Page 8 of A Highlander's Bride

Daniel moved closer to Lady Munro, who shifted toward her husband. The servers entered with food and began to serve.

Lady Alice was a pleasant-looking lass. Brown eyes, straight, light brown hair, and pale skin gave her a somewhat simple look. After being nudged in her side by her mam, the lass smiled at him, and when he smiled back she looked down at her plate.

“Ah, here she is,” Lady Munro said.

Daniel looked up and his hand stopped right before he was to put a piece of cold meat into his mouth. The lass walking toward them was beautiful. Long, blond, wavy hair, deep blue eyes and rosy lips that were meant to kiss…only him.

When she smiled the room lit up. As she grew closer he saw the light band of freckles across her nose and cheeks. He put the piece of meat back on his plate and stood.

“Good morn, Lady Beth.”

She grinned. “I believe we’ve already said that, Laird.”

“Beth,” her mam said under her breath, but loud enough for him and her daughter to hear.

She dipped and did not wipe the smile from her face which made him want to laugh out loud again. Daniel did the introductions between the Chisholm family and Lady Beth.

Before he could ask Lady Munro to move over some more, Lady Beth walked around the dais and sat next to her da.

“Lady Alice is verra adept at handling bairns,” Lady Chisholm said, leaning over her husband and daughter to speak to him. Lady Alice looked startled for a moment.

“Indeed.” He looked at the young lass who was once again staring at her food.

“Say something,” Lady Chisholm whispered not too softly to her daughter.

“Um, aye, Laird, I have young cousins who I help my aunt with.” The poor lass actually broke out in a sweat on her forehead.

Taking sympathy for the lass, Daniel turned to Lady Munro next to him. “Did ye find yer bedchamber satisfactory?”

“Aye. ’Tis verra nice. Thank ye so much for having us, Laird.”

“I agree, Laird. ’Tis so nice of ye to have us.” Lady Chisholm was not to be left out of the conversation.

Daniel leaned past Laird and Lady Munro. “Lady Beth, are ye finding yer bedchamber satisfactory?”

She looked startled that anyone was even speaking to her. She wiped her mouth with her linen and smiled. “Aye. ’Tis verra nice.”

“Maybe after we break our fast, the ladies would like to take a walk in your lovely garden that I saw from my bedchamber window,” Lady Chisholm said. He nodded to her since he didn’t know what else to do with them. What he wanted to do was ride his horse, Atlas.

For hours.

However, he didn’t know how adept at riding either young lady was.

Right now he would be on the lists, watching over the training along with Gregory, who had left them before Lady Beth had arrived for the second time.

“Ye seem to have a wonderful stable, Laird. Mayhap we could take a ride,” Lady Beth said, almost as if she read his mind.

“Oh, I doona ride verra well, I’m afraid,” Lady Alice said, mumbling to her plate.

“’Tis no problem, Laird. I am allergic to flowers so ye and Lady Alice can go for yer walk and with yer permission I’ll use one of yer horses for a ride,” Lady Beth said, actually looking relieved. So, she didn’t want to spend time with him.

He would work on that, since the lass seemed to be pushing him away. Which only made him want to pull her back. Besides, she fascinated him. Based on her mam’s reaction, the disguise she pulled on him was a surprise to her parents. He found it hilarious. Although her parents didn’t seem to think so.

Seeing as how the lass had already captured his attention, she was certainly worth the challenge.

“Ye are no’ allergic to flowers, daughter,” Lady Munro said.

“Oh, aye. The last time I was in our garden, I sneezed forever and had to take to my bed.”