Chapter Sixteen
The closer they got to Hartsmoor Castle, the more tense Eilidh’s body became. Torquil could feel her stiffen with each step. He tried to put her at ease, but it mattered naught what he did. They entered the courtyard and were stopped by the guards.
“Miss Eilidh, welcome home.” The guard eyed Torquil suspiciously.
“’Tis fine, Thom. He is with me.”
The man remained suspicious but loosened his hand that was holding the hilt of his sword. Torquil let Eilidh lead the way inside. When they reached the entry, she paused, looking at him with round eyes.
“Ready?” she asked.
He nodded curtly. “I am here for ye, Firebrand.”
She gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and they entered Hartsmoor side by side. Together.
The dark-gray stone was imposing as they walked into the Great Hall. Ahead of them, the Harts were gathered, awaiting their arrival. He was met with stern faces, which did not surprise him, and the same familiar tension that he had begun to recognize in Eilidh.
Morven was the first to approach them, and she enclosed her sister in a tight hug. “They dinnae ken, but have suspicions,” she whispered. She gave him a small smile, patted his hand, and returned to her family.
A man he assumed to be Alpin, Eilidh’s eldest brother, remained stoically silent, glaring at Torquil with daggers in his eyes.
A couple stood by the hearth. Too young to be Eilidh’s parents, and recognizing the family resemblance of the woman, he determined they were Eilidh’s older sister, and her husband, Errol.
It was easy to identify Eilidh’s mother and father.
Her father, Laird Hart, was red-faced and fuming, as his wife struggled to hold him back.
Behind them, another couple, pure process of elimination, along with the identifying scar on his cheek, Torquil kenned he was Eilidh’s other brother, Rory, the woman beside him had to be his wife, Alana.
She was holding a wee bairn in her arms, watching Eilidh and Torquil with interest.
Eilidh straightened her shoulders and jutted her chin out defiantly. Torquil took pride in her strength. At the moment he feared she was stronger than he. She cleared her throat, stating loud and clear, “This is my husband, Torquil.”
They each held their breath at her announcement. He looked from person to person and waited for their reaction.
The silence was deafening, especially for such a big space that for certs was usually bustling with people and noise. The family staring back at them offered no congratulations, no smiles.
Torquil was not surprised. He nodded respectfully, keeping his voice even as he greeted them politely. “I am happy to meet ye.”
Morven, bless the lass, tried to diffuse the situation. “Weel, that is a surprise,” she said sarcastically, trying to break the ice that had settled in the room like a wet woolen blanket.
Rory straightened and spoke with a growl. “A MacGregor? Really? Ye remember the atrocities they have inflicted upon our clan?” He threw a glance to his father.
Torquil stepped up and met Rory’s gaze. “Ye can hate my name, but dinnae mistake it for who I am. I am no’ my clan,” he said calmly.
He refused to back down. To show weakness, which is exactly what they wanted.
He would not give it to them. Nay, for him to be accepted, he would have to show he was worthy of being Eilidh’s husband.
Any lack of strength he might show would be seen as a reason that he did not deserve Eilidh.
He also was uncertain what Rory spoke of. The MacGregor had not attacked the Hart for as long as he could remember.
He met each man’s eyes. Alpin’s narrowed gaze. Rory’s glare. Arthur’s furious stare and red face. The man looked like he was about to explode. Torquil could not even be angry at his reaction. He supposed he would react in much the same way if the roles were reversed. Errol sneered.
Torquil had not expected aught less from them. But he would make them believe that he loved Eilidh. That was the most important thing.
Lillias broke away from Arthur and approached them. “Welcome to the family.” She gave him a warm hug and did the same to Eilidh. “Joan is preparing yer bedchamber to make it suitable for two. Ye both should rest until it is time to sup.” Her look was kind but stern.
Torquil could recognize a dismissal when he saw one and nodded.
When Lillias walked away, he and Eilidh stood there for a few moments in awkward silence afore Eilidh stepped towards the door.
He followed, letting her lead the way. As they left the Great Hall he could feel the heat of all the pairs of eyes glaring at his back.
He would prove himself, he vowed again.
Eilidh remained silent as he followed her through the halls, then up the stairs, and finally into what he could only assume was her bedchamber.
The space was fairly large, he was for certs that he could fit most of his cottage in this one chamber.
He tried not to let that revelation make him feel inferior.
Shutting the door behind them, Eilidh turned to him, her hands clasped in front of her. “That went better than I anticipated.”
“Did it?” Torquil asked, surprised. “I didnae get that same impression.”
Eilidh smiled. “I didnae say it went weel, only no’ as disastrous as it could have been.
” She moved to the window and gazed outside, hugging herself.
“My father could have pounced. My brothers could have attacked. E’en my brother-in-law.
I believe they did an impressive job of holding in their anger. ”
“I suppose that is true. ’Tis clear they are no’ fond of me, which is to be expected, given the circumstances.”
“My mother seemed accepting of ye.” She was trying to lighten the mood in the room.
Torquil wanted to roll his eyes. Whilst he was thankful for Lillias’s support, it was Eilidh’s father and brothers that he needed to win over. “A wee offering, I will admit.”
“Do give them time. All of this was just thrust upon them. They will have questions. They will demand answers.” She turned to him, her gaze clashing with his.
Unspoken questions lingering in her eyes afore she broke the contact and opened her wardrobe.
“We will need to clean up afore we sup. The meal should prove,” she paused, tilting her head to the side as she searched for the right word, “interesting.” She finally finished.
“They will expect ye to stand strong and no’ back down. ”
“I have nay such plans to do so.” He approached Eilidh, taking her shoulders and turning her around so she faced him. “These past days have passed like a whirlwind, with much happening. We havenae had a chance to talk aboot it all. I believe we should.”
Eilidh sucked her upper lip betwixt her teeth as she wrung her hands together. “There is naught to say. What is done, is done.” She stepped away from him and busied herself around the room.
Torquil watched her silently, wanting to say so much, but unsure if she would want to hear it.
Instead, he readied himself for the meal they would partake in with the family.
Dread settled over him. Over the chamber, hanging heavy in the air.
He kenned how much this next meeting mattered.
It was a test that her family wanted him to desperately fail.
He was determined to not only pass it, but to exceed their expectations by so far that they would have nay choice but to accept him.