The ride there was horrendous and even though Callie had known the seas were rough between Ireland and Scotland, she was not prepared for the overnight trek. The rough waves bounced them all over the place and there were several times that she was sick over the side. It was not what she had expected and when she got to the docks in her destination, she was rightly sweating and a general ill feeling overcame her.
When the man named Spurgis called her name, she walked towards him and he made a grimacing look. His mind went to the young guard that had been there a couple of days before. As his father was in the dungeons because of men like him, he thought that the woman would be perfect for him. He smiled at her and was satisfied that he would be able to get some sort of revenge with her. She was hideous looking, pale and considerably weak. She was perfect. Where most of the other women were put together, Callie looked like she was going to faint at any minute, her black hair hanging in her face.
“I have someone perfect for you, lass.”
She smiled at him and then waited with the rest of the ladies. Callie noticed that they were much more dressed up than she was. She didn’t have fine dresses like the others, but Callie held her head high. Callie was all nerves, but one way or another she was going to have a husband by the end of the evening. While many had chosen to come to Scotland for a chance at a new life, Callie was more or less running away from something.
The wait seemed to drag on while they were rounded up like sheep. It made her nervous that she looked so different than everyone else. While she had traveled for comfort, it seemed everyone else had worn their best. Callie wished that she could clean herself up, but they were soon taken to different areas in the town. The new fiancées were to make sure that everything was ready for the marriage and she was to be wed that evening.
Callie was dropped off at a single-story house that was modest, but far nicer than the one she had shared with three other family members back home. There was nothing to suggest that someone lived there though, no personal belongings out to be seen. It made her curious of what type of man could live there, but she wasn’t given much time before she found out.
Thomas stopped for a moment when he opened the door and took in the wretch that was to be his new wife. Already he was reminding himself that it wasn’t because of anyone else that she was there. He had made the decision and it didn’t matter what she looked like. At least she didn’t appear to be able to blow away in the end, though it was hard to tell with all of the layers on her.
“I’m Callie, nice to meet you.” The woman pulled her hair back from her pale face and her blue eyes sparkled back at him. They didn’t fit into the rest of her, so vibrant where she was so dull.
“Nice to meet you, Callie, my name is Thomas, and welcome home.” It was strange in the context to say that, but that was exactly what it was. It was now her home and he really hoped that she could cook. She may not have been much to look at, but he wasn’t looking for love.
She moved into the darkened room slowly, taking in her surroundings. The inside was much the same as the outside and the first thing she did was pull away the covering of one of the small windows. Then she could see the real state of the place and she sighed to herself. It was clear that he was in need of a wife and he seemed cordial enough. Callie hadn’t been expecting a man so young, or handsome, but she was thankful that he was.
“The wedding is for later this evening, so I will leave you to it here until then to get yourself ready. My friend’s wife has agreed to come over and help you.” Thomas didn’t know what else to say and he was trying to fight back the awkward feeling.
Callie was as much at a loss of words as he was and breathed a sigh of relief when he left. Callie didn’t know if she should start on herself or the small house and her surroundings won out. She didn’t see herself and the wretched state she was in yet. All she could see was the dirt and cobwebs all over the house.
She was halfway through the front room when she heard a soft knock at the door. Callie hollered to come in and she turned to see a slight woman with straw colored hair. “Hi, you must be Callie.”
Callie nodded and Mariss closed the door behind her and smiled. “This place is already looking better. Though I think we should get you ready before the rest of the place is taken care of. Did he show you to your room?”
She shook her head that she hadn’t. The woman’s words made her self-conscious of how she looked. “I got sick on the way over here, many times, do I look that bad?”
Mariss just smiled with a little sympathy. “Well, dear, you look like you have had a rough go of it.”
Callie thanked her, it had been a heck of a journey there and now she was just a little overwhelmed but she made her feel better already. “Thank you for being here. He just kind of told me to have at it and I don’t really know where anything is.”
Mariss was already starting some water to boil and just waved her off. There were a lot of things that Thomas was known for and his tact was not one of them. She was sort of surprised that he had taken the time to light a fire. She also wondered what he had seen when he saw Callie. She looked a right state for sure, but she saw passed the still clammy skin and bedraggled hair. Mariss saw the beauty within and she had a feeling that Thomas was going to be surprised at the results.
“Don’t you worry about a thing. We will have you and this place right as rain soon enough. I have a feeling you are going to be good for Thomas. He needs someone to shake him up a little.”
“What is he like?”
Mariss paused to think of how she could describe her husband’s friend. He was loyal to Bertraud, but that was the exception. He was a man that liked many women, but never for long. “Well he is quite friendly.”
“He seemed nice, but a little shy.”
The comment made the older woman laugh a little as she prepared a tub of water. “I wouldn’t say that he was that, but it will take time. I have a good feeling that he will be even more tongue-tied when he sees you for the wedding. Did you bring something to wear?”
Callie nodded though there was a surge of emotions of how she got the garment she was going to wear. It was given to her as a going away present, though she had not wanted to leave, but had had to. Shaking off the feeling and the heat in her eyes, she looked away for a moment. “Yes, I have something to wear.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am just missing my family. It’s just… a lot of changes so suddenly.”
Mariss put her arm around her, trying to imagine what it would be like to leave everything she knew behind. She would have done it for Bertraud, but she was very thankful her family was close by and she could see them every day. To not see them again or for long stretches of time couldn’t even be imagined.
“You will find your home here. I know it won’t be the same, but it will all work out.”
Callie wanted to believe her, but she wasn’t sure. There was something about all of it that made it all finally hit her and what she needed was to sleep, but there was still so much to do that she knew she would not be able to. She had to make herself presentable for her marriage. The wedding night was what kept lingering in her mind. Callie was shocked to see that she would have her own room, but she figured it was just a custom until they were wed. Surely they would stay together, right? Scotland couldn’t be that different, she thought to herself. They weren’t that far away and they seemed much like she did. Callie was doing and saying it all so that she would calm herself down. Mariss helped and by the time she got into the tub of hot, steaming water, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.
She asked a few more questions about Thomas that she was dying to know, but it all seemed to be okay. He was an upstanding man as far as Mariss said, though there was something that she was holding back, Callie just knew it. But it was going to happen and he seemed like a nice enough guy. Callie didn’t have much better offerings back at home.
Starting to feel a little more like herself, Mariss nodded at the results. “You are quite pretty Callie.”
“Thank you. I just hope that he likes me.”
Mariss didn’t comment. She didn’t want to ruin her dreams of what would happen. Bertraud had told her about Thomas’ plan for his new wife, but she had a feeling that he wasn’t expecting such a beautiful woman to walk down the aisle. The dress she was tight and showed off her curves. Mariss shook her head. No, he didn’t know what he was going to be in for and Mariss smiled to herself. She always loved a good love story and she was sure that Thomas and Callie were going to be in love in no time.
“What are you smiling like that for?”
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking back to my own wedding day. It has been years since I walked down the aisle in a small church north of here. I hope your day is as memorable as mine was.”
“Was it arranged or did you know him?”
“I knew him since we were kids and I have loved him since I knew what love was.”
Callie felt a little discomfort as the other woman looked off with a smile on her face. Callie wondered if she would ever feel that way about Thomas. He was definitely easy on the eyes and she knew that she easily could.