Ella shook her head but couldn’t muster a smile to match the excited woman’s. Certainly, Gideon had shared the rest of King James’s revelations with Cain’s sister and aunt, but they continued to act as if all was well.

Hannah dashed to the sunlit window. “The horses from Dunrobin have arrived,” she said, and Ella went to see for herself.

Relief lay heavy on her shoulders as she exhaled. Jamie was not with them. Not that she feared Cain hurting her brother, but there was enough emotion swirling around in her that seeing his sweet little face might make her crumble when she needed to remain strong.

Kenneth rode in on his bay horse surrounded by six Sutherland warriors. Had Cain sent word to him about discovering Ella’s secret? “I would like to meet with my steward before the ceremony.” There was so much she must tell Kenneth.

Merida shook out the burgundy-colored petticoat that was embroidered with roses in white silk thread. “There is no time. We need to have ye dressed and down the steps in less than an hour.” She tossed it over Ella’s head to float down to her hips where the woman tied it in the back.

Ella huffed but stood still, holding the matching stomacher in place over her stays while Hannah stitched it loosely into place. Merida pinned the elaborate sleeves at her shoulders and added the outer petticoat of a lighter rose-colored silk that matched the sleeves and parted in the front to reveal the undergown.

“’Tis lovely,” Merida said with a brisk nod.

“Do ye have a gift for my brother?” Hannah asked. “For his wedding day?”

Along with Dunrobin? Ella nodded the barest amount and swung the wide skirts around to retrieve the piece she’d carved from behind the privacy screen in the corner of the room. She had used a pale ash block and gently cut away the pith into the most powerful piece on the chessboard, a queen. She’d smoothed the wood with a gritty stone, polishing it with wool. With curves and a chiseled crown, she imagined it to look like a true queen. It was white to go with the knight, to go with Cain. Cain was not the king of the chessboard, despite his father making him wear a crown. No, he did not hide away at the back of the board while others protected him. He fought for what he believed in.

Ella sighed softly. Would Cain realize that she was open to truly being his wife when she gave him the queen? If she were just a simple woman and Cain a simple man, she would have told him about her brother. They could wed and face the world, a queen and a knight together.

“I will wrap it in a handkerchief with a ribbon,” Hannah said, taking it.