Chapter 18
Theodore's breath caught as Madison came down the steps.
"Ye clean up well, lass," he said, his voice rougher than he intended.
The blue dress hugged her frame, the color reminding him of the loch on a winter morning—pale and shimmering. She was beautiful. He'd thought so before, but seeing her like this, healthy and whole, something tightened in his chest.
Madison's cheeks flushed as she ducked her head, but not before he caught the small smile on her lips.
His gaze traced the curve of her waist, the way the fabric moved as she walked.
Pride swelled in his chest—not just at how bonnie she looked, but that she was here, healing, trusting him enough to stand before him without fear.
She had filled out and was no longer the fragile lass he’d saved from the hunt.
Nor were her eyes hollow with dark circles about them, but large saucers that flickered and danced with life.
And while her gown was a bit loose in places where the fabric didn’t cling as it should have, to him, she looked like an angel.
“Are ye ready for dinner?” Theodore asked as he drew his eyes back to her face. She glared at him as she pulled in a long deep breath.
“What exactly am I gettin’ myself into tonight?” she asked as Theodore offered his arm to her. His lips twitched in amusement as he led her down the corridor. Their steps echoed and bounced along in a steady rhythm that only seemed to measure Theodore’s heartbeat.
“Well, if I’m to answer honestly, I couldnae tell ye. I ken the council wants to have a good look at ye. They’ll probably ask about yer family and other things like that.”
“Am I to be honest?” Madison asked as a hint of mischief flickered across her eyes.
There was something about the way she asked the question that pleased Theodore.
Perhaps it was her defiance of the council or maybe it was the fact it showed him she was trying to get ahead of the problem.
Either way, she had a way of getting under his skin.
Theodore’s chest tightened as he stole another glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. Madison was stiffened as the approached the door of the great hall. The aroma of roasted meats and herb bread wafted through the corridor.
“Breath lass, they’ll nae bite,” Theodore said. “I take that back, they might. But daenae fret, I’ll nae let them get away with it.”
Her hand slipped to the crook of his arm. He could feel her fingers digging into the fabric of his sleeve as he watched her nerves mount. She glanced at him. The sparkle in her eyes reminded him of the faintest wisp of the heavens coming out in the darkest of nights.
Theodore gave her a reassuring nod and pushed open the doors to the great hall. Every eye turned as they entered. A small gasp escaped Madison’s lips as her grip around his arm tightened.
“I cannae do this,” she whimpered so low, he wasn’t entirely certain of what she said.
“Aye, ye can, just take my lead and ye’ll be fine,” he answered as they moved to the table.
“Call the hour, the laird has finally joined us. We’ve only been kept waitin’ for over an hour.
” Sarcasm mingled with irritation as it dripped from every syllable.
Out of all the people in the room, it was Aaron that spoke first. His voice grated on Theodore’s nerves.
If there was one person Theodore had hoped would have refrained from coming, it was him.
“Oh, come now, Aaron,” Edmund chimed in as the round council member stepped through the crowd.
He opened his arms and welcomed Theodore and Madison with a warm welcome and cheery cheeks.
“This is a joyous affair. Our Laird has finally agreed to settle. This should be cause to celebrate. And who could begrudge such a lovely lady her time to make ready?”
Edmund scooped Madison’s hand from her side as if it were a snake and drew it to his lips. Theodore didn’t move, but watched as Edmund made a spectacle before Madison.
“Move aside, we all must have a look,” Andrew chimed in. Theodore found a spark of gratitude flicker as Andrew pushed Edmund off Madison. If Theodore didn’t know any better, he would have thought the men before him had never laid eyes on any so beautiful before.
While many of the council looked relieved that Theodore had finally brought them a lass to look over, there were still some that were clearly displeased.
Aaron folded his arms over his chest and scowled at Theodore.
And while Aaron would never say anything to jeopardize his place on the council, his disdain for Madison was evident.
“And what of yer family? What clan do ye hail from?” Garret asked, his voice quaking from old age. Madison opened her mouth to answer only to get bombarded by others. She glanced at Theodore with a desperation in her eye that he couldn’t ignore.
“Alright, the lot of ye, take yer places at the table. Ye each have one question for the lass, and only one. I’ll nae waste our evenin’ caterin’ to the likes of this council.
” Theodore made sure to make eye contact with every single council member in the room as he helped Madison to her place.
She sat at the head of the table, in clear view for all to see.
Much to Theodore’s surprise, he didn’t catch her panic under the keen and judgmental glares of the council.
The questions popped off as Theodore stood next to Madison, ensuring the council’s questions didn’t cross any line. The last thing he wanted was for them to bring up the hunt and the events that happened.
“I’m sorry,” Aaron said as he rose for his moment. Theodore rolled his eyes and flexed his jaw. Aaron moved to the center of the room and paced the length between Madison’s table and the council’s. “Truly I am. I have nay question for the lass.”
“Finally, a reprieve,” Theodore mumbled as Aaron lifted a finger. Theodore’s eyes narrowed at the insult. But as the rules implied, Aaron still had the floor.
“Doesnae mean to say I’ve nay bit of advice for me Laird,” Aaron said, his voice laced with malice.
“Speak plainly and quickly,” Theodore warned as Aaron’s eyes gleamed with a sort of pleasure one gets from causing strife.
“Of course, me Laird, I merely want to put to vote now,” Aaron said. “For where I stand, I think we can all agree, this lass is nae fit to be our Lady.”
The room erupted in chatter and protests. Theodore stepped forward and reached for the pitcher resting on the table. Without hesitation, he launched the pitcher like a spear, slamming into the wall. The room went silent.
Theodore moved to the center of the room, his gaze locked on Aaron as he moved toward him. The anger festered within him and with each step he took, Theodore calculated his next moves carefully.
“It would seem each of ye have forgotten yer place,” Theodore said.
His voice was soft, but deadly. There wasn’t a person in the room though, that couldn’t hear every word that he scraped off his tongue.
“Ye have but one purpose and that is to serve at the laird’s behalf.
And last time I checked, I was Laird MacLeon. ”
“We are nae questionin’ yer place, me Laird,” Aaron dared to interject. “But hers.”
“Aye, and in turn, yer questionin’ me reasonin’ and wits.
Ye think I’m nae fit to rule this clan, is that it?
Ye think ye could do better with the villagers and the farmers in the east and south?
” Theodore’s voice dropped lower. If Aaron was determined to be made an example out of, Theodore wouldn’t stop him.
“Nay, me laird,” Aaron answered as he dropped his head humbly. “The clan merely needs a Lady of nobility, honor, strength.”
“And Madison here is worth ten of any women ye’ve paraded before me.
She’s smarter than the lot of ye, with wits and class that surpass the common lady’s.
And I’m tellin’ ye she’s got more heart and courage than the lot of ye,” Theodore snapped, his voice was a thick as steel and just as sharp.
He shook his head as he turned for Madison.
Although he had expected the council to be petty and maybe a little indifferent, Theodore wasn’t expecting the insults to sting as they did.
“Enough of this. We’re done.”
“Wait, what?” Madison chimed in, her voice breaking with shock. Theodore grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
“We’ve better things to do than entertain the buffoons in here,” he stated as his gaze fell directly on Aaron.
“Me laird, ye cannae just walk out,” Aaron interjected as he jumped before Theodore’s path, blocking Theodore from leaving. Theodore’s jaw set as his expression turned to stone. The color drained from Aaron’s face.
“We’re leavin’?” Madison asked as Theodore held the door open for her. His gaze remained locked on Aaron as if daring him to say another word.
“Aye, that we are. I’ll nae stand here and listen to another insult. They’ll learn to respect ye lass, one way or another,” Theodore growled as he slammed the door closed behind him.
They walked down the hallway as Theodore grumbled under his breath. He chewed on the words he wanted to release. It was Madison’s worried expression that caught him by surprised.
“What?” he asked calmly, after all, it wasn’t her he was frustrated with.
“Will the council stop ye from lookin’ for me family?” she asked.
Theodore stopped in the hallway and forced her eyes to meet his. “Force me? Ye think those men in there have any say over what I can or cannae do? Nay lass. I’d search as far as it took to find yer family and they would never have a say over the matter.”
She bobbed her head as her expression solidified. He grabbed her by the hand and hurried her further down the corridor.
“Where are we goin'?”
“To the shore,” Theodore answered. “I cannae stay in the castle with those fools right now.”
He pushed through the doors. The night air caught the loose strands of Madison’s hair causing them to whip about her face. It was as if something had shifted in that single moment. The council didn’t matter, the clan didn’t matter. Only she mattered.
“I hope I dinnae frighten ye with the council,” he said as the steady slap of waves along the shore was like a balm to his ire.
“Ye dinnae,” she lied. Theodore could hear the crack in her voice as she answered. He gave her a side glance.
“Aye, I did.”
“Can I ask ye a question?” Madison looked at him with wonder mingled with confusion.
“Aye, may nae like the answer though.”
“Why do ye care so much? What does it matter what those men have to say about me? Our relationship is only a ruse. So, why are ye lettin’ it bother ye so? I’ll be gone soon and then it’ll nae matter. Ye’re just gettin’ yerself all worked up for nothin’.”
Theodore dropped his shoulders as her words crashed against him like a rogue wave, threatening to take him down. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He tried again to scrape and force the words off his tongue, but they wouldn’t fall off.
She placed her hand on his arm. Her touch was as if a hot poker had been placed on him. But it didn’t burn the way it should have. It was more of an energy flowing out of her and into him. Her fingers trailed up his forearm, causing little bumps to rise up over his skin.
“I care because I cannae seem to do anythin’ else,” he confessed in a low hushed voice he could barely hear.
Madison’s breath hitched as she lifted a hand to cup his face.
He studied her as he dared to brush his thumb over her cheek to test if she was actually there.
“Ye daenae ken how many nights I’ve had this very dream. ”
“This isnae a dream.”
“I’ve heard that before,” he said as he leaned closer. “And it’s about this time ye usually disappear.”
“I’m nae goin' to vanish on ye,” she muttered as her breath crashed against his face as he spoke. His chest tightened as his lips yearned to taste her once again. The torment was overwhelming. He cupped his hand around her head, resting at the nap of her neck and drew her lips to his.
The world tipped and spun as his tongue slipped between her parted lips. A moan escaped from her. It was a sound of desperation and longing, a call that Theodore couldn’t resist, but he had to. He pulled back and dropped his head.
“I should stop,” he mumbled trying to cling to some thin string of reasoning or logic.
“Then why daenae ye?” she asked as if to taunt his torment. He looked her dead in the eye as his words came out husky and needy.
“I daenae want to.”
She shivered as he traced her lip with his thumb. “Then daenae.”
“I daenae want to take advantage of ye,” he answered as he tried not to look her in the eye. But it was no use. She had enchanted him.
“What if I want ye to though?” she said. Madison chewed her lower lip as Theodore mulled over what it was she was truly asking him.
“Are ye sure that’s what ye truly want lass?”