Page 29 of Kilted Seduction
“Aye.” Terion nodded. “’Tis nae as if we’d ever speak so in front o’ our own wives, and we’ll speak nae more o’ yer affairs than we would our own.”
They wouldn’t have to. Thora was intelligent enough to see the looks they might give her. Besides, Lachlan and Terion might be speaking the truth, but Conall was too far in his cups to trust, and many a man-made oaths sober that he broke when drunk.
He shrugged. “’Tis nae something I wish tae speak o’. A joke and a hint is all very well, but tae tell the secrets o’ a marriage bed…” he favored them with a raised eyebrow that he hoped looked enigmatic and wry. “...now where would be the sense in makin’ the rest o’ ye jealous? Or tellin’ tales ye might wish tae learn more o’ later? Silence serves me better, and me wife is likely tae reward me all the more fer it if she guesses.”
Terion’s expression was bemused, and almost respectful. “Ye’re a canny lad…”
“Or mayhap he doesnae have aught worth speakin’ about.” Kendrick smirked at him. “After all… I was on my way tae the kitchens after seekin’ me own pleasure o’ a serving lass, and if I recall aright… ’twere a number o’ doors where I could hear the others takin’ their own ease, but yers was quiet as the grave!”
“Was it? I wouldnae have thought, given the way ye were at supper…” Lachlan trailed off.
Aedan was tempted to say that their absence at supper had been enough to satisfy both of them for the evening, but they hadn’t been absent that long, nor returned that rumpled. Instead, he shrugged. “We made an early night o’ it. The exertion o’ travel, so soon after the excitement o’ marryin’, and the foul weather… ‘twas a bit much for Thora. Tae say naething o’ the fall we took while we were walkin’ yer garden, Lachlan. They say a bit o’ snow’s good for coolin’ a man’s blood, and ‘tis true, but a bruise in the wrong place will certainly chill a woman’s.”
That earned him some laughter, and a commiserating look from Arthur, and the talk turned from him to reminiscing about other mishaps that had foiled the other lairds at different times. Aedan released a soft sigh of relief as the attention turned away from him.
Still, he would have to find a way to warn Thora about the latest complication in their charade. It wouldn’t do for her to give the game away because she was ignorant of a supposed injury or illness. They’d need to be sure their stories matched, because Aedan was certain there would be questions over supper, if not during the afternoon festivities.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was strange, being part of a group of women who were uncertain if she truly belonged among them, but even so, Thora enjoyed her morning with the ladies of the other clans. Despite her supposed status as a recently elevated village maid, they were kind enough.
The lady she’d accidentally kicked the night before turned out to be Laird Sutherland’s wife. Thora’s apology was met with laughter, and the admission from another of the wives that she wished she had the temerity to kick her husband when he vexed her.
From there, they settled in the little-used solar to tend to needlework and talk among themselves. Serving maids brought bread, cheese and winter-preserved fruit for those who felt hungry, and a choice of mulled wine, hot cider, or hot tea for everyone.
Thora chose tea, as did many of the other ladies, and the morning passed in a lazy drift of needlework, reading, andidle conversation. It was oddly soothing, and by the time they dispersed to prepare for the noon meal and the afternoon festivities, she felt almost peaceful and content.
Aedan met her at the door to their rooms, his expression grim. “We’ve something we need tae discuss.” The tone of his words made her hazy contentedness vanish like mist in the morning sun.
“Aye?”
“Aye. The menfolk were talkin’ this morn… the subject happened intae intimate territory, and one o’ the lairds mentioned that he didnae hear much from our rooms.” Aedan’s mouth twisted with the same annoyance and disgust she felt. “I didnae want tae say too much, so I told them we’d had an early night because we were tired after our travels, and ye had been bruised by our fall in the courtyard.”
“Ye didnae have tae be so circumspect.” She’d expected there to be some speculation about their relationship, given the tale they’d told thus far.
Aedan gave her an annoyed look. “I was tryin’ tae spare both o’ us any more lies than we have tae tell - and act in courtesy tae ye.”
Thora blushed, feeling chagrined by his unspoken rebuke. It was a fair one - he could have told his fellow lairds any number of things, which would have been embarrassing, and also wouldhave meant she’d have to live up to whatever reputation he chose to give her.
She nodded. “A headache and chills from exposure tae the cold… and mayhap I bruised or twisted part o’ me back?”
“’Twill be something they couldnae see easily, aye. And believable enough, I suppose.” Aedan agreed.
The two of them retired to separate sides of the screens to change into appropriate attire, then descended to join the rest of the guests. Thora received several sidelong looks from the men, but she did her best to ignore them. Instead, she focused on the way Lachlan Ross was guiding them about the first floor, showing off the great swathes of greenery, along with white, red, and gold cloth that hung about the hall as decorations, and the hundreds of multi-colored candles, releasing the scents of pine and cedar and woodsmoke into the air.
There were game tables set up in the library, which had more space than she was accustomed to seeing, and yet still possessed a large number of tomes. There was a large, open hallway set up for indoor contests of sport, from archery to hall races, and mention of myriad prizes for the winners. There were gifts piled in place for Yuletide through Twelfth Night, enough that each man and woman might take home two or three trinkets.
It was a magnificent spectacle, and Thora could feel Aedan growing more and more tense with every step. She couldn’t fault him for his growing unease, for she understood it all too well.Lachlan Ross was showing off, displaying his wealth and his prestige in a blatant manner that made her cringe.
And it must have been worse for Aedan, she knew. With the emptiness of his own clan’s coffers, he must feel the sting of the difference between Ross’s well-off clan and his impoverished one keenly. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to attend the Yule celebration. He must have known what an ordeal it would be - to be surrounded by such luxury and ease when his own men were struggling to put aside a copper or two for necessities or food.
Finally, the tour was over, and it was time to return to the Great Hall for evening tea, before the men began an evening of games, and the women left to attend to their own pursuits, prior to the supper feast.
They were passing into the hall when one of the younger lairds pushed Aedan to one side. Thora stumbled along with him, and the hall erupted into cheers. “Nay escape now, Aedan Cameron! Ye cannae hide behind yer words fer this!”
For a moment, she thought they’d been discovered. Then Aedan looked up and cursed. “Och, o’ all the foolish…”
Thora looked up as well. A branch of Golden Bough, mistletoe, had been hung above the space on one side of the door. It was obviously intended to be a Kissing Bough. And just as obvious that the guests, and possibly Laird Ross himself, had intended to catch them with it.
