Time is a Wheel, the audiobook, is officially on its way, I just listened to it this morning, approved it, ball’s in Audible’s court now... Maybe a few days?
Stay tuned!
And in the meantime, there is the new book in the other series to read, still fresh and new, the continuing story of Nor and Livvy.
In this book there’s a fair bit about the arranging of marriage for a certain young Scottish Maiden and I had some thoughts, about how her elder brother might think about her dowry, how it might not have been purely transactional, but about setting her worth, and giving the young man an idea of the importance of her…
These thoughts are played out here, in a conversation between Livvy and Nor:
“…ye think twas exciting tae sit in a long meeting discussing the amount of silver I would take for marrying Mary? Twas excruciating, but… it did do one thing: I was young, on the cusp of a dukedom, I dinna think I had a failing, and I might hae been a terrible, uncarin’ husband. But the long meeting, with the seemingly never-ending negotiations, was so heavy and somber ye might think twould throw me off marrying altaegether, but instead it gave me a sense of gravity. It made me understand the importance of the union.”
“Oh… but did you miss that I didn’t give you a dowry?”
He smiled and then teased, his brow going up, “What dost ye think the house is ye built for us? The refrigerator in the house with the endless food? if I hadna wanted tae marry ye but I had been told ye came with a box of never ending food and beer, I would hae thought twas a good deal.”
“Yeah, I guess that’s a good dowry, I never thought of it that way.”
“And I wanted tae marry ye, and I understood the gravity of it. I love ye, Livvy, I will care for ye and protect ye for as long as I live. This is important.”
“I love you and will take care of you for as long as I live, too.”
And this section again from Livvy’s point of view, Nor speaking to Claray’s future husband:
Nor said, “Tis necessary, tis tradition. I must give ye a great deal of wealth tae prove tae ye that she is worthwhile, so when ye are driven mad by her silliness ye will remember the riches and it will be worth it.”
I said, “Nor, I am so glad your sister isn’t here to hear you.”
Nor said, “Claray would agree. She will demand her dowry be impressively grand or else she will suffer — tis tradition. Ye must take it, (Claray’s suitor), because if word got out that I dinna give ye one, the people of our lands might whisper that Lady Claray inna worth much. And because I hae now spoken poorly of her in front of ye, I suppose ye must hae more?”
And then thinking about the negotiation, and how a young man who negotiates well would not only enrich himself but his wife and bairns too, Claray says:
“Nor! Yer Grace, will ye allow it?”
“Aye, Claray, I will allow it, we hae discussed the dowry and—”
She said, “Tis large?”
“The largest, much more than what I wanted, but yer future husband was a formidable negotiator, it means ye will hae a successful union I think.”
She clapped her hands. “Och aye, I am so pleased, thank ye, brother, for yer permission!”
Then she beamed at (her future husband). “Ye did verra well. Ye hae made me verra pleased, m’laird.”
If you haven’t read the newest installment of their story it is here:
and today I was writing about a budding new relationship, for the upcoming book in the Kaitlyn and the Highlander series, our friend Lochinvar might have found his match (this is unedited from today’s session):
Off to write some more, I’ll let you know as soon as the audiobook is live!
I adore every book and you can’t write fast enough for me to not be disappointed I’m caught up lol! I laugh I cry I giggle they’re such great writing!
Oh Diana love your books. Each part of the series has something wonderful to offer. Like Nor... Artair. Hehe. Thank you for your wonderful gifts of stories to us