“You have grown into a splendid woman. I want you to be happy with Thomas. I also want a letter from you, but I will give you a week before you have to write it.” She kissed her again, only to have Meggie’s arms go around her and hug her tight. “Oh goodness, now you will have your own bedchamber with your own husband. Time has gone so quickly, Meggie, so quickly. Savor every moment. Be happy, love.”
And Meggie said, “I knew I would adore you forever when I saw Papa carrying you over his shoulder back into the castle. I was trying desperately to pull your valise back inside, but it was so heavy because of the iron candlesticks.”
Mary Rose laughed. “They weren’t iron, Meggie!”
“I know, but they were very heavy, and I was only ten years old. I will miss you and Papa, Mary Rose. Oh goodness, what about Alec and Rory? Will you be able to manage them? Will—”
“Everything will be all right. They will miss you dreadfully and ask me every day when you are coming for a visit. Don’t worry, love. You are a married lady now and that is a very different thing. Er, Meggie, is there anything you wish perhaps to ask me?”
“About what? Has either of the boys done something you’re not sure about?”
“No, not today. When they are monsters I will simply lock them in the closet beneath the stairs. Now, Meggie—” She paused a moment, pumping herself up. “Would you like to ask me about marital sorts of things? I promised your father I would, er, inquire.”
“Oh. Oh my, Mary Rose, you’re embarrassed!” Meggie laughed, hugged her again as she said, “You know, I think it is rather exciting not knowing much of anything. Thomas does kiss very well. I assume he can continue this lovemaking business efficiently.”
“Yes,” Mary Rose said, her voice dry as the cherrywood armoire in the corner, “I believe that he will as well.”
Meggie said, suddenly appalled, “I cannot imagine speaking to Papa about those sorts of things.” Then she looked thoughtful. “But perhaps you could tell me. Is this tongue in each other’s mouths—is it the done thing? Do you and Papa do it?”
Mary Rose managed not to swallow her own tongue. “Well, as a matter of fact, if you are truly interested, and I suppose that you are since you have such an inquiring mind, well, I imagine that I would have to say yes, it is very much the done thing.” Mary Rose then smiled, flushed, looked at the ceiling, then at the floor, patted Meggie’s back, and picked up her traveling cloak, a rich burgundy velvet Thomas had given her for a wedding gift.
Thomas was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. He wasn’t smiling. He was, obviously, anxious to be off. She saw all her relatives spread out behind them, all of them speaking and laughing, the dratted boy cousins being idiots, as always. So many beloved faces.
She hugged her father, and it seemed to everyone there that she didn’t want to let him go. Tysen saw that Thomas was looking utterly emotionless, but he’d known the young man long enough to realize that he wanted his new wife and he wanted her five minutes ago. He wanted her to himself, and that, Tysen thought, was something he would simply have to accustom himself to. He also saw Thomas looking several times at Jeremy, and again, there was no expression at all on his face. Tysen wondered, but he couldn’t do anything else. He kissed Meggie once, twice more, then patted her shoulder, and placed her hand on her husband’s arm.
“Be happy, sweetheart,” he said.
Meggie looked down to see Rory tugging on her skirt. She lifted him up high, gave him two smacking loud kisses, and said, “Say hello to your new brother-in-law, Rory.”
Rory looked over at Thomas, studied him for a very long time, and said finally, “You are the man who saved my life with that volcano medicine.”
“Yes, I suppose I am,” Thomas said. “You will give Meggie everything she wants,” Rory said.