Page 23 of Tempting the Highland Devil
“Do I need to try on all of these dresses, mama?” she asked as she frowned. Yvaine’s mind was occupied with other thoughts besides the color of dresses her mother wanted her to try on.
“One of these men is the one ye will spend the rest of yer life with, dear. Ye should show more excitement than that.”
Yvaine got out of her bed grudgingly and stood in front of her mirror for a maid to help her fit into all three of the dresses on display.
“Marvelous,” Elspeth celebrated again, her eyes bouncing with excitement. “Ye look bonnie, child. Which would ye like to wear tonight?”
Yvaine barely heard her mother’s question because she was lost in thought again.The kiss had happened right?It was not just in her head that Arran had ravished her lips and stroked her skin. She felt the burn of her embarrassment as she thought about it longer.
“Yvaine?” her mother called twice, and she finally blinked back to reality before pretending to cough.
She sucked in air before facing Elspeth.
“Are ye all right, child? Ye look pale. Do ye nay feel well?”
“I am all right, mama,” she quickly answered. “I just…” she paused, turned around again, and began pacing around her chamber. “I have questions,” she blurted. “Many questions and I just—”
Her mother came to her and touched her shoulders. Her warm gaze made Yvaine summon the courage to voice her thoughts. “How do ye ken if a man has taken a likin’ to ye? I mean there are signs, are they nay? Like…Love…When he loves ye, can ye tell?”
Elspeth’s eyes turned sad as she stared into Yvaine’s eyes then she led Yvaine to the bed, so they could sit.
“His eyes, me child,” Elspeth explained as Yvaine’s entire body flooded with another rising heat. “The way he looks at ye…how he speaks to ye. When a man loves, he is unable to hide it.”
Her chest assumed a piercing ache as she replayed the moments she had shared with Arran over the years. A shudder wracked through her frame while her heart rose with a range of emotions that were too great to bear.
“And what if he doesnae want ye? Even when ye feel that he likes ye? What if somethin’ holds him back?”
It took some time before her mother answered. “Yer faither and I had a great love, child. A love like the one we shared never hides in the end. But if he doesnae want to be with ye, then it is best that ye find someone else who will. A man who will cherish ye and protect ye because that is what ye deserve.”
Yvaine only released a resigned sigh before her mother added.
“Love grows, me child. Even if ye dinnae love him now, with time ye will. I learnt to love yer faither…I chose to love him. It dinnae just happen for us. It took time to blossom and to grow.”
Her mother’s words made the thought of the rest of the day more bearable to Yvaine but didn’t chase the thoughts of the kiss away completely.
* * *
The feast began after the arrival of all of the Highland lairds set to compete for Yvaine’s hand. Her first dance was with a laird from the west, and even though Yvaine found him pleasant to the eyes, he had a lot to say about himself and cared little for listening.
Now she danced with Laird Loughty, who was as charming as ever. “Ye look ravishin’ me lady,” he complimented before twirling her around.
She spotted Arran dancing with another woman who seemed enamored by him. The lady laughed at everything he said, and Yvaine rolled her eyes.
Arran also stared at her. Yvaine hated that the other woman had all of his attention, and even as Yvaine twirled around on the dance floor, he did not look at her like he usually would.
“Ye dance better than any other lady in the room,” Laird Loughty complimented, forcing Yvaine to focus on him and their dance again.
“Thank ye, me laird,” she replied with her best smile. “Ye are flawless yerself. Did ye learn to waltz in one of yer travels?”
They changed their dance routine and began a much more English waltz around the room. Yvaine had learnt this waltz from Amelia and Lily sometime back.
Laird Loughty’s lips parted with a wide grin as he matched her strides, placed his hands on her waist, and lifted her in the air with ease.
When they were on their feet again, she put her hands on his shoulders and plastered her body to his. The musicians tune became more intense, and she looked over her shoulder to find Arran also cradling the woman he danced with close.
Yvaine’s skin burned with the sudden flush that rushed through her. The jealousy brewing inside her took over and made Yvaine release her hold on Laird Loughty’s hand even before it was time to switch dance partners.
She intended to move towards Arran, but another laird swooped in and pulled her to him this time. “Me lady,” he began, flashing a wide smile, “I am Laird Dune. I have wanted to dance with ye all night. It is indeed a pleasure.”
