Still, there was time. They were dressing in Alaina’s room, and there was a comfortable, chatty atmosphere.
It felt like family. It felt likehome.
Flora hummed to herself, finishing the intricate braid in Alaina’s hair. “There. Done. What do ye think?”
Alaina stood up, shaking her dress out. As she looked at her reflection, her expression brightened, and she flipped her braided hair over her shoulder. The flowers, skillfully woven into her braids, drew attention as spots of color against the smooth sheen of her hair.
“Yer hair is just like mine, Alaina!” Sophie exclaimed.Shewas already dressed, her hair done in one simple braid—her own request—and dotted with colorful wildflowers.
“Thank ye, Flora,” Alaina murmured, smiling at the maid. “Where would we be without ye?”
“Ye would be without braided hair, I think,” Flora chuckled. “Now, Lady Megan, let’s get ye into yer gown, then I can do yer hair. I thought ye would be dressed already.”
Megan nibbled her lower lip, eyeing the gown tossed over the foot of Alaina’s bed. The dress was just as beautiful as when she’d first seen it, but Ryder’s words hung in her mind.
“Ye’ll nae be wearin’ that gown to the cèilidh… Every man there will be slaverin’ over yer and wantin’ to dance with ye.”
She shivered, remembering the way his gaze had raked hotly over her when he saw her in the gown. The feeling coupled itself with the memory of his touches, of his mouth on hers, his mouth on her inner thigh, of…
Swallowing hard, Megan pushed the thoughts aside. Now wasn’t the time. She cleared her throat, quickly shedding the loose gown she wore and slipping into the cèilidh dress. Flora had altered the seams so skillfully that it wasn’t even obvious where she had made the changes.
“Lovely,” Flora said approvingly. She began to lace up the back, and Megan watched her silhouette tighten. It wasn’t too tight to hinder her movement or breathing, but it accentuated her figure nicely, even highlighting the curve of her bosom. She thought again about how Ryder’s hand had grazed her breasts, and she shivered.
Enough. Havenae ye just decided to put him out of yer mind? This preoccupation will do ye no good.
The words, however, were just that—words. They held no weight in Megan’s mind. The image of Ryder remained in her head, faintly laughing at her.
“I wonder if Uncle Logan will be there?” Sophie piped up. “If he is, ye must meet him, Megan.”
“Aye, Laird MacAdair will want to meet his nephew’s betrothed, sure enough,” Flora chuckled, finishing the lacing at last. “I warn ye, Lady Megan, he’s a firm, stoic sort of man. He’s nae much given to jokin’ around or anythin’ like that, so daenae try to charm him.”
“He doesnae like Ryder very much,” Alaina added.
There was a brief silence. Flora clicked her tongue and glanced disapprovingly over her shoulder at the girl.
“Come now, lass, that’s unkind,” she said quietly. “Laird MacAdair and Laird MacCulloch are different people, sure enough, but they have the well-being of ye two lassies at heart. Besides, Laird MacAdair will be happy to see his nephew sensibly settlin’ down and marryin’. Daenae let Alaina’s unkind opinion of her uncle color yers, Lady Megan.”
“I… I willnae.”
Alaina flushed at Flora’s rebuke, but was not cowed.
“I am nae bein’ unkind. I am bein’ honest. Uncle Logan is strange.”
Flora pressed her lips together. “Well, yer braither thinks highly of him, even if they daenae see eye to eye. I hope ye willnae be undutiful at the cèilidh tonight. This party isnae only about having fun. This is politics, lassies.”
Megan sighed, smoothing the front of her bodice. “I hate politics.”
“Daenae we all,” Flora agreed. “Now, yer hair. Would ye like a more complex set of braids like Alaina’s, or something simpler, like Sophie’s?”
Megan considered, tilting her head. “Can ye do one long, thick braid?”
“With flowers?”
“Aye, flowers. If ye daenae think they’re too childish, that is.”
Flora laughed. “Flowers are never childish.”
She began to deftly wind Megan’s hair into a braid, a heavy rope of coiled hair hanging down her back. She dotted in flowers here and there, bright blooms of color that Megan kept seeing out of the corner of her eyes.
