Page 22 of The Mad Highlander
“Does Iris need a new dress, or do ye want one?” Margot came up straight and narrowed her eyes at her daughter.
“I think we all need new dresses, actually. I don’t see why we have to wait an entire year before Cayden allows us new clothes,” she grumbled under her breath and discarded the final remnants of the stalk of heather.
“Perhaps yer brother would nae be so strict if ye stopped meddling with the maids. God alone kens how much money he has to spend sending them off to their new lives an’ paying their wages.” Margot shook her head before returning to her task.
Iris watched in amusement as Robyn seemed to take offense at her mother’s words.
“Even maids deserve to find true love. I willnae apologize for doing what is right. Eilis was in love before I gave her any kind of encouragement. I was merely the final push that she needed.” She spoke with such determination that her eyes began to sparkle.
Margot glanced at Iris before smiling. “Oh, an’ with all yer endeavors in pursuit of true love, have ye thought about working on yer accomplishments? Ye will need to wed someday as much as the maids do.”
Iris giggled at the way Robyn turned red; for all her talk of true love, she didn’t seem to want it for herself. Iris didn’t know her that well yet, but she wondered if Robyn ever thought of finding love for herself. There was every possibility that she already fancied someone, but Iris didn’t think that was likely.
Someone as bubbly and open as Robyn would surely not have been able to hide her affections. Iris wouldn’t have minded if Robyn and Ashton took a liking to one another; she was a lovely girl, and he was lively enough to keep her entertained.
Ashton.
Iris felt her heart ache at the thought of her brother. She felt guilty for finding any kind of enjoyment in the world when Ashton was locked in a dungeon. One night shy of a fortnight still seemed like an eternity to her.
“Oh, there’s Cayden now. I’ll ask him if Iris can have a new dress; he cannae say nay if it’s for his bride.” Robyn jumped to her feet, dusting her hands together.
Iris felt her heart skitter at the mention of his name. She hadn’t thought of confronting him since they had settled by the heather bush.
“Where is he?” Margot followed her daughter’s gaze along with Iris as they spotted two figures in the distance behind the castle.
Who is she?
Iris felt a strange clenching sensation in the pit of her stomach as she spotted Cayden’s tall figure walking beside a thin woman. Her copper curls floated about her face, framing what Iris could only assume was a very pretty face. Even from a distance, she could see that the woman’s skin was lighter than milk. Her sleek figure spoke of elegance and grace as she seemed to hover over the ground rather than walk, her cloak hiding her shoes from sight.
“I can't believe he’s talking to Astrid again,” Margot muttered under her breath turning her attention back to the flowers.
“Who is Astrid?” Iris felt her curiosity growing when Cayden laughed at something the woman said.
Robyn seemed to spring into action as she bounced toward Iris, taking her hand and turning her around. “Iris, have ye seen thestream that runs through the forest? I must take ye there at once. It’s such a bonny sight. I’ve often sent the maids there when I ken that a hunter they fancy is in the forest. Ye an’ Cayden should take a walk there; it’s very romantic.” Her words fell over one another in torrents as she gently pulled Iris away.
Feeling confused, Iris began to protest but quickly turned around when the mystery woman’s laughter reached her ears. The sound was light and airy, sweeter than a bird’s song yet far more sensual.
Cayden seemed to spot her as the two stopped walking. His eyes remained fixed on Iris while the woman glanced at Margot and Robyn.
Something inside of Iris caught flame as she bit on her lower lip; if Margot and Robyn weren’t going to tell her who the mystery woman was, then she would just have to ask Cayden herself. Lifting her chin defiantly in the air, Iris set off, walking straight toward Cayden.
“Iris, I dinnae think ye should…” Robyn reached out and began to protest, but Iris ignored her efforts.
“Oh, dear.”
Iris could hear Margot muttering under her breath again, but she didn’t care. Too many decisions had been made in the recent past, and she wasn’t about to allow anything to go on under her nose, not when her brother’s life rested on her impending marriage.
“I was hoping to run into ye this morning, Me Laird; we never finished our conversation last night.” Iris had been looking at the mystery woman, but she could not help but glance at the Laird’s lips when she was before him. As soon as she looked at his lips, she could not help but imagine kissing him again. Iris gasped sharply and tried to look away.
What am I doing?
She stared at the woman he had been conversing with, but that was not any better. Once again, she found herself in a situation of her own doing without thinking. She did not know what she would feel if Cayden confessed that the woman was indeed his past lover or even his present mistress! The situation suddenly seemed absurd to her. Why did she seem to act so impulsively whenever Cayden was around?
Her nerves faltered as the beautiful woman with copper curls and amber eyes smiled at her.
10
“Iris?” Cayden stared at her in confusion, wondering what she was thinking after barging toward them like that.
