Page 14 of The Highlander's Auctioned Virgin
“Today wasnae so hard, was it?” Katherine asked, brushing what seemed to be specks of sand off her dress.
“Today was nothing,” Elinor emphasized. She folded her hands and leaned back against the windowsill, the cold night air blowing gently against her back. “The real test would start at the feast tomorrow.”
“’Tis all right to give yerself a pat on the back for a job well done, M’Lady. Ye got through the day. Ye stood in a room full of lairds from all over the Highlands and made yer thoughts known.”
“Aye, I suppose.”
Katherine was right. Elinor should be relieved—no,ecstaticthat she managed to get through today. So, why did she feel as if a huge rock was pressing down on her chest and squeezing the air out of her lungs?
“I also saw ye talking to that laird. The one with the long hair.”
“Laird MacTraigh. Aye.” Elinor nodded.
“Ye ken there is nay point to these tests if ye begin to play favorites.”
“Favorites?” she echoed.
“I saw the way ye looked at him. Ye seemed excited in his company. Dae nae let his handsome face fool ye.”
“Oh, I daenae plan to. Our man, the Hound, will go through the tests just like everyone else. I daenae plan to be partial to anyone.”
“Aye. We cannae afford to be ruled by another Murdock.”
“Nay, we cannae,” Elinor agreed.
This was her future and the future of the clan altogether. She would not let herself get distracted.
Ciaran would go through the tests like everyone else. She didn’t plan to play favorites.
Not now. Not ever.
The next day came too soon. As the maids scrambled to put her in a new dress, Elinor couldn’t help but wonder what she might face this time around. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would have to call the lairds to order more times than necessary.
“Ye look bonnie . Daenae worry yerself about anything if ye daenae have to,” Katherine advised. “And please let Thomas go with ye today.”
Elinor’s head snapped towards her friend, who stood by the dresser, watching one of the maids tighten the laces of her corset. “Why?”
“So they can listen to ye more.”
“Ye daenae think they’re doing enough listening already? Ye think I need Thomas there just to get them to be attentive. Oi! That’s too tight!” Elinor winced.
“Apologies, M’Lady.” The maid bowed her head apologetically. “I didnae ken it was going to– ”
“Dinnae worry about that. Just keep going,” Elinor interrupted with a sigh.
Katherine rose from her seat and went to stand beside Elinor in front of the mirror, her fingers toying with the ends of her hair. “I think ye’re under a lot of pressure, M’Lady. I think ye need to have Thomas with ye nae because he’s a man and ye need him to control the Lairds, but because he’s yer man-at-arms. ‘Tis his job to stand by and protect ye. Ye kenned that when ye gave him the job, did ye nae?”
Elinor wiped the sweat off her brow and gave her a brief nod. “Alright. Fetch him for me, please.”
Katherine nodded and walked out, leaving her with the maids.
She was almost ready, and in just a few minutes, she would be on her way to the Great Hall for the feast, where she would announce the first trial. That should be easy enough.
All of a sudden, her mind flashed tohim,the Hound. Ciaran.All night,she had tried to push away thoughts of his deep voice and confident bearing, such that it had become difficult to fall asleep.
She hated that he had such an effect on her. And worse, she hated that heknewit. At least a part of him. The laird of a relatively young clan should not have been able to talk to her with such confidence. Yet, he could.
Hehad.
