Page 22 of A Highlander's Bride

Before he did more than he should—certainly not more than he wanted—he leaned back and kissed her on her forehead. “I will see ye in the morn. Please think about what I said.”

Chapter Eight

Five days later,Beth rose from her bed after a poor night’s sleep. Despite the passing of time, Daniel’s proposal still troubled her. He didn’t hesitate in his offer of marriage, but was it considered a true offer? Had he left her that night and then spoken with her da? Surely her da would not begin a betrothal agreement without her consent? And surely he would have told her if negotiations were taking place.

She’d been resting and now her foot was feeling much better. Daniel had been busy with clan problems for most of the last few days. Evenings were spent with them together, along with Laird and Lady Chisholm, Beth’s parents and, of course, Lady Alice. She’d grown to know Daniel so well that she sensed when he was annoyed with Lady Chisholm and her insistence that Lady Alice be included in everything.

Since Lady Alice was an invited guest, it was only proper that they include her, but she didn’t want to do anything they suggested. One could only take so many walks in the garden.

Beth had enlisted her mam in an effort to take Lady Chisholm off their hands so she and Daniel could do something—anything—without Lady Chisholm’s constant chatter, since wherever Lady Alice went, so did her mam.

After a few days of entertaining the woman, Mam was just as disgusted with Lady Chisholm as they were. “And the poor lass doesn’t seem to be interested in anything,” her mam said one afternoon aboutLady Alice as they took tea and time alone in her parents’ bedchamber to relax their ears.

“With her mam disapproving of everything, ’tis no wonder she has no interests beyond sewing and music.”

All those thoughts muddled her mind while she was dressing for dinner. She loved her life at Foulis Castle. In fact, she had never questioned her happiness. Not until she met Daniel Mackenzie and he made her start thinking about everything she’d imagined she wanted in her life.

As he had pointed out, he was young, wealthy, Clan Chief of a powerful clan, and in charge of a well-protected castle. And, he said, he would give her many bairns. She smiled to herself. That was one point against him.

What he hadn’t needed to point out was he was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen, with those classic nobility features, curly, deep red hair and his blue eyes full of merriment and, at times, passion. She’d learned about that with the few kisses they’d been able to share while Mam was busy with Lady Chisholm.

Kisses that made her body tingle and turned her into a mass of jelly with no way to keep herself standing up if Daniel hadn’t been holding her tightly against his strong chest with his strong arms.

She took one last glance in the looking glass and again tested her ankle, which seemed to be just fine.

“I doona see why we must wait for her. We are wasting time.” Lady Chisholm’s grating voice met her as Beth entered the great hall.

“Lady Chisholm, as I’ve pointed out to ye before, ’twas Lady Beth who requested this trip to the village. ’Twould be quite ill-mannered to leave without her.”

“Well ye can see my Alice is here and ready to go,” she huffed. “If ye be choosing a wife, ye want one ye are no’ always waiting on.”

Apparently not having seen her yet, Lady Chisholm continued, “’Tis bad enough we’ve had to wait all these days because of herfoolish injury. My Alice and I are quite tired of watching the two of ye play chess.”

Daniel sighed. “I’ve told ye before, my lady, ye are welcome to use one of our carriages to make a trip to the village yerselves. I am most certain Lady Munro would be happy to travel with ye.”

Daniel looked over at her as she arrived at the dais and smiled. “Good morn, Lady Beth. Ye are looking lovely this day.”

Lady Chisholm turned, most likely annoyed that Beth had appeared. She sniffed. “Some women should not wear that particular color.”

Since Beth was quite sure the woman did not refer to her own daughter, it appeared the insults were going to start before they even left the castle.

“Good morn to ye, Lady Chisholm, Lady Alice.” She dipped before she took the seat Daniel held out for her.

“We were thinking perhaps ye were ill and unable to go with us on our trip,” Lady Chisholm said, not exactly kindly.

Daniel shook his head in frustration. “If Lady Beth was unable to go, we would put our trip off because, as I’ve said many times, ’twas her request after winning the game of chess that I take her to the village.”

No one else might have noticed the tension in Daniel’s voice, but she knew him well enough to realize his temper was growing. Not wishing to cause any further trouble, she sat and reached for some fruit, cold meat, and a mushroom pastie.

“What is the best thing to see in the village, my laird?” Lady Chisholm asked. The woman actually fluttered her eyelashes, and Beth almost choked on her piece of meat.

“There are many things to see in the village, Lady Chisholm. There is a baker’s shop, an ironworker, a glass blower, a stone mason, and on certain days—like today—crafters and vendors from all over the Highlands with fancy things for women and food items for sale.”

“Oh, how exciting!” Lady Chisholm clapped her hands. While Beth was looking forward to a day out of the castle since she’d been confined due to her injury, Alice looked, if anything, bored. Beth had no idea what the lass’s problem was, but it was easy for anyone to see that she did not want to be at Castle Leod, did not hope to be picked as a wife for laird Daniel Mackenzie, and all she seemed to be concerned about was leaving.

The carriage ride was nice, with Daniel pointing out various bothies and farms. Many of the farmers and their families waved at them as they passed.

Lady Chisholm pulled her skirts closer to her body as if just the sight of the people would dirty her. “I doona understand why ye are so friendly with these people,” she said, sniffing.