Chapter 18 #2
So even now, with the competition looming so close, she had yet to find the skill she could compete with.
“Yes, Keira, I am going to join the Highland games,” she replied gently, not surprised when the little girl’s brow furrowed with confusion.
“Which one? The caber toss? Archery? They are so very interesting to watch.”
“You see, Keira,” she said, clearing her throat and smiling to hide her embarrassment. “I do not know yet.”
Her little friend was quiet, her head bent as if she were thinking hard about something.
“Me friends and I are planning a tug of war with the lasses from Clan McDonald,” she said finally, with a serious expression that was so out of place on her face it was almost funny. “Ye can join us. It will be very interesting.”
Violet did not doubt that. But just how appropriate it would be for a full-grown lady like her to participate in a game where the contestants were mostly children. She might be out of options, but it was not that bad. Yet.
“You do not have to worry,” she assured, hating it when the excitement dimmed from the girl’s eyes. “I do not want to bother your friends. I will be the only adult there. They might not be comfortable.”
“Nae if I joined in too,” a feminine voice interjected, smooth and stroked over by a light Scottish brogue.
Its owner was a redhead with a wide smile, and she was striding towards them wearing a flowing green gown with the clan’s tartan belted over it.
Violet’s brain guessed her identity even before Keira confirmed it.
“Davina!” she screamed with excitement, running towards her aunt.
So at last, Violet was going to meet her.
“Ye should let her breathe,” Grannie Ava was saying with a laugh, where she stood beside the embracing duo. “Allow me to introduce yer aunt to Violet.”
Since spending time with Grannie Ava and little Keira took most of her free time, it was sometimes easy to forget that she had not actually met all of Ruaridh’s relatives.
There was, after all, one more remaining—Davina. The only sister he had. The one that was most likely to be most like her.
Violet liked to deny it, but she felt nervous at the thought of meeting her. After all, on the surface, what was a noble Scottish lass—a laird’s sister, no less—supposed to have in common with an Englishwoman who hung at the lowest rungs of society, with no money and no prospects?
The most likely answer was none.
Except Violet knew that Ruaridh’s sister had a love and taste for fashion that closely mirrored her own. That connection or similarity might be flimsy in the grand scheme of things, but she hoped it would be enough to at least get her in the lady’s good graces.
She might not say it, but since she started building a family here, she was eager for them to like her.
Wiping her suddenly damp hands on her skirts, she stepped forward, hand outstretched, just as Sienna rose from her squat on the floor after Keira released her.
“I am Violet Wilkinson.”
“Ah, Ruaridh’s lass,” Davina said with a smile, ignoring the outstretched hand to gather her into a hug. “It is very good to see ye. I have heard so much about ye from me niece.”
“Not Ruaridh?” Violet asked, before she could stop herself.
“Nay,” Sienna said with a hiss. “He has been very tight-lipped about the whole matter, but I can see the changes ye have wrought in his manner. Tell me,” she asked with a teasing smile, “do ye have magic?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because Ruaridh is different now,” she replied. “It may nae be obvious to everyone, but he is me braither, and I lived with him for most of me life. He is definitely happier now. He smiles, something I havenae seen him do since Mary died. He must really love ye.”
Love. That was a very strong word to use to describe what existed between them. There was lust, a touch of possessiveness, and care in his manner, but Violet would not go as far as to call that love.
The moment she started convincing herself that Ruaridh loved her, she would only be heading for the destruction that would surely ensue when she confirmed it was a lie.
“I guess there are to be wedding bells soon.”
She nodded, feeling somewhat shy.
“I am more worried about the Highland games now. I have no idea what game I intend to participate in,” she said with a nervous laugh, hoping to steer the conversation away from her impending nuptials.
“I believe a tug of war will be fine,” Davina opined. “Daenae worry about the children. Tug of war is for anyone who cares to play it. There are very few children who participate anyway. They are too busy chasing their maithers to get more treats to care.”
“Oh, I forgot to tell Da about the game. I have to tell him that ye are participating,” Keira piped up from the corner of the room, where she had gone to continue fiddling with her knitting project.
“You do not have to, dear. I can tell him later.”
“He might forget then. I will go now,” Keira insisted, running out before Violet could protest.
“Well, that’s new,” Davina said with a chuckle, drawing Violet’s gaze back to her. “Keira usually finds it difficult to accept people, especially non-family members, but I think she likes ye. I think she is trying very hard to match ye with her da.”
Well, the little girl did not even need to try hard. Violet’s heart was already in free fall where Ruaridh was involved.
“I daenae think that she had to try so hard,” Davina added, watching her with a knowing look, her eyes piercing enough that Violet believed the woman could see her heart.
“Let us cease this talk about men. I really love your dress and style. Who makes your dresses?”
“Me maid, mostly, when I was young. But these days, me husband makes the sacrifice to take me to a modiste in the Lowlands every year. Doesnae mean he willnae grumble about it, though,” she replied with a fond smile.
It was very obvious that her husband adored her.
“Ye like them?” she asked. “Ye can come with us on our next visit. I will tell Ronald, me husband.”
“That is very kind of you. I also thank you for the dresses I borrowed from your old room.”
“Bah, those are old gowns. As me new sister, ye deserve even better gowns. Why, I will tell Ruaridh.”
“He has already asked the merchant to bring bolts of fabric.”
“Well, they are too slow. A fine lass like ye deserves very beautiful things. What do ye say ye come visit me and stay with me till the wedding date is fixed? I will make sure to treat ye well.”
“I am not sure the Laird—” Violet started.
“I ken, he will most likely have me head for spiriting away his betrothed before the wedding.”
Yes, that he would, but she liked Davina, who seemed difficult at first glance but was sweet in the middle.
“Ah, speak of the devil…” Davina intoned, staring past her shoulder.
Violet turned to see that Keira had returned with Ruaridh in tow. At first, she thought it was about the game, but he had a worried look on his face.
Something was wrong.
Standing up, she opened her mouth to ask the question, but he spoke before she could.
“Yer faither is here.”