Chapter Two Painted Ceilings
Chapter Two
Painted Ceilings
The day that Alice was to arrive at MacKeellan Keep, Evander finally got to see his bride. She was a beauty. Better than he had anticipated.
It perhaps was not the kindest thought that he had ever had, but he did think that her looks would make the whole arrangement easier. Or, at least, the part where they needed to make heirs. Truly, it might even be a pleasant task.
Leopold helped Alice—that was her name he had learned—off the horse.
She staggered slightly, and Evander could not help himself as he walked forward and wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.
She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed pink.
He smiled at that, and Alice could almost feel her heart melting at that smile, however much she tried to hide it from him.
“Welcome,” he said warmly, slowly distancing himself, but never fully removing his arm from around her. “I hope yer travels were not too arduous.”
Alice’s brow furrowed.
“I-um—” she stuttered.
“The travel was fine,” Leopold grunted at Evander. Alice’s eyes widened, and she looked horrified at her brother.
“Leopold—”
“’Tis fine,” Evander said. “I am used tae his… temper.” He looked down at her. Her lips were pursed together and there was a crease between her brows. It made him chuckle. “Ye will adjust tae the accent.”
Her cheeks flushed deeper, as if she were a child who had just been caught doing something she should not. She nodded, feeling the flush creeping up the back of her neck.
“Thank you,” she squeaked out.
“No need—” Evander started, but Leopold cut in.
“I told you, stop thanking everyone,” Leopold hissed. Evander glared at him and wrapped his arm around Alice a little bit tighter.
“Ye willnae speak that way tae her.”
“She is my sister; I can speak to her however I should want,” Leopold grunted as he pulled a heavy bag off of one of the saddles and all but threw it to the ground.
“She may be yer sister,” Evander said, his voice taking on a darker quality. “But she is also tae be my wife, and ye will speak tae her with respect. Or should I drag ye back tae the loch and show yer sister how I unhorsed ye?”
Leopold glared at Evander but had the good sense to go quiet after that.
Alice looked between them, confused. She had never heard some of these words before, and Evander’s accent was difficult for her to parse.
“Um… What is a loch?” she asked.
“It is just a Scottish lake,” Leopold huffed.
“He is being crude,” Evander said, shaking his head. “But, aye, ‘tis a large body of inland water. We have one a short way from the keep.”
Alice nodded, glancing up at the keep—which she had learned it was the fortified part of the castle. She was storing all the information she could, it would seem.
Servants hurried out from the keep to help Leopold with the bags despite his rudeness and arrogance, which attested to the respect they had for their Laird really.
Evander kept Alice close through the commotion, his hand gripping the side of her waist slightly.
She was more focused on the servants, the thick accents, the unfamiliar words…
Eventually, though, Evander began to lead her inside. A handful of servants watched them quietly as they were lined up to greet them. Evander looked up at them.
“This is the future Lady of Clan MacKeellan. Ye will respect yer Lady as ye have respected me, and if I hear otherwise, there will be consequences,” he said firmly.
The servants nodded, the maids curtsied and the manservants bowed.
Alice watched them, wide-eyed. Then Evander nodded and they scurried away.
“Consequences?” she whispered.
“Nothing ye need tae worry about, lass,” he murmured to her.
“No, I…” She swallowed hard. “I am not used to there being… consequences for such behavior.”
He frowned and tilted his head.
“So yer family allowed the servants tae treat ye however they wanted without any repercussions?” he asked.
“Well, no, ah…” Her voice died in her throat. She looked down at the ground, shifting awkwardly. He sighed and pulled her tightly against his side, making her look up at him again.
“Whatever ye experienced before,” he said, his voice low. “Ye’re now tae be treated with honor and respect. There is no need for ye tae worry about how that happens. All ye need tae ken is that ye will be treated well here. By everyone.”
“By everyone?” she whispered. Her eyes were focused on him, reflecting his large silhouette. He nodded.
“Everyone.”
She nodded slowly, her shoulders releasing slightly but not fully. She knew that one kindness would not be enough to override the fact that he could be hiding some brutish nature.
“How are ye finding Scotland so far?” he asked, keeping an arm around her as they began to move toward the large stone staircase. He waited patiently for her answer as she quietly debated the way she could say what she meant in the most polite way.
“It is not much different from Yorkshire, my Laird,” she said quietly. “Both, so far, are full of tall trees, interesting stones, and blanketed in heather.”
He nodded slowly. “I have never heard anyone say the two places were similar because they both had interesting stones,” he grunted.
“Well, perhaps people should look at the stones more then,” she said, a tingle of embarrassment running up her spine as she tried to regain her confidence.
Silence enveloped the both of them for a few moments.
He seemed to notice and pushed her toward the staircase.
Alice’s heart was hammering in her chest, her ears ringing slightly.
She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again.
She did not know how to speak to him. He did not appear to notice.
He kept his arm on her back as they ascended the stone stairs together.
“The ride was fine then?” he asked. The sound of his voice in the quiet made her gasp slightly. She nearly slipped but the steadying force of his arm around her kept her upright.
“It was,” she nodded. “The horses did well despite my brother pushing them hard, and the weather was good to us.”
“I am nae surprised that yer brother pushed the horses hard,” he sighed.
“I do wish he would not do such things,” she said. “The horses deserved rest too.”
“That they did,” Evander nodded. “But yer brother is a stubborn beast.”
Alice’s eyes widened. She glanced behind her, making sure Leopold was not following them, or at least had not heard.
It was to no one’s surprise that Leopold was, instead of checking if his sister was safe, berating a servant for holding one of the bags incorrectly.
Alice winced. Leopold was proving the laird’s point.
“You could say that…” she murmured.
“Ye willnae need tae worry about his temper for much longer,” he said gently as they reached the top of the stairs. Alice nodded, but she thought that her brother’s temper may not be the only one she needed to be wary of.
The pair walked down a hallway. Alice looked around, and Evander noticed how her eyes seemed drawn to the small decorations kept around the keep. A family crest. A carved horse. A plush rug. As she looked more, though, her brow started to knit itself together as they walked.
“Has something upset ye?” Evander asked. Alice had been so lost in her mind that the sound of his voice startled her.
“Ah, no, my Laird,” she said, shaking her head. “I just… I was expecting to see more portraits or paintings.”
“Ye have not looked high enough if ye have not seen any paintings, lass,” Evander chuckled.
Alice’s frown deepened in confusion. He gently pointed at the ceiling.
Alice’s eyes widened as she saw along the timber beams and the ceiling were painted with geometric designs.
Some looked to be native flora or fauna.
Others appeared to be the MacKeellan crest interwoven with paintings that might tell a story.
“Oh my,” she whispered.
“Just because we do things differently here,” Evander chuckled. “Dinnae mean that we miss out on the finer things in life.”
She nodded dumbly as they passed under more of these paintings.
Eventually, however, Evander stopped her from walking, his hand tightening around her waist, and when she looked up, she realized they had stopped in front of a large wooden door.
He pushed it open. Alice gasped as she took in the space.
It was a large bedchamber, with a plush rug in the middle of the floor and thick curtains over the window.
She broke from his hold and walked over to the bed.
Her hand ran over the bedding, feeling the fine material of the warm blankets under her fingers.
“This is tae be yers,” Evander said.
Alice nodded, tracing the embroidery on the pillows with her eyes.
“I-thank you, my Laird,” she said quietly.
“Ye dinnae need tae thank me for taking care of the woman I am tae wed tomorrow,” he said softly. His words seemed to shoot through her chest, and she spun to face him.
“Tomorrow?” she asked. He nodded.
“Indeed. I dinnae wish tae waste any time,” he replied. She nodded slowly, despite the racing of her heart. “I am afraid I have tae leave ye now; I have business tae attend.”
“I understand,” she whispered. Her legs, unsteady under her, brought her to the bed. She looked down at the floor, her mind whirling with thoughts. Evander watched her for a moment, still not used to Alice’s mannerisms. He supposed he would have to learn them, eventually.
“Take the time ye need tae get comfortable,” he said before leaving the room.
Alice watched him go, her hands shaking.
Leopold had said the wedding was to happen, but had not actually informed her of how fast it would be happening.
Her hands wrung in her lap. An anxious movement she did not know how to hide.
She had thought she had had time. She had thought she would be allowed to adjust to life here. The people, the accent, her betrothed.
No.
Nobody was giving her that privilege.