Chapter 12
Caden was already in the breakfast room when Thalia and Ava entered. The servants were still setting up the table, and Thalia was pleased to see seven places laid out.
“Good mornin’,” he greeted them, moving to give his wife a swift kiss on the cheek.
“Ye seem to be in a good mood,” Thalia noted.
“Aye. I find I am enjoyin’ havin’ some time alone with me wife.” He gave a cheeky grin, and Ava pushed him back halfheartedly, a light pink coloring her cheeks as she huffed.
“Ah, ye big flirt,” she said, but the amusement in her voice took the edge off.
“Speakin’ of flirts,” Caden joked. “Have ye seen Finlay yet?”
Ava shook her head, and Thalia almost did as well in an effort to hide her guilt, before she remembered she had seen him in less suspicious circumstances.
“Aye, he was with Daisy earlier.”
“Oh, that lassie,” Ava sighed. “Caden mentioned she was the one who sent the letter.”
Thalia nodded. “I daenae ken how she got the idea, but I cannae say I’m nae grateful.”
“Oh, if Joanna grows up and does somethin’ half as foolish,” Ava shook her head, “I’ll lock her up in her room for the rest of her life.”
“Daisy’s young, and she’s had a hard life. She made a mistake, and I’m sure she’s learned her lesson,” Thalia said.
“She’s a smart lassie,” Caden agreed. “She’ll figure it out.”
Ava nodded. “Aye, ye’re right. We should head back to MacCabe Castle soon, at least to get Thalia’s things sorted. I also want to check on the children.”
“I would love to have me books, and some more of me dresses,” Thalia agreed.
“Aye, I suppose I need to get back to me duties as well,” Caden acknowledged. “But Ava, I think ye should stay with Thalia until the cèilidh.”
“Are ye sure ye can handle the children alone for a week?” Ava asked.
Caden scoffed. “Ye really think I cannae handle me own bairns while ye spend time with yer sister? Besides, I have the nursemaids. It’s nae like I’ll be completely alone.”
“Aye, I suppose ye’re right.” Ava turned back to Thalia. “Is it all right with ye if I impose on yer betrothal a bit longer?” She drew out the word ‘betrothal’ as if it were a private joke.
Thalia gripped her sister’s hand tightly. “Of course. I could use the company.”
And I could use the extra buffer from Finlay.
Her uncle and Harrison entered then, and the trio turned to greet them. Harrison eyed them all with a scowl that seemed permanently etched in his features.
Thalia wondered again how her uncle could ever want her to marry someone like him.
The servants finished laying out breakfast. The smell of sausages, potatoes, and eggs hit her nose, and her mouth watered. She hoped that she could get through a proper meal this time without any other outbursts or interruptions.
“Will Laird MacAinsley be joinin’ us this time?” her uncle asked. He looked as if he expected Finlay to still be out.
“I have nay reason to suspect otherwise,” Thalia answered as politely as she could.
The sooner the cèilidh was over and they were gone, the better everything would be.
“Good mornin’.”
All eyes were on Finlay as he came in, with Daisy tucked right behind him. She poked her head out and smiled upon seeing Thalia, who gave her an encouraging smile back.
“Laird MacFinn, Laird MacGibbon, I daenae think ye’ve had the pleasure of meetin’ me daughter. This is Daisy.” Finlay gestured behind him.
Daisy emerged shyly. She looked up at Finlay, who gave her a small nod, and she bobbed a curtsy.
“How do ye do?” she muttered.
“Yer daughter?” Archibald asked with a grimace.
“Aye.” Finlay raised his chin in a small challenge, but Archibald did not take it up.
Caden, sensing the tension in the air, clapped his hands together. “Shall we eat? It’d be a shame to waste all of this food.”
Archibald took his seat at one side of the table, and Harrison sat next to him. Finlay sat at the head, with Caden on his right, followed by Ava, Thalia, and then Daisy.
They all ate their food in silence.
Archibald looked between Thalia and Daisy, as if he were trying to figure out a solution to a problem. Thalia ignored him and instead kept her focus on Daisy, who was struggling to cut a piece of her sausage.
“Here, sweetheart. Let me help,” Thalia offered, taking the knife from her hands.
She cut the sausage into several smaller bites, and Daisy looked up at her gratefully. She stabbed a piece and popped it into her mouth, humming in delight.
Thalia chuckled. “See? It’s nae so bad in here, is it?”
Daisy shook her head, shoveling more food into her mouth eagerly.
“I’m glad to see ye’re nae in a maid’s dress again, Thalia,” Archibald said, drawing the attention back to himself. “It’s unbecomin’ of a lady of yer station to wear somethin’ like that.”
Thalia did her best to smile politely at him. “Of course, Uncle. I was just talkin’ with Ava and Caden earlier, and they’ll be arrangin’ for the rest of me clothes to be sent over from MacCabe Castle. So I’ll be dressed more appropriately from now on.”
He hummed, setting his fork and knife down. “I daenae think any of those dresses will be appropriate for yer betrothal. Ye’ll have to go to town to buy a new one.”
Thalia gawked at him. “There is nothing wrong with any of me dresses.”
“Daenae look at me like that, lass.” Archibald’s eyes narrowed, his voice stern. “I’m only tryin’ to help ye. It wasnae long ago when ye were always comin’ home knee-deep in mud. I doubt things have changed much since then, considering I caught ye yesterday in the same predicament.”
Thalia frowned, but before she could say anything, Finlay beat her to it.
“I agree with Laird MacFinn.”
“Excuse me?” Thalia gaped at him.
Finlay met her gaze. “I should think ye should get a new dress for such a special occasion. We can go to Inverness and find ye somethin’ there.”
“I would have taken her, even in a dirty dress,” Harrison sniffed. “In fact, I almost did.”
The sound of forks and knives scraping against plates stopped at once.
Thalia turned to him in shock, but he wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was locked on Finlay.
The chair scraped across the floor as Finlay rose to his feet. He was calm, dangerously so, as he raised an eyebrow in question.
“Did ye just insult me betrothed in me own home?” His voice was even, but his body was stiff, as if waiting for a sign to strike.
Harrison stood, squaring his shoulders. “I daenae believe she is yer bride yet.”
Finlay chuckled, but his eyes held no amusement.
Slowly, he drew his sword from its sheath and set it on the table in front of him.
Beside Thalia, Daisy gasped and scrambled under the table.
Thalia wanted to follow her, tell her that it would be all right, but she found herself unable to look away from the scene.
She was frozen, waiting for the next move.
“I think ye should apologize,” Finlay commanded, his voice ringing out with all the power of a dangerous laird.
Harrison looked from the sword on the table to Finlay.
Archibald cleared his throat, looking at his companion. “Daenae be so stubborn, Harrison. We are guests in his castle.”
Harrison smacked his lips together and then finally said, “I apologize, Laird MacAinsley.”
“Nae to me,” Finlay growled. He nodded at Thalia. “To her.”
Harrison’s icy gaze slashed towards her. She gasped at the hatred in it, but she held it stubbornly as he ground out, “I apologize.”
Finlay nodded, then resheathed his sword. He and Harrison sat again, and everyone tentatively resumed eating their breakfast.
Thalia peeked under the table, giving Daisy a gentle smile. “Everythin’ is all right,” she soothed. “Do ye want to come out now?”
Daisy hesitated for a moment, then nodded as she crawled out from under the table and back into her seat.
Something had shifted during Harrison’s outburst, and the tension hung heavy in the still air. Thalia took a bite of her potatoes, but she could not taste them.
Ava shifted in her seat, leaning across Thalia to look at Daisy. “Daisy, I just had an idea. What do ye think about gettin’ a matchin’ dress for the betrothal?” she asked.
Daisy’s eyes grew wider in excitement as she glanced from Ava to Thalia. “Could I?”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Thalia answered, running her hand lightly over Daisy’s head.
Archibald coughed loudly from across the table.
Finlay set his fork down again. “Excuse me, everyone. I find that I have lost me appetite.” He stood and stalked out of the breakfast room.
Thalia watched him leave. He was angry, and it was partially her fault, again. She excused herself and followed after him.
She found him pacing up and down the foyer. He looked up as she approached.
“I wanted to thank ye,” she said, “for what ye did in there.”
“Daenae bother,” he spat out. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I’d appreciate it if I didnae have to make such threats in front of Daisy again.”
Thalia bristled. “It’s nae me fault he’s a dumbass.”
“Nay, but it is yer fault that I have to deal with him. In me castle,” he hissed.
“Ye’re more than welcome to throw him out,” she pointed out.
He stalked towards her, his eyes narrowed. “Aye, and he’d start a war before he even left me estate.”
Before Thalia could retort, a small voice sounded behind her. “Are ye arguin’?”
She whirled around, watching as Daisy peeked around the corner with interest. Her eyes were wide with concern.
“Are ye done eatin’?” Thalia asked, purposely not answering her question.
Daisy nodded. “I didnae want to be there without ye two.”
Finlay visibly swallowed his anger and schooled his features into calm. “That’s all right, sweetheart. I am proud of ye today, and I’m sorry for scarin’ ye.”
“Ye didnae scare me.” She stood a little straighter. “The other Laird, though…”
He nodded, walking over to her and bending down. “I ken. How about ye go find Rowena, while Thalia and I finish our conversation.”
“Yer argument, ye mean,” she corrected.
He grimaced. “Just go.”
Daisy nodded and ran back up the stairs.
Thalia felt another rush of shame as she watched her go. She had just advised Finlay earlier to make sure Daisy didn’t hear anything she shouldn’t, and here she was not following her own advice.
“We should go outside, I think,” she suggested.
“Aye,” Finlay agreed. “Better we stay out of earshot.”