Obviously, Connor—I didn't even know his last name—was trying to make light of the situation, however it was impossible to do. They were adamant I was married to both of them. It was a completely insane notion! "Surely I misheard earlier. I can'tt be wed to two men."
"Ye are wed to me," Mr. McPherson pointed at his chest, "but here at Bridgewater, we follow the strict and honorable Mohamiran rules of marriage where a woman is protected within the union by more than one man."
"Mohamir? You are referring to the country near Persia?"
Both men nodded. "Aye. We were stationed there, along with yer brother, with our regiment," Connor replied. "Surely Montgomery told ye of our connection on yer journey."
He had, but I was not offered time to reply, for a woman spoke from the doorway.
"Oh, good, you're awake. Connor, give her some room. You're too big by half to be looming, even if you're kneeling on the floor."
He looked chagrined and a little disappointed, but stood and moved as requested. I had to tilt my chin back to look at his shoulders.
"I am Emma and this is little Ellie. She's teething so you've caught her at a happy moment, otherwise she's fussy and crabby." She sat down, forcing Mr. McPherson to stand and move back as well to avoid being caught in a swirl of her skirt. "I am used to the men with and their brogues, but it is wonderful to hear a woman speak such a lovely accent. Yours sounds much more like Kane's than Ian's, therefore I assume you are English."
Her daughter, perhaps seven or eight months old, sat on her lap happily chewing on a large crust of bread, drool dripping down her chin and onto her tiny dress.
"Yes," I replied. "I am from London, but attended school in Shropshire." Ellie diverted my attention; even a woman with my reserve couldn't help but soften at the sight of a baby. She had her mother's dark hair and pale blue eyes.
"I am married to Kane—" Emma began.
"And to me." A very brawny man came in the room then, eyes solely on the baby. He scooped her up into his arms and gave her a little nuzzle. "I am Ian and ye are welcome here. We were about to have our noon meal when ye arrived and I'm sure ye are hungry." He turned his warm gaze upon his wife. "Come lass, let's let her men tend to her."
Ian held out his hand and Emma took it. He led her from the room as he held the happy baby, but Emma offered one last glance back at me, and smiled.
I was quite unused to people being concerned for me. The boarding school I'd attended had not been a place of warmth or caring. Cecil had been kind and protective of me, however I only spent time with my brother for less than a month in London before we took our passage from England. Now he was gone, leaving me completely alone in the world.
I glanced down at my lap at that sad notion. Had he left me alone? I now had two husbands. One of the men shifted and broke me from my thoughts and I realized my hands were bare.
"Where are my gloves?" I asked, glancing down at my open palms. It was then I realized that the high collar of my dress was not quite as restrictive as it should be. A few of the buttons there had been undone. "My dress!" I brought my hand to my neck to hold the lace trimmed collar closed.
"Ye needed to breathe lass and ye didna need gloves. The fall weather is cool, but nae enough to warrant gloves indoors," Mr. McPherson said.
I glanced at the arm of the couch where my gloves rested. I relaxed just a fraction, knowing they did not intend to keep them from me.
"Ye are safe here, lass."
"I do not know you, even if you are my husband, and do not know if your words hold truth."
Mr. McPherson slowly stood at my words, uncoiling to his full height to stand shoulder to shoulder with Connor. "Aye, tis true ye dinna know me, Connor or anyone else here at Bridgewater. We are an honorable group. Connor and I will always tell ye the truth, always do what is in yer best interest whether ye like it or nae. We are honorable men and ye will nae question that again."
I felt my cheeks flush at the reprimand. Cecil had been honorable as well and I should have known his fellow soldiers were of a similar mind. I could only offer a small nod of my head in reply, for I had surely offended him.
"Come, the noon meal is getting cold." Mr. McPherson held out his hand to me. The scents of baked bread and seasoned meat filled the air and I was hungry. Quickly, I did up the few buttons at my throat before taking the proffered hand. His hold was gentle, his skin warm as he led me into the dining room, his eyes on me.
There were three open seats; clearly the others had added an extra place setting for me. It was quite astonishing at how easily—and without a hint of surprise—they added me into their fold. Did a woman show up often announcing they were married to one of the men? If this were England, I would have been considered some kind of harlot for having wed in secret, for hasty marriages only meant one thing. Shameful actions. I would have been shunned instead of being included without question.
As platters and bowls were passed, Connor offered introductions.
"Working around the table past me to the right is Andrew, Robert and their wife Ann." They offered their greeting, but when a baby that sat between them tossed a spoon on the floor, their attention shifted. "That's Christopher in the high chair. He's almost a year."
The small blond woman was married to both those men? A platter of chicken came to Connor and he offered the serving fork to me, breaking me from my thoughts.
I served myself as he continued. "After Robert is Cross, Simon, Olivia and Rhys."
The woman, Olivia, who sat directly across from me, smiled in a reassuring way. "I'm the latest addition to this unusual family, so I can easily imagine how you are feeling. I only came to Bridgewater from Helena, not as far as England. I found out, very late one night, I was to wed three men." I glanced at the men on either side of her, all who had looks of adoration and possessiveness. It was apparent she was not adverse to the arrangement. In fact, all four of the women around the table looked happy and content.
"Simon is my brother, if ye havena already guessed," Mr. McPherson added.