Chapter 7
Darina would have given anything to be able to prepare for the festivities on her own, but unfortunately, there were few servant girls since so many of them were needed to help in the kitchens or engage in last-minute decorating.
As a result, she was lamentably forced to share a suite with her sisters as the remaining servants fussed over them, prodding and preening and pinning them up for the big event.
“Have either of ye decided upon which nobles’ sons ye intend tae dance with this evenin’?” Fionna asked Darina and Edwina.
“Why?” Edwina retorted nastily. “So ye can make sure tae ask them before we get the chance? Ye’re always tryin’ tae take what’s ours so ye can be more like us!”
Fionna balked. “I dinnae!”
“Ye are currently wearin’ in yer hair the very same ribbon that went missin’ from my wardrobe a week ago, ye outrageous liar!” Edwina countered.
The younger girl turned bright scarlet. “It’s a different ribbon. It only looks like yers. I am nae a liar. Take it back!”
For a moment, it appeared as though things might come to blows between the two, which would have been an amusing sight indeed, as they were half-dressed in their finery with their hair only partially coiffed.
No doubt such a scuffle would have made a mess of both of them, and the poor servant girls would have had to start all over again.
“I hardly see why it should matter who either of them dances with tonight,” Ella pointed out. “We already ken that our father intends tae marry them both off tae Englishmen within the year, so it’s nae as though there’d be much point in courtship with any of the local lads.”
“Ah, well, that shows what ye ken!” Edwina replied with a smirk. “The fact that by this time next year we might be married tae Englishmen is precisely the reason we must make the most of tonight’s revels!”
Ella’s eyebrows went up. “Surely ye are nae contemplatin’ doin’ anything improper, Sister? Anything that would reflect poorly upon our father or rob ye of yer chance tae find a husband?”
The servant girls exchanged nervous glances, giggling amongst themselves.
“Oh, ye mustn’t take everythin’ so seriously, Ella!” Edwina blurted out, exasperated. “I only mean that we should enjoy these lads’ company while we still have the chance. And if one of them should sneak a kiss away when nay one is lookin’, well, where’s the harm in that, eh?”
“Nay harm at all in a kiss,” Ella commented mildly. “All the harm in the world from what comes next, as I understand it.”
“Ye are far too young tae understand any such thing,” Fionna informed her flatly.
Ella shrugged, her eyes returning to the mirror in front of her.
“So?” Fionna prodded. “Do either of ye have yer eye on anyone in particular? And nay, Edwina, I have nay intention of claimin’ anyone ye’re interested in. I simply wish tae ken who is out of my reach so that I may concentrate my efforts elsewhere.”
“Ye may protest all ye like,” Edwina said, turning her nose up at her little sister, “but we both ken that ye will single out the men we fancy so that ye can encourage their courtship the moment we’re headed off tae London just tae spite us.”
“Just tae spite ye, perhaps, Edwina,” Darina interjected, “since ye’re so spiteful yerself.”
“Do ye ladies see this?” Edwina asked, addressing the servant girls. “I am surrounded by sisters who find me detestable!”
“I dinnae find ye detestable, Edwina,” Ella spoke up. “Really, overall, I’m quite indifferent tae ye.”
“Thank ye, Ella,” Edwina answered sourly. “I may as well claim a dance or two with Errol since Darina has said he holds nay interest fer her whatsoever.”
“He does nae,” Darina insisted firmly.
“Oh, I’m well aware,” Edwina went on airily. “Fer ye see, Ella, if ye truly wish tae ken aboot the sorts of secret nighttime assignations that can lead tae the ruination of a lass’ maidenhead, then ye ought tae ken that our older sister was out with a man just last night.”
“I beg yer pardon?” But now it was Darina’s turn to blush fiercely.
Fionna’s hands went to her mouth, and her eyes widened. “Darina, is this true?”
Even Ella turned her head again, interested in the answer.
“Nay!” Darina exclaimed. “Of course nae!”
Edwina raised an eyebrow. “So ye deny, then, that ye snuck out of the castle last night?”
“I did, aye, that part is true…”
“And ye say that ye didnae see a lad while ye were out?”
“Nay, I did nae! Well, that is, I did see a lad, but I did nae plan tae, and it was nothin’ as lurid as ye have described.”
“I see.” Edwina’s face was a mask of mock remorse. “I must apologize fer castin’ such aspersions, then. So it was nothin’ tawdry in any way?”
“It most certainly was nae!” Darina snapped.
“Then ye mean tae tell us it was somethin’ loftier, more romantic?”
Darina wanted nothing more than to pick up the hairbrush sitting on the table in front of her and throw it at Edwina’s head with all the force she could muster. Instead, she fought to keep a tight hold on her patience.
“What I mean tae say,” she uttered through clenched teeth, “is that I went tae the stables tae be alone with my thoughts, and while I was there, I encountered the new stablehand. We introduced ourselves, and then I excused myself, which was only proper. That was the extent of our interaction, and nay amount of crude innuendo from ye can make it otherwise.”
“Oh, how sad,” Ella commented. “If he was only a stablehand, that means he will nae be in attendance at the party tonight, and ye will nae be able tae dance with him.”
“Fer heaven’s sake, Ella, nae ye as well!” Darina lamented. “Did ye nae hear me just a moment ago when I said that there was nay attraction between us?”
“Of course, I heard ye,” Ella replied. “I was sittin’ right here, and yer volume was sufficient. However, I also noticed the tone in yer voice that meant ye were lyin’ and that ye actually do fancy the stablehand.”
Darina threw up her hands. “I give up. The three of ye are utterly impossible.”
“I heard Cameron and Logan talkin’ about the man earlier today,” Fionna said. “His name is Finn, and Cameron seems tae like him a great deal.”
“Did they mention whether he’s handsome?” Edwina asked, wiggling her eyebrows at Darina.
Fionna blinked, confused. “Of course nae. Why would they talk about that?”
“Well, ye’d better sneak out tae enjoy his company as often as ye can while ye still have the opportunity,” Edwina jeered. “Ye’d best be careful, though, or ye might find yerself racin’ the bump in yer own belly once ye get tae London.”
“Ye are crass and awful,” Darina informed her dryly.
By the time their preparations were finished, it was time for the four of them to scurry down to join the party, as the guests were just beginning to arrive.
When Laird Cawley saw them descend the stairs in their magnificent dresses, he beamed. “I am in absolute awe,” he said, “that such astonishingly beautiful women could be my daughters! If only yer mother were here tae see ye now.”
“I choose tae believe that she is, in some form or other,” Darina replied, smiling and kissing him on the cheek. “I almost fancy that I can feel her here with us.”
“Aye, I like to think so too.” Her father took her hand and squeezed it.
“And if she were here, then she and I would have the first dance. However, since she is nae, it seems as though that honor falls tae ye—and whichever lad ye choose tae dance with, of course. Who will it be?” He wrinkled his nose.
“Nae that scoundrel Errol, I hope, after the spectacle he made of himself the other day. Disgraceful!”
“Nay, nae Errol,” she assured him. “He seems a more fit partner fer Edwina, at any rate.”
Edwina scowled at her but remained silent.
“Good, good,” Cawley muttered, nodding. “Then I suppose I should leave ye tae make yer selection, eh? Have fun tonight, my Daughter, but remember—”
“Nay tae give my heart tae anyone, fer my true love awaits me in London?” Darina finished for him wryly.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling. “Somethin’ like that, aye.”
“I shall bear it in mind.”
Darina made her way across the great hall, surveying the men her age to determine which of them might make a suitable dancing partner.
She found that she could easily conjure reasons not to choose any of the candidates who presented themselves; she’d grown up with all of them, and they were simply too familiar to her.
She found herself fancying the thought of Finn attending the event. But of course, that was a preposterous notion, the idea of him standing among all of these nobles wearing mud-spattered boots and patched trousers…
Then her eyes fell on her brothers Cameron and Logan and the fellow standing next to them, talking and laughing.
At first, she was unable to believe what she was seeing.
Surely, this unfamiliar figure could not be the man she was just thinking about.
No, she was seeing what she wanted to see.
It was a trick of the light, a figment of her overactive imagination.
Except none of that was true because it was actually him. It was Finn, improbably standing there in a fine suit of clothes that he had clearly borrowed from Cameron. He was freshly shaved and bathed, his hair brushed neatly into place.
And when he saw her, his face lit up.
Darina went to him, trying to keep her jaw from hanging open in disbelief.
“Ah, Sister!” Cameron greeted her. “Please allow me tae introduce our new friend, Finn, who works in the stables. Old Lennox is greatly impressed with his work!”
For an uncertain moment, Darina almost admitted that they had met before, but she caught herself, realizing that it might only get them both into trouble. Instead, she gave him another curtsy. “A pleasure tae make yer acquaintance, Sir.”
He took her hand, kissing it. “The pleasure is entirely mine, my lady, I assure ye.”
“May I have the first dance?”
Finn’s eyebrows shot up. “If ye’re quite certain ye’ll have me, then aye,” he answered quietly, taking her by the hand.
Cameron clapped his hands, laughing. “Oh, splendid, Sister! By all means, have the first dance with a stablehand. Nay doubt it will confuse our father tae nay end!”
She did not answer but merely led Finn to the center of the dance floor, and the band struck up a merry tune for them. Those in attendance applauded warmly as the two began to dance.