Page 22 of The Highlander's Auctioned Hellion
She held it up in front of her. It was exquisitely embroidered with stags and thistles across the hem, and expertly trimmed. The whole garment was finer than anything she had ever owned.
Pulling it on, she walked into her adjoining room only to find another two similarly beautiful gowns laid out on the bed.
The first was dark brown, with golden embroidery down the sleeves of falling leaves. The other was crimson, a shimmering brocade, thick and very fine indeed.
She ran a hand over them both, contemplating which would be the most appropriate for dinner, when she heard a stifled giggle from the other side of the room.
Lydia stilled, listening carefully. Another, more muffled giggle. This came from behind her, too. She turned, smiling to herself as she noticed that the largest of the wardrobes in her room was ajar, and there was definite movement coming from inside it.
She heard whispered voices for a few seconds, and then silence.
“My goodness,” she said aloud. “I did not know this castle was haunted. I hear ghosts.”
The giggles intensified, and it took all her strength not to start laughing with them.
The girls must have climbed in there and waited for a very long time to play this joke on her; she had been in the bath for some time. Lydia had to admit she was impressed with their stamina.
“I have always wished to live in a haunted castle,” she continued lightly. “But then, it seems strange that ghosts would be hiding. Are they notinvisible?”
More frantic giggling met that statement, and she tied the robe more tightly about her waist, putting her hands on her hips and tapping her foot thoughtfully.
“Perhaps it is not ghosts at all, perhaps…” she said, walking slowly to the wardrobe door. “It is two noisy little children.”
With a dramatic leap forward, she pulled open the doors to a high shriek of excitement from the two little girls hiding inside.
Lydia could not help laughing at their antics as they both scrambled out, blinking in the light of the room, seemingly uncertain how to act now that they were standing in front of her.
They were two peas in a pod, long dark hair and bright blue eyes that contrasted with their uncle’s. They were the same height and remarkably similar in looks, but the child on the left had freckles over her nose where the other didn’t.
“Well, how do you do?” Lydia said, bending down to look at them. “I do believe I have found the ghosts in my room. And they are such pretty things, I do not know why they would choose to hide.”
The two little girls exchanged a cheeky smile and put their hands behind their backs as if it were a practiced routine.
“I did not have a chance to greet you both earlier. My name is Lady Lydia Turner. I presume you are the Laird’s nieces?”
They both nodded their little heads, the one on the left watching her sister and copying everything she did. She was the shyer of the two, then, not meeting Lydia’s eyes at all.
“I’m Eilis,” the one on the right said. “And this is my sister Amy, but she doesn’t like strangers.”
“Is that so?” Lydia asked. “How sensible of you.” Amy squinted up at her with a puzzled expression and then giggled. “I may be a stranger, but I hope we can be friends. I do not haveanyfriends in this castle. It would be nice for the two of you to be my first ones.”
The little girls exchanged another look as though deciding whether that would be acceptable or not, but then Eilis became distracted by the gowns on the bed.
“What are they?” Eilis asked, stepping over to them. The two girls were both dressed in identical gowns of dark green.
“Well, I was trying to choose which one I like more,” Lydia said, straightening as they both trotted over to the bed.
Eilis held one of the skirts against her body and struck a pose, making Amy laugh.
“Ye should choose the red one,” Amy said, evidently having decided Lydia was worth speaking to. “It is Uncle’s favorite.”
“Did he tell you that himself?” Lydia asked.
“Nay, we just heard it. We also heard ye’re marryin’ him.”
Lydia nodded, a flash of unease passing through her at the reminder.
“Yes, you are right.”
