Chapter 21
Margaret nearly ran out of stationery in the process of inviting her family to Castle McGhee.
The first letter she’d written was too long with more details than necessary.
The second felt as though she were leaving out vital information.
Finally, with one sheet of parchment remaining, she’d managed to extend the invitation, confirm her safety, and break the news of her recent wedding.
I can only hope they don’t get too upset with me for not inviting them to the festivities. I’m sure they’ll understand though. It was a decision that was for everyone’s safety.
After addressing the letter, she left her quarters with it in hand.
She was nearly at the great hall when she finally came across a maid who wasn’t busy too busy to look her way.
When the maid saw Margaret’s excitement, her face lit up.
It seems the prospect of new gossip was enough to put a spring in the maid’s step.
“Excuse me,” she said as the maid approached, a pretty young woman with a heart-shaped face. “I was wondering if you could see that this is sent to England for me.”
“Of course, Me Lady,” the maid said as she accepted the letter. “Who are ye writin’ to in England? Yer family?”
“Yes,” Margaret said excitedly, grinning as though she were a little girl. “I’ve invited them to come visit the castle.”
“Ach, that’ll be lovely!” the maid replied, matching Margaret’s enthusiasm. “We were wonderin’ where yer family were when ye got married.”
The statement hurt Margaret much more than it should have.
It had been difficult to experience such a major milestone without them there.
Yet she knew that it was for the best, for the safety of everyone involved.
Still, knowing that the fact had been a point of gossip for the maids was painful in ways she couldn’t express.
“There were some… complications,” Margaret murmured, fighting to keep herself from flinching. Then, she waved her hand as if to dismiss the awkwardness and smiled. “But they’ve been cleared up now. Hopefully, my family will be visiting soon. I just have to wait for their response to know for sure.”
“I’m sure they will be,” the maid said kindly. “I bet they miss ye somethin’ terrible. Ye’ve been here for nearly a month now.”
“You’re right, I have, and I miss them as well,” Margaret agreed, nodding to the missive in the maid’s hands. “That’s why I need that letter sent as soon as possible.”
“I’ll take care of it right away, Me Lady,” the maid promised, giving a curtsey before she hurried away.
She seems so excited about it… I wouldn’t be surprised if she tells everyone as soon as she gets that posted.
With that errand done, Margaret felt as though she were overflowing with energy.
She knew that it was a mixture of nerves and excitement.
While she desperately wanted to see her family again, she couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t concerned about how they’d react once they learned of what she’d done.
It wouldn’t surprise her if her aunt scolded her for acting rashly, but she could only hope she’d be forgiven quickly once Ryan showed them that Highlanders weren’t all brutes.
Perhaps a walk in the gardens is what I need to clear my head. At the very least, I’ll be able to tire myself out a bit. Then, I may be able to focus on painting for a bit.
So, Margaret turned away from the great hall and made her way toward the well-maintained green. As soon as she stepped outside, she felt a bit better. The fresh air seemed good for her rushing mind.
The revelation that Ryan wasn’t as savage as she initially believed him to be helped as well. She felt as though things were looking up. Once her family came and visited, she was sure everything would feel right with her world.
As she moseyed through the rows of flowers, she tilted her head back to let the crisp wind caress her cheeks.
She could learn to love this place. In fact, part of her believed that she was already falling for the Highlands.
She supposed it was hard not to, especially when the people had been so welcoming to her.
Humming to herself, Margaret almost didn’t notice that she’d walked upon two people leaning close together. She stopped in her tracks, quieting herself as she took in the sight in front of her. The last thing she wanted to do was disturb this couple.
At first, she didn’t recognize the figures. One was a man; the other, a woman. As she took a few steps closer, she realized that the woman was Cali, and the man she was whispering in the ear of was Colby.
Colby’s courting her.
A grin settled on Margaret’s face. She wondered how she hadn’t picked up on the attraction the two held for one another. Thinking back on the interactions she’d witnessed, the two were certainly familiar. However, Cali was kind and playful with everyone.
Now that I think about it, she’s much more playful with Colby than with anyone else.
As if sensing her presence, Cali straightened up, putting a bit of distance between herself and Colby. Then, she glanced over her shoulder and locked eyes with Margaret. Within seconds, her entire face flushed down to her neck, and she smiled shyly.
Margaret simply raised her hand in greeting. Then, in a show of respect, she turned around to leave them to their own devices. There was no reason to get in the way of the couple.
I imagine it’s difficult for the two of them to get time alone. Cali’s occupied with me, and Colby’s always helping Ryan. No need to disturb them.
Ryan’s interrogation was unsuccessful again.
He’d ordered his men to bring bread and water to the man to keep him alive, but he was worried that this method wouldn’t get him the answers that he needed.
It might be time to consult with Colby about taking more extreme measures though, since his conversation with Margaret, he was less inclined to use force.
Running a hand through his brown hair, he exited the castle. He needed time to sort through his thoughts before he decided what to do next. There was no need to act when he was so angry. The prisoner had information that Ryan needed, so Ryan had to be tactful about his methods.
I’ll have to be careful. If I’m too harsh on him, he willnae be able to speak to give me the name I need. But that doesnae mean I cannae rough him up a wee bit. He deserves it.
He was so absorbed in his own mind that he didn’t notice another person walking straight at him. If they hadn’t put their hands out to stop him, he would have barreled right into them. As it was, he still nearly did.
“Ach, I’m sorry,” he said, looking down at the person he nearly knocked over.
“You seem distracted,” Margaret observed, giving him a look that was a mix between concern and amusement. It only served to endear him to her even further. “Are you all right?”
“Aye, everythin’ is fine,” he replied, somehow feeling more at ease with this woman around. “I was just thinkin’. I should have been watchin’ where I was going. I could have knocked ye right over.”
“You should have been,” she agreed. Then, thoughtfully, she said, “The gardens seem like a good place to work through anything that’s bothering you.”
“Aye, it is,” Ryan said, wondering if that was why she was here. “So, did ye send the letter to yer family?”
The subject change made Margaret beam. He offered her his arm, gesturing to the path around the garden. After she rested her hand in the crook of his elbow, she responded.
“I handed it off to a maid,” she said, taking control of the path they walked.
She tugged him in a different direction than he’d have normally taken.
As he let himself be guided, Margaret continued, “She seemed so excited about the prospect of meeting my family that I’m sure the letter is already on its way to England. ”
“Yer family comin’ to visit would give the maids plenty to gossip about,” Ryan laughed. “I’m sure they’re already talkin’ about the possibility.”
She giggled, and he noticed that there was a bit of a skip in her step. Her voice had a musical quality when she said, “I do hope they agree to visit. This is the longest I’ve gone without seeing them. I’m sure my aunt and uncle are worried sick.”
She speaks quite a bit about her aunt and uncle, but I havenae heard her refer to her parents.
“Ye’re close with yer aunt and uncle, then?” he asked as they rounded a corner to a more private part of the garden.
He led Margaret to a stone bench surrounded by purple flowering bushes. As they sat down, their bodies close together, she said, “I am quite close to them. They raised me, though, so I suppose it’s only natural.”
“Aye, I suppose ye’re right,” he said, the steadiness of her body further soothing his mind. It was strange that she had this effect on him, but he couldn’t bring himself to be bothered by it. In fact, he welcomed her comfort. “What about yer parents? Are ye close with them?”
“Ah, well…” she muttered, looking away from him. She focused on the flowers next to them, caressing the petals with her fingertips. “I’m an orphan. My aunt and uncle took me in when I was very young.”
Ryan pulled her hand from his arm and tangled their fingers together. She glanced down at their interlocked hands then her gray eyes met his.
“I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing his thumb over hers in a gesture of comfort. “That must have been difficult for ye.”
“You don’t have to be,” she said, smiling softly. There wasn’t any hurt there, just quiet resignation. “It’s quite normal to me. I suppose it’s a bit sad, but I’m not sad about it anymore. It’s just a part of life. I forgot that the people here wouldn’t know my story.”