“I would love to have me books, and some more of me dresses,” Thalia agreed.
“Aye, I suppose I need to get back to me duties as well,” Caden acknowledged. “But Ava, I think ye should stay with Thalia until the cèilidh.”
“Are ye sure ye can handle the children alone for a week?” Ava asked.
Caden scoffed. “Ye really think I cannae handle me own bairns while ye spend time with yer sister? Besides, I have the nursemaids. It’s nae like I’ll be completely alone.”
“Aye, I suppose ye’re right.” Ava turned back to Thalia. “Is it all right with ye if I impose on yerbetrothala bit longer?” She drew out the word ‘betrothal’ as if it were a private joke.
Thalia gripped her sister’s hand tightly. “Of course. I could use the company.”
And I could use the extra buffer from Finlay.
Her uncle and Harrison entered then, and the trio turned to greet them. Harrison eyed them all with a scowl that seemed permanently etched in his features.
Thalia wondered again how her uncle could ever want her to marry someone like him.
The servants finished laying out breakfast. The smell of sausages, potatoes, and eggs hit her nose, and her mouthwatered. She hoped that she could get through a proper meal this time without any other outbursts or interruptions.
“Will Laird MacAinsley be joinin’ us this time?” her uncle asked. He looked as if he expected Finlay to still be out.
“I have nay reason to suspect otherwise,” Thalia answered as politely as she could.
The sooner the cèilidh was over and they were gone, the better everything would be.
“Good mornin’.”
All eyes were on Finlay as he came in, with Daisy tucked right behind him. She poked her head out and smiled upon seeing Thalia, who gave her an encouraging smile back.
“Laird MacFinn, Laird MacGibbon, I daenae think ye’ve had the pleasure of meetin’ me daughter. This is Daisy.” Finlay gestured behind him.
Daisy emerged shyly. She looked up at Finlay, who gave her a small nod, and she bobbed a curtsy.
“How do ye do?” she muttered.
“Yer daughter?” Archibald asked with a grimace.
“Aye.” Finlay raised his chin in a small challenge, but Archibald did not take it up.
Caden, sensing the tension in the air, clapped his hands together. “Shall we eat? It’d be a shame to waste all of this food.”
Archibald took his seat at one side of the table, and Harrison sat next to him. Finlay sat at the head, with Caden on his right, followed by Ava, Thalia, and then Daisy.
They all ate their food in silence.
Archibald looked between Thalia and Daisy, as if he were trying to figure out a solution to a problem. Thalia ignored him and instead kept her focus on Daisy, who was struggling to cut a piece of her sausage.
“Here, sweetheart. Let me help,” Thalia offered, taking the knife from her hands.
She cut the sausage into several smaller bites, and Daisy looked up at her gratefully. She stabbed a piece and popped it into her mouth, humming in delight.
Thalia chuckled. “See? It’s nae so bad in here, is it?”
Daisy shook her head, shoveling more food into her mouth eagerly.
“I’m glad to see ye’re nae in a maid’s dress again, Thalia,” Archibald said, drawing the attention back to himself. “It’s unbecomin’ of a lady of yer station to wear somethin’ like that.”
Thalia did her best to smile politely at him. “Of course, Uncle. I was just talkin’ with Ava and Caden earlier, and they’ll be arrangin’ for the rest of me clothes to be sent over from MacCabe Castle. So I’ll be dressed more appropriately from now on.”
