Page 60 of Highlander's Wild Lass
“Most?”
“Aye,” he said, explaining what delayed Celestia and her father.
Eleanor stood beside him. “I’ve called the seamstress from Inverness here. She’ll arrive tomorrow. I was thinkin’ navy blue for her dress to go with the clan tartan?”
Anthony nodded, his eyes straying to the entryway. “Sure, make sure Celestia likes it as well.”
Eleanor followed Anthony’s line of sight. “She will be along soon, dinnae worry.”
“I am nae worried,” he said emphatically
She patted him on the back. “If ye say so. I’m goin’ to make sure everyone is settlin’ in.”
Just as Eleanor disappeared, the carriage came into view. He could see Brannan McLean’s hand holding onto the window frame as it came near.
Still no Celestia.
“Good afternoon, sir!” Anthony called, forcing a smile on his face.
“Same to ye!” Mr. McLean said with a wave of his hand.
Anthony opened the carriage door for him. “I hope the ride wasnae too bumpy.”
“It was perfect, lad,” Mr. McLean said, using his cane and the side of the carriage to stand. He took Anthony’s proffered hand and he slowly clambered down the two steps to the ground.
“Daenae worry, lad,” Brannan said. “She isnae far behind.”
Anthony swallowed compulsively. “I am nae worried.”
“Of course, of course.”
“I wasnae sure if ye’d rather have a room on the ground floor or the first floor with the rest of yer family,” Anthony said as he helped Mr. McLean walk into his new home.
“Oh, I think the ground floor would make most sense,” Mr. McLean said genially. “The healer will get to me faster if I have need of her.”
Anthony offered a warm smile. “Helena will attend to ye whenever ye need her.”
Sebastian was coming down the stairs just then. “Ah, I’ll take ye to yer room, Mr. McLean. What did ye decide, ground floor or first?”
“Ground.”
“Ah, perfect. That’s the biggest room,” Sebastian said with a wink, taking hold of Mr. McLean’s arm and leading him toward his new bedroom.
Anthony headed back to the courtyard to wait.
* * *
Celestia pulled her horse to a stop just outside the castle gates. There was an empty pit in her stomach, and she felt a bit sick. She’d been in this castle a hundred times before, so why was she having difficulty riding through the gates today?
She looked down the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of her house. It was a foolish attempt; she was over a mile away from her home with a forest between here and there.
“Just go, just ride through,” she ground out.
She nudged Grannus forward. He took a few steps and then she halted him again. “Ye coward, ye damn coward,” she mumbled. If anyone would have passed by, they would think she was mad.
She took a deep breath and tried to coax herself into moving forward. “It will be fine. This is goin’ to be fine. It’s for yer family, nothin’ else. He even said we could do our own thing, live separate lives.”
She nodded determinedly. “Separate lives. Run the business. Take care of everyone. That’s all this is.”
