She filled her lungs, bracing for the censure of the entire Pendray clan that was sure to descend on her.
Dr. Raincourt jumped down from the driver’s seat, removed his hat and rushed into the embrace of a elderly woman who appeared in the entryway.
“Giles, my boy,” she exclaimed.
“My Aunty Sarah,” Ambrose explained as he assisted Eala to alight. “She and my uncle adopted Giles when he was a lad. Uncle Munro willna be far behind.”
An older man did in fact appear next. He shook his adopted son’s hand vigorously then slapped him on the back. “We didna ken ye were coming for Hogmanay.”
Eala realized with increasing nervousness this still-handsome man was the earl.
“And I didn’t come alone,” Giles replied, gesturing to the berlin.
Eala supposed Ambrose was hard to recognize bundled up in a heavy coat and fur hat, but the earl quickly realized who had come home. A grin split his face as he embraced Ambrose. “’Tis our new doctor. We expected ye before this, laddie. What took ye so long?”
“It’s a convoluted story,” Giles interjected. “And we’ll tell it in its entirety. But wait until you hear his more important news.”
Eala suspected Ambrose hesitated because he wanted to introduce her to his parents first. His wind-burned face lit up when another couple came down the steps to greet them. The man walked with a slight limp, leading Eala to assume she was about to meet Ambrose’s parents. He’d told her the story of his father being wounded during Argyll’s Rising.
“Welcome home, son,” Gray Pendray said, shaking Ambrose’s hand.
“Ambrose,” his mother exclaimed, enfolding him in her embrace.
“What’s this I hear about news?” his father asked.
Ambrose put his arm around Eala’s shoulders. No doubt a bedraggled sight after three days on the road, she wished she’d had the opportunity to powder her frozen nose that must be as red as a winter beetroot, but…
Before Ambrose had a chance to speak, Faith Pendray had hold of Eala’s hands. “I can already guess,” she said. “From the adoring look on Ambrose’s face, I’d say he’s found his soul mate.”
“Ye’re absolutely right, Ma. May I introduce my incredibly lovely wife, Eala.”
Next thing she knew, she’d had the warmth hugged back into her body and been whisked into the manor house.
A whirlwind ensued with everyone talking at once, except Ambrose whose smile indicated he was deriving great pleasure from seeing his wife fussed over by servants and family members alike.
Servants took her cloak, hat and boots. The earl served her a glass of warm brandy. Hot bricks wrapped in linen were brought to thaw her feet. She met Ambrose’s other aunt and uncle, Jewel and Garnet Barclay, a host of cousins about Ambrose’s age, and finally his brothers and sisters.
It was the loving, happy family she’d always craved, but she held her breath, fearing it was all a dream when her mother-by-marriage announced, “I’ve just the one objection.”
Ambrose’s smile fled. “What’s that, Ma?”
“I canna credit ye didna bring this lovely young woman home to Kilmer to get wed.”
Giles laughed. “When you hear the tale, you’ll understand.”
“Aye,” Ambrose agreed, winking at Eala, “but we said simple vows in front of the Lord Provost of Perth, so, if ye insist on a proper wedding, I dinna think my bride will mind.”
Basking in the glow of his family’s regard, Eala took sipped her brandy, “I would love it.”
* * *
As he’d expected, Ambrose’s family welcomed his wife with open arms. By the time the sumptuous evening meal was served, he knew Eala would fit right in. She responded to every inquiry, some subtle and others not, with honesty and candor.
However, he hadn’t yet had the opportunity to show her the chamber he’d slept in since he was a wee lad. His manhood deemed it important he bed his wife in his own bed in the home he loved so much. He became impatient as the evening wore on, only making things worse for himself when he took hold of his wife’s hand under the table and placed it on his arousal. “It’s been a long journey,” he finally declared, pushing his chair back from the table and getting to his feet.
“Of course,” Uncle Munro replied as Eala stood. “Thoughtless of us. We’re simply anxious to get to know this lovely lady ye’ve brought home.”
“And ye’re nay doot keen to get yer wife to bed,” Uncle Garnet quipped, earning an elbow in the ribs from Aunty Jewel.