Chapter 9
“Me Laird, Hayden McFarden is here to see ye,” a footman announced.
Ah. Hayden.
Darragh remembered the man from one of the cèilidhs his father had hosted two summers ago. He was a handsome lad with a good head on his shoulders, responsible even though he was the second son of a laird. He would likely become Laird too, as his elder brother was sickly and without heirs.
Still, that was a big gamble.
Darragh didn’t know the man’s thoughts on women or his history with women. At least this interrogation would reveal the man’s intentions before he allowed him to meet Talia.
He gave her a look, but she regarded him with the same bored indifference with which she regarded the suitors until they had answered his questions. She rose from her seat and moved to the other end of the hall, where she would not be seen by Hayden until Darragh called for her.
He suppressed a smile and turned back as Hayden entered the hall.
“Laird McGhee,” Hayden greeted with a bow. “‘Tis a pleasure to meet ye again.”
“I am glad ye accepted me invitation.” Darragh indicated the chair opposite him. “I believe ye are yet to be married?”
“Aye,” Hayden answered. “I havenae been fortunate to find a worthy bride. And when I say worthy, I daenae mean one is to be more esteemed than the other, but me faither is against marrying into certain clans.”
Darragh nodded. “That is understandable. The future of yer clan depends on making valuable connections with other clans.”
“Indeed. I’m sure ye think the same if ye intend to take a wife,” Hayden said. “Me sister is young, but she is well trained and is verra bonny.”
“Indeed,” Darragh uttered just to be polite. “Perhaps I shall visit ye when me search begins.”
“I look forward to it.” Hayden gave a charming smile.
Darragh found himself returning the smile and made a mental note to add Hayden to the top of his list. The man was charming and didn’t put on airs. He seemed to be well-behaved.
He almost decided against further questions, but he needed the answers to them before he introduced Hayden to Talia.
“I have only a few questions for ye, Hayden,” he began. “‘Tis important I ken what sort of man ye are before I introduce ye to me ward. I promised her faither that I would protect her.”
“‘Tis a reasonable thing and most responsible.” Hayden nodded. “I would do the same for me sister when it’s time. What questions do ye have for me?”
“I want to ken how ye would treat yer wife. What would ye expect of her, and what would ye do if she fell short of yer expectations?”
“I daenae expect much other than that she loves me and is good to me sister,” he answered.
“I am busy running the clan, as me braither is indisposed, but I will love her and try to spend time with her. I might nae possess charm or humor, but I would like her to possess both so she may add color to our lives. Even if she were lacking, surely we would find some way to enjoy each other’s company as we grow old together. ”
That is a good answer.
Darragh saw Talia nod from where she was hiding. He raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to the man.
“And how many children do ye hope to have?” he asked.
“Oh, I would love to have many children, but ultimately I ken the decision isnae up to me.” Hayden laughed. “I would be fine with as many as the Lord blesses us with.”
Darragh realized he didn’t like how well Hayden was answering his questions. He frowned when he saw Talia nodding and smiling brightly.
I thought she didnae want to marry?
“Have I said something wrong, me Laird?” Hayden asked.
Darragh turned back to him, but the frown hadn’t left his face. He didn’t think the frown would leave his face at all. If the man continued to answer the questions so well, then he might as well have found a husband for Talia.
That realization didn’t make him as happy as he had thought it would.
Shaking off the confusing twist of emotions, he schooled his features into a blank mask.
“What do ye do on days when ye’re overwhelmed with yer duties?” he asked. “Do ye go drinkin’ with yer mates?”
“I enjoy a night of revelry as much as any man,” Hayden answered. “But I love swimming, and as I’m nae inclined to die young, I daenae imbibe before I go swimming.”
Darragh didn’t bother looking at Talia again until he asked his last question. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to keep his blank expression if he saw her smiling as brightly as she had earlier.
“What is the current state of yer estate?” he asked. “How was the harvest last year?”
“We’ve been lucky to have had a good harvest. We want for naught. Our main concern is to tighten security in our border towns, but we arenae in debt.”
Darragh was almost jealous of the man, but he toned it down and finally looked at Talia, who gave a quick nod. He nodded back. He was almost disappointed when she rose to her feet and smoothed the creases in her skirt.
“Have I answered all yer questions, me Laird?” Hayden asked.
“Indeed, ye have,” Darragh replied, pushing past his disappointment.
Talia came closer now, and he noticed Hayden’s eyes widen in appreciation as she did. He also noticed, much to his dismay, that the man kept his eyes respectfully on her face as he rose to his feet.
Darragh rose as well and folded his hands behind his back.
“Hayden, might I introduce me ward, Miss Talia Collins?” he said. “Talia, this is Hayden McFarden, from Clan Macintosh.”
Talia curtsied beautifully and extended her hand in greeting. Hayden took it almost rapturously and placed a kiss on the back of it.
“‘Tis a pleasure to meet ye, Miss Collins,” he offered, gently releasing her hand. “Might I be so bold as to say that yer beauty puts the poet in me at a loss for words.”
Talia smiled sweetly. “I am charmed to meet ye as well.”
She gave Darragh a look. He frowned at her, but took it as his cue to leave them alone. Still, he remained in the hall at a safe distance, so he could watch for untoward behavior.
When they finally sat, it was almost torturous for him to notice what a striking pair the two of them were.
“Truly?” Talia asked, laughing at the story Hayden had just told her. “Ye were something of a rascal in yer childhood.”
He had been decidedly pleasant since they had started speaking, and while she had thought to shun any suitors Darragh may bring, he had answered the questions in a way that had her looking forward to meeting him.
He was handsome, with lovely blond hair and bright blue eyes like the sky on a lovely summer day, and he was quick to smile, a clear contrast to the brooding man who was watching them from the other end of the hall.
She stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and saw him frowning at the two of them.
What is he angry about now?
She thought back to how handsome he had looked when he laughed and how the rich sound had washed over her, filling her with pride that she had caused this mountain of a man to break character.
Usually, she drove him to anger, which had been satisfying, but his amusement was like a treasure she had uncovered, and now that she had seen it, she wanted to see more.
“I like to believe I was only living to the fullest,” Hayden answered, drawing back her attention. “I was young and full of energy.”
She had forgotten his presence the moment she had looked at Darragh, as all things tended to fade when she thought of the brooding man who was now responsible for her.
“Am I to believe that ye’ve stopped causing mischief?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Nae entirely,” he admitted. “Life would be decidedly boring if I didnae cause mischief once in a while.”
“Indeed.” She grinned. “I would have been worried if ye had become boring.”
“I believe the two of us could get along well, Miss Collins,” Hayden said, placing a hand on hers. “I would love to bring ye to me clan and introduce ye to me family. They will love ye.”
Talia stiffened when his hand touched hers, not because she felt any spark, but because she hadn’t been expecting it. His hands were calloused but smoother than Darragh’s, and smaller.
Perhaps that was why she didn’t feel any heat travel through her body the way it did whenever Darragh touched her, or why she didn’t find herself short of breath.
She looked at their joined hands, where his thumb had begun to rub circles on her palm, and back to his eyes. If she married him, she would be guaranteed a life of frivolity and laughter, but there would be no fiery passion or desire, unlike what she felt with…
Why do I keep comparing him to Darragh?
She remembered how brashly he had treated her when they had first met and the strength of his body when he had lifted her with ease. Her face reddened at the memory.
She shook the thought out of her head and met Hayden’s eyes. Here was a nice man who didn’t confuse her or think of her as only a means to enrich himself, but her mind was fixated on the man who confused her at every turn.
“I look forward to meeting them as well,” she offered with a smile.
But even as she said the words, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment in her chest.
Darragh watched Talia’s face redden as Hayden put his hand on hers and felt heat rise in his chest when she lowered her eyes. The cad, whether unaware or uncaring of her thoughts on the matter, squeezed her hand softly but made no move to withdraw.
How dare he?
He half expected Talia to shake him off, but perhaps she did not want to be rude, so she endured the unwanted touch.
Already, his feet had begun to tap an unsteady rhythm on the floor as he fought the urge to bolt out of his seat and tear the man’s hand off her. He knew Talia, and he knew her pride was easily wounded.
She would forgive him if he acted so brashly on her behalf, but still…
Hayden’s thumb had begun to rub circles on the back of her hand, and Darragh scoffed in disbelief as she laughed softly.
If he was being so bold in front of a laird, what would he do when they were alone?