Page 83 of The Cruel Highlander's Bride
Down in the dining hall, Elspeth and Olivia were already seated at the table. Ciara made her way towards them, but despite scanning the entire room multiple, Magnus was nowhere to be seen.
He’ll be here.
“How was the village, dear?” Elspeth asked.
Ciara couldn’t help the slight blush that formed when she thought of her time in the village, because what stood out to her now was their night together…
That was obviously not what the older woman was asking about though, so she replied, “It went very well, I think. Magnus really charmed them.”
“Dinnae sell yerself short, lass,” Magnus’s voice cut in, and she whipped her head around to watch him stroll into the room.
His hair was loose and casual, and he walked confidently over to the table. At some point, he must have bathed as well because there was not a smudge of dirt on him. Ciara could feel her heart rate quickening and her breaths becoming heavier at the sight of him. He was so handsome.
When he was seated at the head of the long table, he added, “Ciara has an admirer.”
“Oh?” Elspeth raised an eyebrow.
Olivia squealed. “Tell us all about him,” she pleaded dreamily.
Ciara gave Magnus a little eye roll and was about to set them straight when he spoke again.
“He had a luscious head of curls and soulful brown eyes,” he said.
Elspeth was staring at him strangely, like this side of him was foreign.
“Were ye nae jealous, Magnus?” Olivia asked, riveted by the story.
“Oh, terribly jealous,” he admitted.
Even though Ciara knew he was teasing and was talking about the young boy from the village, hearing him claim he was jealous sent a thrill through her.
“He would have been perfect for our Ciara, if not for the age gap,” Magnus drawled. “How old would ye say he is, wife? Five?”
Olivia groaned, and Elspeth just smiled softly at them.
“He really was very sweet, though,” Ciara chimed in, smiling fondly.
“Sweet? He tried to steal me wife right in front of me! After I told him how to win ye over and everythin’,” Magnus exclaimed.
Everyone was laughing now, the room full of light, happy sounds.
When the laughter finally died down, Elspeth brought them back to her original question. “But it went well?”
“Aye, I think the villagers really came around. By the end, there was a real sense of hope and excitement for the future,” Magnus replied seriously.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, but aye, the response was definitely positive,” Ciara added.
Elspeth nodded, looking pleased. “I told ye as much would happen.”
“Aye, aye, ye did,” Magnus said.
The food came out then, a nice, hearty stew for the chilly night. The clouds were gathering, and Ciara had a feeling she might get to watch a beautiful storm through the library windows tonight. But there were much more exciting ways to spend her night… with her husband.
While they ate, Elspeth and Olivia filled them in on what their last two days had been like and all the gossip circling around the castle. More laughter filled the room, and Ciara couldn’t help but think that it felt like home here, like a family, and she desperately wanted to be a part of it.
31
“Me Laird,” came Ewan’s voice, along with a knock, from the other side of the study door.
