A quick glance around her told him otherwise, though he noticed that a few of the Murray clansmen lingered nearby, their attention fixed on her far too openly.
Hungry bastards.
Lachlan closed the distance between them without another thought. She started, her eyes darting from the dance floor to him. Her expression smoothed once she recognized him, and she gave a polite smile.
“Ye look like someone who’s studyin’ a battle plan rather than a dance,” he remarked.
“I was observing,” she replied coolly.
Ye clearly werenae.
“Aye,” he said, glancing toward the twirling dancers. “Although one could argue that ye are lost.”
Marian’s eyebrow rose. “I beg your pardon?”
A crooked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he offered his hand. “Come along,Sassenach.”
It made no sense to him that he was offering. He had no desire to dance, least of all at a cèilidh he had not planned to attend. But he did anyway.
“If ye’re goin’ to stand in a cèilidh, someone ought to teach ye how to dance.”
Is this his way of asking me to dance?
Marian blinked, staring at his hand with skepticism. Her eyebrow arched slightly as she waited for him to withdraw it, but he did not.
I suppose it is.
“Go on, Marian,” Anna whispered beside her. “You should not keep the Laird waiting for too long.” Her lips curled into a smile.
Marian stood up at last, placing her hand in his. A sudden shyness crept over her at the contact, and Anna’s smile widened as she gave her a small nudge.
Marian breathed deeply. Before she could gather herself, Lachlan had already led her to the dance floor, his hand settling firmly on her lower back. The contact sent a small shiver throughher, and she stilled for a moment, her eyes looking everywhere but at his face.
“Ye seem nervous,” he muttered, and her cheeks flushed at once. “Who could have imagined an English lady nervous about dancin’?”
Marian pressed her lips together as the music began, trying to fight back the nerves. The music was slow at first, so she shifted slightly, leading the opening steps.
“I have yet to learn the rhythm,” she admitted, her words quieter than they sounded in her head.
He nodded, pulling her slightly closer. “Then ye’ll have to follow me lead, me Lady,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “At least this one time.”
Marian huffed softly, though she did as he said, matching her steps to his as the other couples joined in the dance.
The rhythm built quickly, and soon, the hall came alive again.
A soft laugh escaped her as her foot faltered against the rhythm, and Lachlan’s grip tightened on her at once, steadying her before she could stumble into the couple next to them.
“Watch me,” he murmured near her ear.
She drew in a breath, far more aware of him than the steps he was trying to show her. His scent enveloped her—the same scent that had filled her senses on the horse, in the library, and by the well.
The room blurred for a moment as he released her into the next step, and she whirled, stopping in front of Anna once her hand caught hers. She let out a small, surprised yelp.
“You seem to be having fun,” Anna called over the loud music.
Marian nodded.
“Yes, thanks to your wonderful ball.”
