Then they reached the end of the hallway, and Catriona paused, squinting out into the courtyard. The targets were lined up, and the archers were poised. She spotted Dominic among them, and could pinpoint the moment when Paisley saw him, too. The girl tensed up, her grip on Catriona's arm tightening almost imperceptibly.
Catriona hid a smile.
The first arrows were loosed, one after the other, in a mutedwhooshof lightweight wood and feathers, the tips a viciously pointed flint.
She could see at a glance that Dominic's arrow had won the first round. Several archers had hit the bullseye, but only he had gotten it so squarely in the center of the bullseye.
The ones who'd missed the bullseye failed the round, and then the targets were moved back.
Again and again the archers took aim, and again and again more of them fell short, until there was only Dominic and one other person – a woman, in fact – aiming at the target. They were shooting the whole length of the courtyard.
Catriona found herself holding her breath. The woman and Dominic grinned at each other and shook hands, then took aim.
Whoosh.
Both hit the bullseye, but the woman's arrow was just off-center.
Cheers broke out when Dominic was declared winner. He accepted the praise with a blank face, only smiling wryly when the woman came to shake his hand. Then he set off across the courtyard, his gaze fixed on Paisley.
Catriona felt Paisley shiver and suppressed a smile.
"I'm here to claim me dance," Dominic said, his voice low, his gaze still lingering on Paisley.
Catriona cleared her throat. "Well, I'll not keep ye from ye betrothed, then. Off ye go."
17
This dance was a slower one. Still faster than what would be considered appropriate back in England, but still.
Paisley's heart was fluttering inside her chest like a trapped bird. She felt more nervous than she had all day, and that was saying something.
"I hope Maither dinnae try to eat ye," Dominic said, his voice low and amused.
Paisley chuckled. "No, she was very kind and welcoming."
"Kind and welcoming? That doesn't sound like me maither at all."
They shared a grin, then the dance sped up again.
Paisley stood close to Dominic, held tight in his arms. She could feel the heat coming off his body, and his muscles tensed and shifted under his skin. Fewer people were dancing now, most of them having headed towards the refreshment tables for wine and jugs of ale.
She liked it better this way. It felt more private, somehow. They danced through the measures, and every step felt correct.
Paisley was fairly sure that her steps werenotcorrect, but that mattered less now than it had earlier. Dominic's gaze was fixed on her, but it was softer and less intense than usual. There was a hunger in his eyes, something that sparked that ache in Paisley's gut against. She felt her fingers tighten against his shoulders, silently asking for something that she didn't entirely understand.
"You're very talented at archery," Paisley said, breathless. It seemed as though sheshouldsay something and couldn't quite decide what it was that she should say.
Dominic grinned, as if he could see right into her head and read her thoughts.
Well, maybe he could.
He lifted his arm, letting her twirl in a circle underneath.
"She likes ye," he said.
"Your mother? Are you sure? She seemed... skeptical, I thought."
"Aye, well, she was always going to be suspicious of any woman who agreed to marry me."
