“Och, nay a natural, just paid attention when we were bairns, and ye had yer lessons. Remember how ye’d try and sneak away tae run in the fields?” She nodded. It was unbelievable that he remembered that, it was so long ago. “Well, I used tae climb that gnarled old tree outside yer mother’s garden and watch ye with your instructor. I wished I could have lessons too, but me uncle would nae allow it, so I would watch yers and remember the steps. Then when we would return here, I would practice in the gardens when nae one was watching.”
“Aidam, I had no idea.” Ellie was shocked by his confession. She remembered hating those dance lessons. She wanted to learn sword skills with her father and the other men. Sometimes Laird Sinclair and his men would come to their keep with young Aidam to train with her father’s men. She had no idea Aidam had been in the tree. Would it have mattered? She wondered.
He took her hand and twirled her in a circle in time with the music. “And look how it’s helped me with the lassies,” he said, deflecting the emotion away from the moment. There was Aidam, the cad she was used to. Ellie smiled and fell back into his arms. This part of their dance had them closer together, and Ellie felt the warmth radiating from Aidam’s exertion. She smelled his scent; it was sweet wine mixed with something sharper and deeper. Something she knew was uniquely him. It was different than dancing with Sinclair. The steps were the same, but with Aidam, it felt… it felt different. More natural? More enjoyable? Right? Ellie quickly looked down at her feet to avoid Aidam’s gaze, which had grown dark and intense with the slowing down of the music. The rest of the guests and the feast itself seemed to disappear, and there was only Aidam and the music. He moved her with ease, truly understanding. Ellie thought that dancing was more than just simple moves, but rather feeling. He was moving in rhythm, yes, but it was more than that. He was using his steps to lead her body exactly where it needed to go. She was floating on air with Aidam’s lead, and it was divine.
“Ellie, ye are truly magnificent,” he said, taking her breath away.
“Aidam, ye cannae talk like that.” For a moment, she wanted to hear more, to forget she was there to marry his uncle and instead live in Aidam’s praise. She wanted to forget the circumstances that forced her to be in the situation she was in and simply dance with Aidam, enjoying his compliments. If only their lives were their own.
“’ Tis the truth. Do ye not want tae hear the truth?” he whispered, so close to her ear she could feel the sweet warmth of his breath on her skin, causing pinpricks of pleasure to shoot through her. She thought back to the kiss they had shared and was immediately consumed by wracking guilt. She knew her wants were not reality. She had a role to play until she could speak with Sinclair.
“Aidam, I—” Thankfully, the music stopped, and Ellie was able to pull away from Aidam’s embrace, yet he still held fast to her hand. She looked around the room to see all eyes had been on them. Of course, as the Laird’s betrothed, she would be a center of attention. Even though Sinclair had left her alone with their guests, she could not help but feel exposed by the attention. Especially from Sinclair’s nephew. Aidam released her hand. Heat climbed from her center to her face, as she forced herself to bow to Aidam as was customary after the dance. Then, without a word to anyone, she fled the great hall.
