“Oh, that would be lovely.”
Lord above, Graham thought as his gaze traveled from person to person. The whole damn clan was becoming smitten with these Sharpes, and they were becoming equally invested, seemingly unaware that they were each merely pawns on Lady Belle’s chess board. Well, the McTavishes could have the lot of them. Graham stalked away, right through the middle of the group.
“MacKinnon,” someone called after him, but he didn’t stop.
CHAPTER TEN
Hope wasn’t sure what she expected when Jared McTavish invited her and her sisters to the games, but this was not it. Several white tents dotted the valley below the pyramidal mountain ridge known as Carn Eige. The ridge broke out of the green ground like a rock had been pressed through torn suede, and the shadows of the clouds above danced across the various shade of heather, grass, and moss.
The sheer size of the mountain had made Hope gawk when the carriage transporting her, her sisters, and Rose came out of the glen. All sorts of carts and camps lined the road, set up for the games that would take place during the day before the bonfire that evening.Hope found herself once more wondering if she would see Graham.
When he had left the ball at Elk Manor, he had been furious and Hope couldn’t quite understand it. She was sure he had been upset by something she had done, but he did not give her the opportunity to clear things up. She had seen him the day before yesterday from her bedroom window at Lismore Hall and had gone down to speak with him, but by the time she had reached the apple tree, he had gone.
Hope glanced up to the sky. Massive white clouds that looked like kingdoms all their own rolled against a blanket of blue, blocking out the sun. She began to worry about tilting over as the carriage climbed the base of the mountain up the steep slope, and she was grateful when the vehicle stopped.
“The day could not be finer,” Rose said, peering out of her window as the carriage stopped. “It’s a great day for a race.”
“It’s a shame Aunt Belle couldn’t make it,” Faith said.
Belle insisted Rose accompany Hope and her sisters since she could not attend. Belle had an appointment with Dr. James Hall, a doctor who was currently working as a police surgeon. He had grown up in the area but had moved his offices to Glasgow.Since his visits north were few and far between, Belle had few opportunities to see him, and thus she had explained that she couldn’t possibly attend the race. She all but forced her reluctant secretary to accompany her nieces in her place.
“Be careful where you step,” Rose said as the coachman opened the door. “These slopes are filled with holes and rocks. You will turn an ankle if you aren’t careful.”
The terrain this far north was rougher than the clean walking paths in London, and Rose had advised Hope and her sisters to wear their riding habits and sturdy boots. Hope was wearing a new Basque-style outfit she had bought for that year’s season. Instead of a gown, the Basque was two separate pieces, a dark, emerald jacket paired with a black skirt trimmed with the same emerald hue. Each sister wore wide-brim hats instead of bonnets, tilted forward as was the fashion.
“About that, Rose,” Hope said. “I didn’t see any sort of track or downs path. Where will this race take place?”
“Right there,” Rose said, pointing into the distance as she came up to stand next to Hope. Hope turned to see the expanse of land before them. “The men will start from that pole, a little away from the tents. Do you see it? They start by running a foot race down the slope, although they don’t always complete it on foot.”
“What do you mean?” Hope asked.
“Well, it’s a bit steep, and there are rabbit holes all over. They’re likely to trip and roll down if they can’t keep their footing.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?” Grace asked.
“Foolish is more like it,” Rose said, her tone one of displeasure. “Jared McTavish nearly broke his leg last year.”
“Goodness,” Grace said. “Then why do it?”
“Because they’re men,” Rose said, as if that explained everything. Hope smiled despite herself. “Once they reach thebottom of the slope, they’ll cross that river and get on their horses. Then they’ll ride to the tree line down there.” Rose pointed down the valley.
“That far?” Faith said, gazing off into the distance.
“Aye. Then they’ll race around that first lone oak tree before heading back over the river. Whoever makes it back first wins.”
“And what do they win?” Hope asked.
“A favor from a fair maiden,” a deep masculine voice said behind her. Hope whipped around and found herself face to face with Graham.
The sun shone behind him, outlining him in a way that made Hope’s eyes water and her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t spoken to Graham in nearly two weeks, and her strong reaction to his presence surprised her. He towered above her, dressed in his kilt again, like some ancient knight in a painting, and she had to bite the inside of her mouth to stop it from dropping open.
Good heavens, what was wrong with her?
“S-surely not,” she stuttered while Rose and her sisters had the oddest expressions on their faces.
“Well, not in the last two hundred years, but once upon a time …”
Hope let out a tittering laugh but quickly stifled it, worried she was coming off like some sort of fool in front of him. She needed to say something intelligent and witty to regain the upper hand again.
