he said, and his laugh boomed out. "She's just a wee bit of a lass! She looks nothing like a Scot!"

"I am a Maclaine, sir," I said, raising my chin. "Robbie and I share the same ancestors."

"Do you indeed! Your blood has been watered down a bit, has it not? What of your mother? Is she a Scot, too?"

"My mother-" I said.

"Her mother is indeed English, sir," said Robbie, "but Jessamine has been reared as a Scot."

"Well, never mind," said Hamish. "No doubt she'll give you stout Scot sons. The mountains will strengthen her blood, and she'll learn our ways."

Eleanor spoke. Her hair was dark, almost black, her white skin unblemished by freckles. "Leave the girl be, Hamish," she said. "She has made a long day's travel and is no doubt weary. We must give her time to recover her strength before we frighten her to death with talk of learning our ways."

We went into the house; the noise was almost deafening. I felt completely out of place and overlooked, and though Robbie stood beside me, I felt almost as if he were a stranger, too, as he talked and laughed with these people whom he knew well and I did not.

They had already eaten their supper; but they had kept food warm for us. There were mutton and pork and fresh peas and cold buttermilk and hot bread, and I ate with appetite.

"You shall take your meals with us, of course, Robbie," Eleanor said.

"We have fixed a cabin for you, just down the hill," said Hamish.