“I have, actually,” she retorted confidently, having heard the old wives’ tale as a child. “I do hope it stays that way, then I can follow you around for the rest of your life with this face, reminding you of what a miserable git you are.”
Daniel rolled his eyes until the pupils nearly disappeared in the back of his head. “I’m begging ye, please never make that face again, I cannae stand ye for the short periods of time I see ye already.”
Melissa scoffed at him with her nose thrust in the air, sauntering off triumphantly before he could say anything back. Making her way to her sister, who was holding her youngest child, she quickly glanced back to see the anger on Daniel’s face as he dabbed at the patch of ale on his chest.
“Oh, boy.” Avery laughed as she bounced her youngest child on her hip. “What have you done to Daniel now?” she asked, highly amused by the angry way he was cleaning his jacket and muttering under his breath.
“Why did you automatically assume it was I that did something wrong?” Melissa sighed. “Could it not have been Daniel that did something to me? He’s an insufferable jerk, I’m not sure why you have to have him around all the time,” she complained, almost insulted by her sister’s accusation.
Avery threw her long blonde hair over her shoulder and shook her head in amusement.
“Daniel is Darragh’s best friend,” Avery explained, as she had done countless times in the past two years, her light brown eyes twinkling in the bright light cast by the torches on the wall. Her slightly darker blonde hair was pinned to the back of her head in a bun. “He’s going to be around for a very long time, we can’t just not invite him to the castle from time to time. I wish the two of you would learn to get along.” She stopped to readjust the child on her hip before continuing. “For my sake, if not for yours.”
“I’ll learn to be nicer to him when he learns to stop being such an insufferable perfectionist.” Melissa rolled her almost golden-brown eyes again, straightening the folds of her light pink dress as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. She was slightly shorter than her sister, with a far more rebellious spirit.
Avery often commented that her sister’s penchant to go against the rules would someday get her into trouble. A fact that made Melissa the polar opposite of Daniel, who lived by his rules. “Never mind that now. Are you going to dance this evening?” Melissa’s spirits perked up as she looked around the room at the many guests drinking their ale and laughing or asking their partners to dance. “You know how much I love these Ceilidhs.” She craned her neck to get a better look around the room.
“I’m sad to say that I don’t think I will.” Avery pinched the chubby cheek of her youngest child. “This one is being a little fusspot this evening.” She looked up and frowned before quickly turning back to her sister with a serious look on her face. “Dancing is the least of your worries right now,” she said under her breath.
“What?” Melissa looked at her with a frown but quickly began to panic when she spotted her mother making her way toward them with the man from earlier by her side. “Oh, no, what should I do?” she hurriedly asked her sister, her eyes searching for an escape route through the throng of guests.
“It’s too late,” Avery hissed under her breath just as Melissa was about to push past her. “You’ve already been spotted.”
Melissa looked up to see the angry expression on her mother’s face as they approached.
“Don’t you dare move,” her mother angrily mouthed the words as Melissa resigned herself to her fate, taking her stance at her sister’s side and plastering a smile on her face.
“Here you are, dear,” Daphne Young said in a pleasant tone as she reached her daughters with the mystery suitor at her side. “We were just talking about you.” She turned toward the young man with a smile. “This is Ethan McGregor, a very pleasant young man that I happened to bump into this evening.”
“How do ye do?” The young man with jet black hair and light blue eyes bowed as he greeted both Young sisters, keeping a keen eye on Melissa. “I’m pleased to make yer acquaintance.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Melissa greeted back with a curtsy and a nod. The young man was handsome enough with tanned skin and a tall muscular frame.
“Avery, dear,” Daphne suddenly said with a fake look of surprise that nobody would buy. “I completely forgot that there was something I needed to show you in your room. I’m afraid it can’t wait.” She winked at her eldest daughter when Ethan looked away.
“Can it not wait for a little later, Mama?” Avery tried to divert her attention and signal to her mother that Melissa was not interested in the young man. “I’m kind of busy with our guests right now.” She cocked her head to the side, making a slight gesture with her eyes before smiling at the young man again.
“Nonsense.” Daphne waved the idea away with her hand as if she were swatting a fly. “A new mother should never be charged with keeping an eye on the guests at a ball.” She linked her arm through that of her daughter’s, gently guiding her away.
Avery looked over her shoulder and gave her sister an apologetic look.
“Looks like it’s just the two of us,” Ethan said with an oily smirk that instantly set Melissa’s teeth on edge.
“I guess so.” Melissa gave him a polite smile before turning her attention back to the crowd and watching the couples dance. Her eyes quickly fell on Daniel, who was still dabbing at his coat with a displeased scowl on his face. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head.
Only he would still be furious over some spilled ale!
“Ye seem distracted,” Ethan noted with a pleasant smile.
“Not at all, I was just watching the dancing.” Melissa remembered her manners, turning back toward her company. “Do you enjoy dancing?” she attempted for the sake of propriety if nothing else.
Ethan shook his head with a scowl on his face. “Nae much, I prefer hunting an’ feasts with far less frivolity,” he added with a pointed look.
Oh, great. Another manly man who thinks women should be seen and not heard.
“If I were ever to marry, I would expect me wife to be waiting at home for me with the bairns when I return from a feast.” He thrust his nose in the air. “Nae dancing. It’s a complete waste of time if ye ask me.”
Melissa sighed heavily at having her suspicions confirmed in such an overt manner. She understood that her mother was concerned with her making a good match, but it would be nice for once if she put in a little more thought instead of cornering the first bachelor she laid her eyes upon.
