Page 19 of Saved By the Cruel Highlander
She still couldn’t believe she was marrying Laird McAllister. In less than a month! She hoped for the hundredth time that she hadn’t traded one bad situation for another.
When they reached a wide, wooden door, Eliza knocked brusquely and then opened it. She stood aside so that Holly could enter.
Holly had barely taken two steps into the Laird’s study before Eliza quickly closed the door, shutting her in with Elias McAllister.
She turned and spotted him sitting behind a massive, sturdy wooden desk. His black hair was pulled back and secured behind his neck, making the scar running down the side of his face even more noticeable.
He looked up when she entered, and his brown eyes traveled down the length of her body.Slowly.
Holly fidgeted. She could feel his gaze warming everywhere it touched.
“Come in,” Elias said, not getting up from his chair. “Ye dinnae have to stand in the background like some shy, wee maid. Ye are goin’ to be me wife—the lady of this castle.”
Holly bristled a little at the reprimand. She was known for her boldness, and the only reason she’d been hesitant was because she was familiarizing herself with the large chamber. It was massive, with bookshelves lining the wall from floor to ceiling on the east wall. Two chairs sat in front of his desk for guests to sit comfortably. A large hearth occupied the wall opposite the bookshelves, and several overstuffed chairs sat in front of it. A sideboard with crystal decanters filled with spirits of some kind ran along the adjacent wall.
She lifted her chin slightly and walked purposefully to his desk. “Ye wanted to see me, Me Laird?”
“Aye.” He pushed his chair back from the desk.
Holly’s eyes widened when she spotted Ollie sitting on his lap. She gaped at her pet for a minute, then looked back up at him.
Elias shrugged. “He wandered in here and jumped up on me lap. Nay matter how many times I tried to get the beastie to leave, he wouldnae.”
She laughed.
He seemed disgruntled, but she thought it looked adorable. Ollie wasn’t always friendly with other people. He was just as quick to hiss at and scratch strangers as he was to purr in her lap.
“He must like ye, then,” she said.
The compliment didn’t seem to sit well with Elias. He muttered something under his breath, then opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Enter!” he boomed.
Holly cringed slightly at the loudness of his voice, which seemed to echo and bounce around the chamber. She turned just as the door opened to see a tall, thin woman carrying a large satchel.
“Ach, just in time,” Elias said.
Holly raised an eyebrow in question.
“I noticed ye didnae have any bags when ye arrived,” he told her quietly.
His voice was low enough that she could barely hear him, so she knew the maid hadn’t been able to hear him.
He took a breath, and when he spoke next, his voice was back to being loud and commanding. “This is the castle’s seamstress. She will get yer measurements and sew ye a couple of gowns.”
Holly’s mouth dropped open in surprise. She glanced at the seamstress, who had reached them. “That isnae necessary, Me Laird. Eliza sent someone to fetch me things?—”
“There is a standing block next to the hearth,” Elias told the seamstress. “I trust that will serve yer purpose?”
The seamstress nodded. “Aye, Me Laird, thank ye.” She turned to Holly with a pleasant smile. “Me name is Shana. Dinnae worry about a thing. I will have ye in fine gowns in just a few days.”
Holly tried to protest, but Shana linked their arms and guided her to the hearth, where a warm fire burned brightly.
The seamstress instructed Holly to stand on the box.
“This has the best lightin’,” she said as she set her satchel on a chair. “Now, let’s take these clothes off ye so I can get yer measurements.”
Holly glanced at Elias. “Me Laird?” she said politely, expecting him to leave the room so they could have privacy.
