Heather closed her eyes a moment. Oh my child, she thought! In my great and consuming love for yer father I forgot ye were a woman too. Ye know nothing of the delights shared between lovers, and I dinna know if I hae the words to tell ye.

Opening her violet eyes, she took a deep breath.

"Ye are partly-correct," Heather said calmly. "But the act of love between a man and a woman need not result each time in a baby. There are ways of preventing conception while still enjoying the delights of love. I shall be pleased to teach these things to ye before yer marriage."

The girl looked interested.

"Lovemaking is quite nice, Catriona."

"Is it? How, mama?" She sounded scornful.

Dear God, thought Heather, how do I explain? "Hae ye ever been kissed, my child? Perhaps some of yer boy cousins hae tried stealing kisses at parties?"

"Aye, they've tried, and I hae hit them hard! They dinna try any more."

Heather wanted to shriek her frustration. "Kissing is very pleasurable, Catriona. So is fondling. Deliciously so, I might say."

Cat looked at her mother as if she had lost her mind. "I canna imagine, mama, anything pleasurable at all about a man and a woman squeezing each other's bodies."

She was so damned superior that Heather lost her temper.

"Well, it is, daughter! I should know! Jesu, Cat, ye are woefully ignorant! Ye hae no idea what it means to be a woman, and that's my fault. In the next four and a half weeks ye shall learn. Ye will marry yer cousin of Glenkirk on Twelfth Night as we hae planned. It is a wonderful match, and ye are fortunate to hae gotten so good a one!"

"I will not marry him, mama!"

Heather took another tack. "Then what will ye do if ye dinna marry wi Glenkirk?"

"There are other men, mama. My dowry is quite large."

"Only to Glenkirk, my dear."

Cat's eyebrows rose in surprise. At last I have her attention, thought Heather, relieved. "Catriona. Your very large dowry is for Glenkirk only. Mam arranged it that way. Should ye marry anyone else, your dowry becomes quite modest"