Chapter 15
“’Tis rather loud,” Keira complained, looking down at the guests greeting one another in the Great Hall from the raised dais where they stood.
Violet was inclined to agree, but the hum of excitement in the room was so palpable that it had begun to seep into her. She was looking forward to the rest of the festivities as the night progressed. She had been looking forward to it since the guests began arriving earlier in the day.
It had been quiet earlier when the clan’s seanchai had regaled them with tales of the clan and the calm waters of the loch she had frequented with Ruaridh. Violet was inclined never to visit the loch at night after the story she had heard.
Still, the music was lively, and the gay crowd made her quickly forget the woe the lore had put in her.
The tables in the Great Hall had been pushed against the walls to make the room wider and create a dance floor where guests danced in a scattered array that was unlike anything she had seen in England. There was so much food, and drinks flowed endlessly.
It was a joy to see their hard work come to fruition and see everyone satisfied.
A few of the guests eyed her warily, but none gave her any scalding looks, for which she was grateful. They were mostly curious about the woman who had entered on the Laird’s arm.
She had greeted a few of them with Ruaridh earlier, but he had told her to wait with Keira till he made some introductions later.
She couldn’t complain because the sheer number of guests that filled the castle made her feel somewhat overwhelmed, but over the week they would live with them, she was sure she would adapt.
Now, Ruaridh was standing with some lairds from neighboring clans.
He was unbelievably handsome, with his usually unruly hair slicked back in a way that left his handsome face on full display.
His crisp white linen shirt was almost fully covered by his plaid, which bore his clan’s colors of green and yellow proudly.
A wide range of colors was on full display this evening, and she was grateful she had chosen to wear the deep green gown. It would match his tartan, and the thought had her smiling.
She spotted him moving closer to them with a couple in tow, and she stood straighter with a small smile. Keira straightened as well, perhaps wanting to impress her father.
The pair were handsome, with matching heads of dark hair, but while the man had striking green eyes, the woman had a pair of cool grey eyes that had Violet wondering if perhaps she had done something.
“Callum, Sienna, may I present Miss Violet Wilkinson, me bride-to-be?” Ruaridh said. “Violet, this is Laird McMahon and his sister, Sienna.”
Violet curtsied politely, even though her cheeks warmed at having been so wrong in her assumption.
“Good evening, Laird McMahon, Lady Sienna,” she greeted. “It is lovely to meet you.”
“And ye as well,” Laird McMahon returned, taking her hand in his and placing a chaste kiss on the back of it. “And call me Callum. I have heard much about ye from Ruaridh. How are ye faring with me friend?”
“I am rather happy, my Laird—Callum,” she answered with a wide grin.
“And ye’re sure I cannae steal ye away?”
She heard Ruaridh clear his throat and wondered why he looked so glum. Still, she had been correct in her assumption that he surrounded himself with such jovial friends, who were a stark contrast to his reserved nature. She was honestly glad to see that he had such wonderful company.
“Ye mustnae mind me braither, Ruaridh,” Lady Sienna interjected, wrinkling her nose. “Ye ken he is a big flirt.”
“I am nae flirting with her,” Callum retorted. “I am only curious as to how such a bonny lass is saddled with me grumpy friend.”
“Ruaridh will get his revenge once the games begin,” Lady Sienna said, shaking her head. Then she turned to Violet and smiled. “Daenae mind me braither’s antics, Miss Violet. He likes to annoy Ruaridh. One day, he will certainly pay for his antics. And I insist ye call me Sienna as well.”
Violet nodded with a smile, though her heart began to race at the easy camaraderie between the beautiful woman and Ruaridh. Sienna had called him by his first name, and the usually stoic man smiled softly at her.
She wondered at the initial icy look she had gotten from the woman. Could it be because Violet had ruined her hopes of marrying Ruaridh?
Violet fell silent as a bitter feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Sienna and Ruaridh would have made a very striking pair. Standing side by side now, she was close to his height, and her lovely, elegant features were a perfect match to his stoic ones.
“That is if he can beat me in any of the games,” Callum joked. “And is this wee Keira I see?”
“Aye,” Ruaridh answered.
“Oh, how she has grown!” Sienna cooed. “Ye willnae remember me, Keira, but the last time I saw ye, ye were a wee lass.”
“I remember ye, Lady Sienna,” Keira said with a smile.
Sienna beamed, looking even more radiant, and Violet felt the black mood overtake her completely. She took a few steps backward, so slowly that no one noticed how she had removed herself from the competition.
She couldn’t muster a smile as tears pricked her eyes.
“I want to dance with ye, Violet,” Keira announced, stepping into their circle to take her hand.
“Ye can dance with Violet later,” Ruaridh told her. “I wish to introduce her to some more people.”
“Ye can do that later, Da,” Keira insisted with a pout, before turning away. “Come now, Violet. The next dance is starting.”
Violet let herself be pulled away, even though her heart was still heavy. She wondered if the girl had perhaps seen how anxious she had gotten. Nonetheless, she was grateful for Keira’s presence.
The next dance was about to start, and with the opening strains the musicians were playing, she knew she was not going to have much trouble following the vigorous steps she had seen earlier.
“’Tis called Dashing White Sergeant,” Keira informed her. “I daenae ken the steps, but we will copy the others, alright?”
“Alright,” Violet answered with a smile.
Keira took her other hand, and they spun in circles at the edge of the crowd on the makeshift dance floor so that neither of them would be hurt in the foray.
“Yer castle looks as beautiful as ever, Laird McLeod,” Laird McTominay commented, raising his goblet. “Ye’re doing a fine job as a laird.”
Ruaridh had been speaking with him and Lairds McCain and McIntyre, who had been friends with his father. The two men nodded in agreement.
“Yer faither would be pleased with what ye have achieved,” Laird McCain praised.
“’Tis good to see ye continuing the traditions he started,” Laird McIntyre added.
Ruaridh nodded, trying to focus on the conversation, but his eyes kept straying to Keira and Violet as they twirled around the dance floor.
They had been dancing for a while and had earned more than a few stares, although no one judged them harshly. He found himself smiling as Keira laughed and Violet’s teeth flashed in a wide grin.
“I am glad to hear ye are considerin’ getting married again,” Laird McTominay continued. “When do ye think the wedding will be?”
“We havenae decided on a date just yet, but I will make sure to invite ye,” Ruaridh answered with a firm nod.
He would not tell the man that his infuriating bride insisted on completing an inane list, which he had quickly realized would never find an end. He had not given her any reason to fear a match to him, but she seemed intent on enjoying her independence.
He couldn’t fault her thinking, not when she had barely just escaped a match she didn’t want.
He couldn’t begin to complain now, though. He had promised to wait, and he would give her as much time as he could, but if any disturbing reports came from England again, he wouldn’t be able to wait any longer.
“I look forward to it,” Laird McTominay answered.
Ruaridh nodded and looked for the lass again. He spotted Callum and Sienna watching the duo as well and frowned when he saw Callum walk up to Violet as the next dance was about to begin.
He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists as he watched her smile and accept his hands. They were a handsome pair as they moved, graceful as well, and the thought made him frown harder.
He itched to move forward when he saw the man’s hand wrap around Violet’s waist, but caught himself.
Wasn’t this her wish? To dance with someone handsome?
It was one of the items on her list, and while he hadn’t pondered it too deeply before, the thought that she found Callum handsome stirred a bitter feeling in the pit of his stomach that he didn’t understand.
She smiled again at Callum, and his lips thinned.
Why is she readily smiling at him when it has taken me so long to earn it?
He didn’t understand why the sight of his oldest friend and his lovely betrothed made him so bothered. He trusted that Callum was only trying to make the lass feel welcome, but…
In a way, Ruaridh didn’t want to admit that he feared she might fall for his friend’s charms.
“Is somethin’ wrong, McLeod?” Laird McCain asked.
Aye, Ruaridh wanted to say.
He didn’t want Callum to tick any items off Violet’s list. It wasn’t his responsibility to do so. It was Ruaridh’s. After all, it was he who would wed her. It was he who had resigned her to such a fate, and it was he who would restore her reputation.
He found himself walking over to them before he could stop himself, and when the music came to an end, he moved beside them, pulling Violet to him by the waist.
He tried to ignore how perfectly she fit against his side, but he could not help but glare at Callum.
“If ye wanted to dance with yer betrothed, ye only needed to ask, Ruaridh,” Callum teased.
“I shouldnae have to ask with me betrothed,” Ruaridh countered, looking down at Violet, who had a lovely flush in her cheeks.
If he weren’t so angry, he would have complimented her.
“’Tis only polite to ask,” Callum said with a wink. “It was lovely dancing with ye, Violet. If ye’re ever in the need of a dance partner, I am available.”
Ruaridh growled low in his throat, and the darned man walked off with a wink.
Annoying lout.
“You don’t need to ask, do you?” Violet asked, pulling away from his side.
He felt chagrined instantly and rubbed the back of his neck, unable to meet her eyes.
“I didnae mean that,” he sighed when he finally found his words.
“Hmm,” she murmured with a smile. “You only wanted to scare him away.”
He cleared his throat. “Would ye like to dance with me?”
She reddened and then beamed, nodding at him. “I would be honored.”
He held out his hand to her, and she placed her hand in it. Her touch was soft, tentative, and he gripped her hand gently as the first strains of the Eightsome Reel began.
“Just follow me,” he told her.
She nodded.
He performed the steps with all the familiarity of doing them in his younger years, even if it had been some time since he had last danced. He could feel the eyes of his clansmen on him, but it was only one pair of eyes he wanted on him.
He found her staring at him with wide eyes and felt the tips of his ears flush. “What is it?” he asked.
“I didn’t know you were such an accomplished dancer,” she answered with a wide smile.
Her compliment made him stumble, and he found his cheeks reddening when she giggled.
Damn it!
She always found a way to make him act out of character.
Still, he couldn’t ignore how her smile made his heart warm.
He loved her smile and how it spread across her face.
Nothing like the practiced smile of girls born into the gentry that he detested.
Hers was often wide and matched the light in her eyes.
Considering how much they argued every time they were in close proximity, earning a quick smile from her was an achievement he was most proud of.
He found himself smiling in return.
“Have I finally made you smile, my Laird?” she asked pointedly.
He set his lips in a firm line, earning another smile from her. If he weren’t so perturbed by the fact that she had caught him smiling, he would have smiled again.