Page 6 of Won By The Highlander

‘When I was out to catch a husband, I had a waist the span of an orange, and I did not complain.’

‘That is not humanly possible, Mother. And I would rather a wide waist and no husband.’

Her mother pinched both of Orla’s cheeks, making her flinch. ‘Must you always be so vexing and spoil the festivities with all your complaining. Every lass must be wed, and the castle is groaning with suitors. Oh, hush now,’ said her mother, elbowing her sharply in the ribs.

‘What!’

‘He is here. Look.’

Orla turned to see Robbie Dunn stride into the hall. The young man seemed to pause to ensure he was noticed before striding towards them and barging straight to the head of the receiving line. No one had the nerve to call him out on his rudeness.

Robbie favoured them with a courtly bow and beamed, his blonde hair gleaming in the light blazing from hundreds of candles set about the packed hall. Orla was momentarily struck dumb by his beauty, for Robbie Dunn was certainly striking - tall, with the courtly manners and winning smile of the well-bred. Yet his fine blue eyes held no excitement, and after a cursory glance at her face, he veered on to charming her mother.

‘How splendid you look tonight, Mistress Gordon,’ he purred. ‘A vision in that dress.’

‘Oh, how kind of you to notice,’ simpered Ada. ‘You know my daughter, Orla, of course, our prize in the upcoming race.’

‘Indeed, how could I not. You look very fetching tonight also, Miss Orla.’

‘No, I do not. I look ridiculous, and I know it,’ she snapped. ‘Stuffed into all this silk, and with these silly bows and huge flounces of lace, I am sure I must look like a gaudy pudding that no one wants to eat.’

Robbie’s perfectly arched brows shot up at the first shot fired in her battle to stay unwed. What a booby! Why would he say that she looked well when she’d certainly been beneath his notice thus far.

‘Oh, you must not mind my Orla. She has a strange way with humour,’ interrupted her mother, returning fire. ‘And she is very humble when it comes to flattery. I should not boast, but I must declare my daughter extremely well-endowed with all the accomplishments of a lady, fit to rival any in this company here tonight.’

‘Indeed,’ replied Robbie, eyes dipping to two of her most outstanding accomplishments and back up again. ‘Humble is a most excellent quality in a young woman. And as to humour, it is a man’s sphere, and I find most women cannot fully grasp it.’

Orla could not suppress a snort of derision.

Robbie frowned at her and then looked back at her mother. ‘And ‘twas not flattery. My compliment was sincere, Mistress Gordon. Robbie turned back to Orla. ‘I always speak as I find, and I cannot understand how I have not remarked on your beauty before now, for it is certainly worthy.’

‘Perhaps the shine from Wildwood Glen, attached to my dowry, has rubbed off on me,’ said Orla. ‘No point in pretending otherwise.’

Robbie narrowed his eyes, and her mother’s nails dug into the flesh on her arm.

‘If only my daughter would not slouch so and hide her loveliness in the shadows, I am sure you would have noticed her before. But as I say, Orla is very humble lass, and I she will grow out of her wilfulness and….’

‘Of course, she will, given the guidance of a husband and the delightful distraction of children.’ Robbie bowed as if to move on, but her mother grabbed his arm.

‘Indeed, you are very kind, and we thank you. And you will find my Orla has many fine attributes about which she could boast, beyond beauty.’

‘Aye,’ said Orla. ‘I can shoot an arrow and hit my mark with a pistol with the best of them. And I can ride as well as any man in the county? So what do you think of that?’

Robbie smirked indulgently. ‘Is that so? These are fine attributes indeed, but surely they are best left to the men in your family. A young lady could come to grief riding unaccompanied in these wild glens. But, should you ever need protection, rest assured, you can count on me, Miss Orla. Now I must take my leave and let you greet your other guests. I must not hog your delightful company for too long.’ He bowed and sneered, ‘I look forward to the race tomorrow.’

And he was gone, gliding off into the crowd after one last glance down her bodice.

Her mother’s nails bit in again. ‘You are a little fool. When he wins that race, he will win you, for there is no going back on this. We have proclaimed loud and clear that we will wed our daughter to whoever comes first, and it is set in stone now. So you must wed him.’

‘Well, I can only pray he is not the winner, for he is a preening, arrogant fool, and I despise him.’

‘He may be a little full of himself, but he is also rich and from a grand family. And you’d best reconcile yourself to it, for there is no finer rider in the county.’

Her mother moved away, and Orla was left to the stares of the people all around her. She felt a sharp pinch on her bottom and turned to see her cousin, Bryce. She raised a hand to slap him but stopped, for his face was covered in scratches.

‘What on earth happened to you? Did you get in a fight with a wildcat?’

‘Aye, of sorts. But do not press me on it. Instead, tell me what happened with Robbie Dunn.’

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