The next morning, Edna dressed in one of the dresses from the trunk and plaited her hair, letting it fall over one shoulder. Surprisingly, she had slept well the night before and woke with a renewed sense of hope that this was going to be successful.
After all, a man like Neacal wasn’t going to be difficult to win over, given the fact he already wanted her as his wife.
So, when Malcolm came, she gave him a smile. “I’m ready.”
He gave her a once-over before reaching up and touching her braid. Edna forgot to breathe as he untied the leather throng with his fingers, quickly undoing her hard work. “A Scot never forgets how a lass wears her hair down,” he said gruffly. “And Neacal won’t either this morn.”
He was so close she could reach out and touch his unshaven jaw, feel the hardness of his cheeks against her fingers, and it took all that Edna had not to do those things, concentrating instead on the way his fingers felt as they sifted through her hair until it was down her back once more.
“There,” he stated, his voice softer than she had heard before. “Now ye are a vision.”
The words rolled down Edna’s spine, causing those tingles all over her body, and she swallowed against them. James had never affected her so, not in all the times they were close like this. Malcolm’s mouth worked before he was backing away, and Edna was allowed to draw in a breath that didn’t include breathing his scent in.
“Well then... ’Tis a good thing ye are in the art of wooing a laird.”
He shot her a dark look, and she suppressed her grin. “Are ye going tae take mah arm like the others?”
“Ye are going tae walk beside me, lass,” Malcolm stated. “I want him tae see that we are friends, allies.”
It was an odd thing to say. Edna knew nothing about the Scot in her presence, nothing about how he knew her beloved or what they had discussed. All she knew was the warmth she felt whenever Malcolm was near, how her heartbeat picked up a notch and her mind cluttered with things that she didn’t understand.
“Edna?”
Like the way he was saying her name now. Either she was dreaming, or Edna had just heard a hitch in his voice. “I’m ready,” she said instead, giving him a short nod.
He gave her a look before they were walking down the hall to the stairs, both silent and lost in their thoughts. When they reached the great hall, Neacal was standing there with his brother, his eyes on Edna.
“Wot a lovely start tae mah morning,” he murmured, his eyes bright. “Doesnae she look like a vision, Declan?”
His brother gave Edna a once-over, his expression remaining dark. “I dinnae know aboot that. She’s not attempting tae claw mah eyes out this morning.”
“Thank ye for the invitation tae breakfast,” Edna murmured demurely, hoping that her expression was one of innocence and embarrassment. “I know I haven’t been the best of guests.” She nearly choked on the word guest, but she needed for the laird to think she had changed her mind, no matter how she had gotten here in the first place.
Declan continued to stare at her, but Neacal stepped forward, holding out his hand. “Come, mah dear. Let me guide ye tae mah table.”
Malcolm didn’t say anything, so Edna took the cold, thin hand of the man before her and allowed him to lead her over to the table, already filled with breakfast. When Declan attempted to sit in one of the chairs, his brother looked at him sharply.
“Ye weren’t invited.”
Declan lifted a brow. “I live here.”
“And I’m laird,” Neacal said coldly. “This table is for the laird and his intended this morn. Go find yer own means of breakfast.”
Edna glanced at Malcolm, whose expression was impassive, but there was a glint in his eye, one that told her this was what they needed. “Ye may go as well,” she said to him, her voice taking on a hard edge. “I wish tae learn more aboot the laird.”
Neacal looked pleased, and Malcolm gave them a curt nod before striding off, Declan forced to move in his wake.
When she turned to the laird, he was giving her an approving glance. “I didnae know ye had that in ye, lass,” he murmured, reaching over to cover her hand with his. “Perhaps there is more tae this than I realized.”
Edna forced her smile to remain serene and her body not to recoil from his touch. Once she was done with him, he wouldn’t even realize what had hit him.
8
Two days later, Malcolm was seated in the chair next to Neacal, partaking in a glass of Scot’s whiskey with the laird after dinner. Today he had viewed the warriors as they trained, making idle comments to the laird and his ever-present brother about what they could do differently in training. It was clear to Malcolm that Declan didn’t enjoy the fact that his brother was listening to an outsider like he was, but all the more important for Malcolm to gain the laird’s trust If he was going to get Edan out of here.
He felt like he was on the cusp of doing so.
“Do ye really think I should replace mah second?” Neacal was asking, the crackling of the fire behind them the only sounds in the great hall. “His fighting skills are adequate enough.”
