Page 36 of Saved By the Highland Beast
“So disgustin’.” Amalthea bristled again as she watched the scene.
“We are nae longer talkin’ about ye,” Duncan drawled before Dean could do or say anything.
Cillian ran to Anthony and tugged at his hand. “Did ye see me new dog, Anthony? Do ye nae think he’s the best?” he asked excitedly.
Anthony eyed the dog as it continued to lick Hamish’s chubby cheeks. “Yes… very interestin’,” he said but quickly made his way over to the table.
“See, young Anthony agrees with me,” Amalthea said triumphantly. “The dog should not be allowed to stay in the castle. It’s a disgusting beast.”
“I didnae say there was anythin’ wrong with the dog,” Anthony pointed out, not wanting to agree with Amalthea.
“Come now, Anthony, you dinnae have to lie out of loyalty. Ye can tell the truth. I saw the disgusted way ye were looking at the dog as it licked Hamish’s face. Ye be the voice of reason here. Tell everyone that the dog should nae be allowed to stay in the castle.”
A hush fell over the table as all heads turned to look at Anthony, who cleared his throat. “I was nae talkin’ about the dog,” he said defensively and played with his mug, swirling the bottom over the surface of the table.
“Who were you talkin’ about, then?” Amalthea stuck her nose in the air and waited expectantly.
Anthony glanced from the dog to the pleading look on Cillian’s face and finally to the rest of the party, who were watching him with curious expectation. “I was talkin’ about Hamish,” he suddenly said and sat back in his chair after gently banging the mug on the table.
“Hamish?” Dean asked, now fully fascinated by the direction that the conversation had taken.
“Aye, Hamish,” Anthony confirmed. “I found it very interestin’ that the dog is the only livin’ creature that has ever kissed Hamish like that. It made me question the dog’s moral character, but I dinnae think the dog should go.”
“Ye can fly right into hell, ye wee bastard.”
Dean nearly spat his ale over the table as Hamish held the dog away from his face and swore at his friend. “Ye have a right nerve to speak of me like that when ye have a face that only a maither could love.”
Amalthea sat back in disgust as the hall erupted into fits of laughter.
“In fact,” Hamish continued, “I think yer maither would rather kiss this dirty dog than the likes of ye.”
“At least yer maither is a good kisser,” Anthony retorted with a sly smirk on his face.
Dean shook his head as he sat back in his chair and watched the scene unfold. He wasn’t sure what was worse: Amalthea making a fuss about the dog, Duncan flinging nasty comments at her, or the two daft imbeciles who were now making a scene.
“Wait,” Hamish said with a frown. “That’s nae an insult. An’ how would ye ken if me maither was a good kisser or not? Ye have never spoken to me faither.”
‘’I didnae have to speak to yer faither.” Anthony winked at him. “I went to visit yer maither, an’ she confirmed it for me.”
“Why, ye bastard,” Hamish spat through his teeth and handed the dog to Cillian. “I will teach ye to bring me maither into this!” He suddenly charged across the table as Anthony jumped and began to run around the table, laughing as his friend chased him.
Sophia and Duncan laughed along with Cillian as John barked happily at the pair as they ran around the table like children.
“Absolute chaos,” Amalthea muttered in disgust.
Dean leaned his chin on his hand and watched with a tired sigh as the men he relied on to run his castle acted like children.
Duncan was brandishing a chicken thigh in one hand and swinging it in the air like a weapon as he rooted for Hamish.
The dog had jumped from Cillian’s arms and inevitably joined the chase to ensure that Anthony paid for what he had said.
How did wanting to make Sophia happy by rescuing a daft dog end up like this?
The laird swore that making this woman happy would be the death of him. Yet, he smiled to himself as he noticed the way she was laughing at his friends.
Sophia bent over double as she snorted with laughter, unable to stop herself anymore.
Perhaps rescuing the dog wasnae such a bad idea after all.
