Page 14 of The Iron Highlander
“Oh, nonsense. I insist, please, it is nothing and I want ye all to have an evening ye will remember. Now, a little bird told me what colors ye might like and so I chose these,” Grear said, moving the dresses by the maids. Katherine found herself outnumbered as her sisters inched towards the lady. “This will be for you, Lily.” She picked the red dress and handed it to Lily, who looked gobsmacked at the gift. Lady McDonald picked the dark green dress and gave it to Willow. “And I believe this will be perfect for you, Willow.”
“Thank ye,” Willow answered.
“Freya, this is certainly yours.” Katherine watched as Grear gave her sister the coneflower blue dress that looked amazing even being held. Freya took it with a wide smile on her face and glanced at Kate.
“And for ye, me dear Katherine, is me secret favorite – the queen lavender,” Grear added with a whiff of excitement.
Kate found herself suddenly helpless at the color of choice for the gift. She wondered which of her sisters had divulged herfavorite color to the woman. A smile crept on her face as she took the dress. “Thank ye so much,” she said.
“Oh, daenae mention, now. I want ye to enjoy this evening,” Grear said. “I ken ye have your mind set of moving on from here, but before ye do, let us show ye just how much fun we can be, too.”
Kate nodded in agreement.
“Now, one more thing before I leave ye to get ready. I ken that many coming to the party will not ken who ye are, but your names could end up ringing a bell that Laird McGowan could eventually hear, so I suggest we should do something about that. Just for tonight, I say. What say you?” she asked.
Katherine could not have agreed more. Grear had yet again thought of a way to make sure they were protected, even at her own ceilidh. She had thought of the detail and it was something Kate could not help but appreciate. “I think that would be great,” she said.
Reuben walked down the corridors, looking to get his kilt ready for the ceilidh. He had already picked out what he would wear, but as the Laird, he needed as many adornments as he could find. The house of McDonald was not poor, and as much as they were very connected to the people, they were still a wealthy family.
As he walked by the room where Kate and her sisters prepared for the event, he paused for a moment and listened to them as they chattered excitedly. This was for them, and he would do his best to make sure that they enjoyed it. He turned to walk away, and found Hudson on the far side of the corridor.
“Let me get that for ye,” Hudson began, taking the clothes, “Now go focus on looking good for everyone else.”
“Aye,” Reuben replied, hearing a door open behind him. “Thank ye. Ye better nae be plannin’ to drink yerself to shite at the ceilidh, Hudson.”
“Oh you know me, just one pint and I’m done.” Hudson said with a laugh and walked off.
Reuben turned around, heading back the way he had come. Just as he got to the door, a small ball of yarn bounced through the crack in the door, and he reached for it. As he picked it up, he turned to see Kate step out the door behind him.
She was only partly dressed, and Reuben found himself staring at her. He took a step forward and found that he had to restrain himself. He wanted her, more than ever. He felt his body tense up, with Kate staring right back at him. Her full tender lips called to him, begged for him to make contact.
Kate stretched out a hand, and Reuben felt himself shiver. Was she offering herself to him? He would not mind taking her right there if she wanted. He reached out with his hand as well,moving slowly, so he would not scare her. As he reached her hand, she pulled away and raised an eyebrow.
“The yarn, Reuben,” said Kate.
For a few moments, her voice felt soft, like music to his ears, and as he stepped forward to put it in her hand, the Laird saw her swallow. Her eyes seemed to long for him, yet he was not certain. He reached for her cheek and touched it gently, rubbing his thumb across her soft skin. It was the first time he had touched her like that, and Kate allowed her cheek to rest in his palm for a moment.
In a blink, she had ripped the yarn from his grip, and headed back to the room, leaving the Laird standing out in the corridor.
They could hear the chattering, laughing, and music even before they came into view. Katherine could see people already dancing as she and her sisters appeared. She had nudged Freya to her side so that when they arrived at the stairs it would be her the eyes fell on first. But it was instant that she underestimated just how beautiful they all looked, as Kate’s gaze met with that of the lady of the castle and Grear silenced the crowd at once, turning the focus on the girls.
Grear moved towards them at once, carrying the eyes of the entire room with her as the girls all descended from the stairs. “Everyone, shall I present to ye me stunning nieces who have just graced us with their presence,” she said.
“Stunning indeed, they are,” said another woman who stood next to Grear, “but I daenae recall ever seeing any of them before.”
“Oh, of course nae, they are nieces from me distant cousins thrice removed and have nae quite been here since they were but babes. It is why they daenae look familiar.”
“And probably why they look better than everyone else here,” a male voice joked and the entire room chuckled. Katherine smiled at the seeming lightheartedness of the reception.
Just as they had agreed, Grear introduced each of them: Lily became Ailith, Willow became Kenna, Freya was called Paige, and Kate was given Lilias as her name for the evening. The feast resumed with the music and those who were not busy dancing or chatting away steered towards them.
“I had nae doubt ye would look absolutely gorgeous in it,” Grear said to Kate in an almost whispery tone and Katherine smiled as she looked at her and looked down at the dress.
“Thank ye, My Lady,” she said.
“Now, please. Will it be as effortless when ye take the night and enjoy yerself? I ken ye are weary of other things but maybe let it pass for a moment so that we can show ye it is nae all gloomy in our castle?”
Katherine nodded as a woman a little younger than Grear approached and at once commented on how obviously stunning each of the girls looked from head to feet. As she had promised, Grear appreciated the compliment and took it as being the very best her family had done. It was a comment that yet again warmed Katherine’s cautious heart towards the lady. Grear had not really had them appear to praise herself, she had just referred to them as family. People she cared about.
