Outside the rain splashed down and fog billowed. But in the house was candlelight and the scent of flowers.
Glenna stepped back from the mirror. “Well?”
“You look like a dream,” Moira stated. “Like a goddess in a dream.”
“My knees are shaking. I bet goddesses don’t get shaky knees.”
“Take a couple of deep breaths. We’ll go down, make sure everything’s set up. Including the lucky guy. You’re going to blow his socks off.”
“Why would she—”
“You know, sweetie,” Blair said to Moira as they started for the door. “You’re too literal. Start studying contemporary slang while you’re buried in books.” She pulled open the door, stopped short when she saw Cian. “This is girl territory.”
“I’d like a moment with my…future sister-in-law.”
“It’s all right, Blair. Cian. Please come in.”
He stepped inside, sent Blair a mild look over his shoulder, then shut the door in her face. Then he turned and took a long look at Glenna. “Well now, you’re a vision, aren’t you? Truly. My brother’s fortune leaps and bounds.”
“You probably think this is foolish.”
“You’d be wrong. While it may be something I think of as particularly human, it’s not one of the things I think of as foolish. Though there are many of those.”
“I love your brother.”
“Yes, a blind man could see that.”
“Thank you for the champagne. For thinking of it.”
“My pleasure. Hoyt’s ready for you.”
“Oh boy.” She pressed a hand to her jumpy belly. “I hope so.”
Cian smiled at that, stepped closer. “I have something for you. A wedding gift. I thought to put it in your hand as I assume, at least for now, you’d be in charge of the paperwork.”
“Paperwork?”
He handed her a thin leather portfolio. After opening it, she sent him a puzzled look. “I don’t understand.”
“It should be clear enough. It’s the deed to this house, the land. It’s yours.”
“Oh, but we can’t. When he asked if we could stay, he only meant—”
“Glenna, I only make grand gestures once every few decades, if the whim happens to strike me. Take it when it’s offered. It’s more to him than it could ever be to me.”
Her throat had filled so she had to wait to speak. “I know what it means to me. It will mean a great deal more to him. I wish you’d give it to him yourself.”
“Take it,” was all he said, then turned to the door.
“Cian.” She set the folder aside, picked up her bouquet. “Would you walk me down? Would you take me to Hoyt?”
He hesitated, then opened the door. Then held out a hand to her.
She heard music as they started down.
“Your handmaidens have been busy. I expected it of the little queen—a lot of sentiment there. But the hunter surprised me.”
“Am I shaking? I feel like I’m shaking.”