Leesil thought she would never tire of looking at the engagement ring on her finger. It was gold and had tiny diamonds and pearls set in a circle. She had her own bedroom now, the blue room next to McKenna's on the second floor. She missed sharing a room with Cathleen and sometimes went back upstairs to be with her in the night. Mornings meant bacon and biscuits in the kitchen, and she was not about to give up that luxury for any man. Hannish laughed and sat down beside her.
Getting used to having Millie do things for her was not easy, and more often than not, she and Millie reached for something at the same time. Cathleen was thrilled to be asked to take care of McKenna, now that her lady's maid was otherwise occupied. She did not yet know that, as a family member, she too would have a room on the second floor and would never be a servant again.
The past two weeks had been a flurry of activity with plans to make and constant clothing fittings. Sassy was grateful to have a seamstress right in the mansion, so she did not have to go to town each day. Yet there were shoes and hats to buy, and she was welcome to anything she could find. In the end, the future Mrs. Hannish MacGreagor had four new traveling outfits and one wedding dress. It was thrilling as well as overwhelming.
Halen and Jessie spent all of the day before, baking the wedding cake and decorating it with frosting bows and flowers. Real flowers were delivered, and at last, everything was set.
That night, Leesil took a long walk with Hannish. She had a thousand questions still, and he answered them as best he could. She was so in love, she didn't care if he got the answers wrong. Finally, he took her back inside, passionately kissed her goodnight and watched her climb the formal stairs. Half way up, she turned around, ran back down and into his arms.
*
Sassy did not mind all the fuss over her by nearly everyone in the mansion. She found it kept her from getting too nervous. Today was her wedding day and part of her wanted nothing more than to have it over with. The other part wanted it to last forever. Her dress was a glorious white, with three graduating lengths of lace over satin, beginning at her waist and ending in a two-foot train in the back. The bodice was made of satin with a high neck, lace collar and short lace-over satin sleeves. She had never seen anything so glorious, let alone imagined she would be wearing it. Satin slippers, gloves and a white lace veil complemented the dress perfectly.