Page 72 of The Highlander's Auctioned Virgin
“And what kind of wife would I be if I wear me hair loose?”
Anna frowned. “Why would ye want to do that?”
“So I can simply take off the ribbon when I get overwhelmed and decide to run away.”
“I ken this is all a joke to ye, but I must advise that ye daenae joke about these things. Weddings are magical, and whatever ye say, ye may manifest.”
Elinor laughed. “I am marrying a famed killer. I think it is safe to say that magic is out of the question. I just want to get thisover with. Also, I am certain he willnae be looking at me hair and checking whether it’s braided or nae.”
Anna opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when a knock sounded at the door.
“‘Tis just me.” Katherine’s voice floated through the door before it creaked open.
The healer walked in, her eyes bright as they settled on Elinor.
Elinor remained in her seat, the smile at her sister’s remarks lingering on her face.
“If I am interrupting something, I can just– ”
“The only thing ye’re interrupting is me decision to wear me hair loose for the wedding,” she cut in, before Katherine could turn around and walk out the door.
“Loose?” Katherine echoed, her eyebrows flying up to her hairline. “That is quite a bold choice.”
“That is what I said,” Anna piped up.
“I daenae think Ciaran will care about the way I style me hair. This isnae some kind of elaborate wedding.”
“Ye’re marryingthe Hound,” Anna emphasized, her voice sharp and clear. “We need to make sure that the whole Highlands talk about yer wedding for weeks, if nae months, to come.”
“I daenae think it needs to be that serious. ‘Tis me second wedding anyway.”
Thick, tense silence swept through the room. Elinor’s eyes flicked to Katherine, who had nothing but pity in her eyes.
“Ye daenae have to worry about me,” Elinor insisted.
“How did ye wear yer hair on yer first wedding?” Anna asked suddenly.
“Anna– ”
“Please,” she said. “Indulge me.”
“I wasnae exactly thinking about how me hair looked back then. I was trying to find a way to survive.”
“Think,” Anna pressed. “Try to remember.”
Elinor squeezed her eyes shut and tried to sift through her memories from three years ago. “Loose.”
“So we shall be braiding it this time.”
Elinor wanted to protest, to say that it didn’t matter how her hair looked back then. Back then, she was getting married to a brutal bastard. The style of her hair could not save her at that point.
However, Katherine quickly changed the subject, and the words died in her throat.
“I hear the dressmaker is in the market today. What do ye think about a visit to her stall?”
“Now?”
Anna turned to Elinor. “Ye arenae taking this wedding as seriously as I would like.”
