Page 5 of Ruining a Highland Healer
The moment the words were past her lips, Valora regretted her outburst—not because she feared the retaliation from this man,but rather because she feared that her father would put the burden on Althea’s shoulders. All that mattered was that her sister was safe, and now she feared she had ruined all chances of that.
But the man only looked around them once more, taking in the crowd for a few moments. He didn’t seem offended by her words, and though that helped soothe Valora’s fear, it also brought up another.
He will laugh at me, or dismiss me concerns as unimportant.
Her father hadn’t cared enough to keep her safe from them. Her own father was more than happy to bring her there and give her to the man who had the most to offer him. Her well-being, her happiness—they were entirely irrelevant.
She couldn’t control her fury at the thought, and she was certain it showed on her face. She could feel her jaw tightening, her teeth clenching, but she couldn’t stop it. She could feel the slight tremble of her hand where it rested on the man’s shoulders, and she was quite sure he could feel it, too.
When she gathered the courage to look at him, though, she found his expression softening, his gaze taking on a curious quality. She didn’t sense any pity from him, much to her relief.
He only seemed curious.
"Why are ye here, then?" he asked her. Against her body, he was a solid wall of warmth, his touch gentle and tender now. It gave Valora pause for a moment. She didn’t know how to react when all she had expected was mockery. "If ye wish tae fight all the men who are here tae ask fer yer hand, then perhaps ye shouldnae have come at all."
"I’m only here tae save me sister from havin’ this fate instead o’ me," Valora said, the words tumbling past her lips before she could stop them or even truly think about them. Silently, she cursed herself for it. She didn’t need this man to know anything about her or her intentions, not when he could so easily spread rumors about her. Any show of weakness could prove detrimental, and now he knew one of the biggest ones she carried.
But once again, there was no mockery, no cruelty; no sign that the man would take this information and use it against her. If anything, his hold on her only softened even further, his hands becoming so gentle that Valora herself had the sense she was made of glass and had to be treated carefully.
When she looked up at him, his gaze flayed her raw. It was as though he was looking right through her once more, peering into the deepest parts of her—the parts that she wished to keep hidden from everyone, perhaps even from herself.
The music faded just as Valora came to a slow halt, stunned by that look. The man’s hand held onto hers for a moment longer, keeping them entwined even as the music stopped, before he finally let go.
"That is very admirable," he said with a slight tilt of his head. "Nae many would dae that fer their sister."
Before Valora could say anything to that, the man retreated into the crowd, disappearing from her field of vision. Valora stood there, heart hammering in her ribs as she searched for him with her gaze, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t catch a single glimpse of him.
How could he have disappeared so quickly? And why? He was the only one that night who had made her feel as though she mattered, as though she was being seen. All everyone else cared about was the power that came with having the hand of the MacNeacail heir.
And who amongst them didn’t have that very same goal? All the men in that room were only after one thing—power.
Another hand wrapped around Valora’s arm, and she was about to slap that off too, before she realized it belonged to her father.
"At least ye did one good thing tonight," her father said under his breath "The man ye danced with, he showed very strong interest in ye."
Valora’s heart skipped a beat, then another. Could it be that the reason why the man had disappeared so quickly was because he wanted to express his interest about her to her father?
"An’ Laird Keith is a powerful man," her father added, prompting Valora to frown.
"Laird Keith?" she asked.
"Aye," said her father. "Ye danced with him, didnae ye? An’ despite what I heard about yer behavior, it seems that ye managed tae charm him."
Nay. Nay, anyone but him.
If Laird Keith had the audacity to grope her, a stranger, in the middle of the dance floor, then Valora could only imagine how terrible her life would be if she were married to him. Behind closed doors, he would show no restraint, no mercy. He would simply take what he wished from her with no regard as to what she wanted.
She didn’t know if she could bear it. Spending the rest of her life married to him sounded like a torture that no patience and no stubbornness could help her endure.
But if she didn’t do it, then Althea would have to take her place.
"Dinnae move," her father said as he let go of her arm. "I willnae be long."
He disappeared before Valora could ask where he was going. Suddenly, she was left there, standing in the middle of the room with her head held high, resolve building inside her. There wasnothing to be done but her duty, and she would shoulder it with all the dignity she had remaining.
CHAPTER THREE
The young women in the room were more than capable of entertaining themselves, even as the majority of the men had discreetly left. Valora breathed a sigh of relief. Being around them was a breath of fresh air. She couldn’t help but feel safer now, knowing the men who had no qualms about touching her and leering at her were gone, even for a short while.
